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Kuryat Castle

Quriyat Castle, Quriyat, Oman

The Kuriyat Castle was not the first fortification in Kuriyat. The Portuguese arrived here in the 16th century. The village was a strategic point for controlling the Oman Gulf and access to the Persian Gulf. There was an Arab fort here, which was conquered by the Portuguese in 1507. They rebuilt it and named it "Fortaleza de Kuria." It was part of a chain of fortresses that the Portuguese Empire had in this region.
Oman: The Land of Fortresses
photo
Jermaine

The city of Qurayyat is full of archaeological and historical monuments. Qurayyat Fort is one of the most important historical landmarks. This fort was built over two hundred years ago by Sayyid Said ibn Khalfan al Busaidi, who was called “Al-Kannas.”

The Qurayyat castle was not the first fortification in Qurayyat. The Portuguese arrived here in the 16th century. The village was a strategic point for controlling the Oman Gulf and access to the Persian Gulf. There was an Arab fort here, which was conquered by the Portuguese in 1507. They rebuilt it and named it "Fortaleza de Quriyya." It was part of a chain of forts that the Portuguese Empire had in this region.


The fortress and village were mentioned in the early 17th century book by Anton Baccara, "The Book of All Plants, Fortresses, Cities, and Settlements of the East Indies."

The fort was taken from the Portuguese in the 1640s by the Yarubids.

The current castle was intended to serve as the residence of the wali and his family and to receive the sultan if he visited. The castle has a square layout with one round tower in the southeast corner.

The citadel is a single-story rectangular building. In the southern corner of the castle, there is a tower that is taller than the castle itself. The main entrance to the fort is located on the eastern side, and there is a special entrance for women on the northern side.

At the entrance to the castle, there is a place where guests can talk and share news. The wali often acts as a mediator between opponents and resolves community issues. The reconciliation process between parties in a court case usually took place in the presence of witnesses representing the conflicting sides.

The fort has a special room for soldiers, another for housing families, and a special lounge for women. There are also special rooms for children. All rooms have windows overlooking the open inner courtyard of the castle. Additionally, the castle has storage rooms for dates. The tall tower was formerly used for observation and sending messages.

The castle was built from stone and clay, decorated with beautiful arches, ornate windows, and wooden doors brought from East Africa and India. The fort was restored in 1987 and 2013.

Sources:

https://www.castles.nl/quriyat-castle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qurayyat,_Oman

photo
Jermaine

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