Sohar
Sohar. Well, it is inThe coastal city of Sohar was once an important Islamic port and the largest town in the country. Nowadays, Sohar has a new port under construction, being built at a cost of RO120million. The city is renowned for its copper deposits, and archaeological evidence points to copper extraction being carried out 5000 years ago. There are still three copper mines in operation in Sohar with over 18 million tons of copper deposits.
Sohar is an attractive region for tourists due to its clean, safe beaches and the plethora of archaeological features. Visitors will be attracted to its large and functional souq with handy tailors, fruit sellers, and fishermen vying for space, and its fort which stands apart with its four-story walls and six towers, an imposing sight overlooking the bay.
One of the first references to 'Sohar' is in the work of historian, Yaqut al Hamawi who implies that the city took its name in the 6th century AH from a descendent of Noah: Sohar bin Adam bin Sam bin Noah. When the Palestinian Arab scholar Muqadisi visited the city in 10th century AH he described it as a "flourishing city with a large number of people living there. It is a beautiful city with a comfortable life, …and its mosque overlooks the sea…the Mihrab (indicator of the direction for prayers) changes colour because it is covered in copper…".
Sohar is an attractive region for tourists due to its clean, safe beaches and the plethora of archaeological features. Visitors will be attracted to its large and functional souq with handy tailors, fruit sellers, and fishermen vying for space, and its fort which stands apart with its four-story walls and six towers, an imposing sight overlooking the bay.
One of the first references to 'Sohar' is in the work of historian, Yaqut al Hamawi who implies that the city took its name in the 6th century AH from a descendent of Noah: Sohar bin Adam bin Sam bin Noah. When the Palestinian Arab scholar Muqadisi visited the city in 10th century AH he described it as a "flourishing city with a large number of people living there. It is a beautiful city with a comfortable life, …and its mosque overlooks the sea…the Mihrab (indicator of the direction for prayers) changes colour because it is covered in copper…".
The Sohar Castle is one of the most prominent features in the city of Sohar and was built between the 13th and 14th century AD by the 'Emirs of Hormuz'. Imam Nasser bin Murshid Al Ya'arubi managed to conquer and expel the Portuguese from the castle, which was used since then as the administration centre for the rulers of Al-Bu Said dynasty. An escape tunnel runs from inside the Fort to the Wilayat of Buraimi, 10 Km to the west. It was used as a route to obtain reinforcements and supplies during sieges. The castle features a musium located inside
Sohar University is the first private university in Oman. It is a non-profit organization that provides high quality education for Omani as well as international students. The University offers undergraduate studies that meet international standards with quality assurance from The University of Queensland in Australia.
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