Nizwa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nizwa (Arabic: نزوى‎) is a city in Oman and was the capital of Oman proper.

Its Old Central Mosque was formerly a center for Islamic learning and it is still known by many older natives the Jama'a. It is a center for date growing and packing, and the market place for the Dhakliya area. In the early 1950s the large round tower of the ancient fort built around 400 years ago in the center of the town was bombed and rocketed by the British Royal Air Force who were called in to assist the then reigning Sultan, Said bin Taymour in suppressing a revolt by leaders of the interior Imamate of Oman. The conflict was a driven by a struggle for shares in the newly discovered oil wealth.

Nizwa has become a more modern city under the reign of Sultan Qaboos with roads and communications, a substantial hospital, schools, and the Training academy for the Royal Oman Police all being established over the past thirty years. There are now three good hotels and tourism is promoted in the area, which has some outstanding mountain scenery close by.

The main tourist attractions in and around the city of Nizwa are Nizwa Fort, Falaj (Qanat) Daris, and the Old Market where Omani Khanjars are crafted and Halwa (a traditional Omani dessert) is sold. A short drive from Nizwa is Tanuf, known for its seasonal waterfalls. The Jebal Akhdar (Green Mountains), about 2 hours drive from Nizwa, rise to 3000 meters above sea level and are famous for their fruits and traditional making of rose water. Near Nizwa are the wilayats of Al-Hamra, home of Misfat Al-Abryeen, and Bahla famous for its ancient fort and traditional clay crafts.

Coordinates: 22°56′N 57°32′E