The forts of Rostaq and al-Hazm

Description

The impresive fort of Rostaq is in the middle of a large oasis, just at the foothills of the Jebel Akhdar, where the narrow valley of the wadi far cut through the dolomitic limestones of the Jebel widens among the lower ophiolithic hills. Rostaq has been an important town and market place as soon as the time of Persian rule in preislamic times, when the castle was first settled. (…..) The present monument incorporates an earlier pre-islamic fortification under its higher part and main tower. Three towers were later added with living quarters at various levels and the construction includes an elaborate access to the falj system. Under the Bu Said dynasty an outer wall with towers was built around the castle (XVIIIth century. South of the fort several ancient houses can still be seen among the gardens, together with an ancient funerary mosque housing a few inscribed stones. It should be worth to restore and protect them as well. (…..) al-Hazm - The castle is located on the edge of a small group of palmtree gardens, on the western bank of the Wadi Far, when it enters the arid gravel plain which separates the mountains from the Batinah coast. It appears as a large rectangular two storied construction with a narrow inner courtyard and two round towers flanking the southern and eastern corners. It is under care of the Ministry of Interior and can be visited with a written authorization of the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture.