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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Indian magazine praises Omani architecture

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MUMBAI: Architectural Digest magazine of India recently published a report about the Sultanate and praised the Omani architecture which is very evident in the historic and modern landmarks. It said that while the new buildings are only a few storey tall, not detracting from the historic sites that truly deserve adulation. The magazine spoke about Muscat International Airport saying that it deserves a note of appreciation.


The new terminal features eye-catching cacti gardens with sandboxes and desert brush, nurtured by an abundance of natural light from the glass panelling and blue neon lounge lighting that lights up the airport at night.


The airport also boasts 6,000 square metres of duty-free shopping, 96 check-in counters, 8,000 parking spaces and a 90-room air side hotel.


It added that a short drive away from the Muscat airport brings us to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the fourth biggest in the world. The interiors are tiled with crushed minerals in a mosaic of swirling colours with stained glass


windows reflecting kaleidoscopes of tinted light.


Just across the Sultan palace is the newly-opened National Museum, flanked by the Jalali and Mirani fortresses, and the old Muscat Wall.


In terms of the artefacts on display, it is more about quality versus quantity but this is the first regional museum to integrate the Arabic Braille script for those with visual impairments.


The report noted that the old city in the Wilayat of Bahla is surrounded by a 14 kilometre city wall.


The cluster containing a main tower, old houses and a mosque, the ancient wonder has been inscribed by Unesco as a World Heritage Site.


The military acumen cannot go unnoticed: narrow shafts allowed hot oil, water or even date syrup to be poured down the walls to scald invaders; windy hidden staircases would exhaust anyone who managed to break into the fort; and the thick walls, with a base deep below ground, helped make the fort almost impenetrable.


“The Jabreen Castle stands at the centre of a date palm orchard. The property tour has numbered halts, with walkie-talkies churning out curated recordings. One can get lost in the corridors: stepping into labyrinths of prayer halls, kitchens, secret lairs, alcoves and stables”, the magazine concluded. — ONA


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