When people of Nizwa pooled their efforts to restore the old wall around Al Shahba Fort, it not only became the symbol of pride of the wilayat of Nizwa but also a role model that will inspire future generations to preserve the rich heritage of Al Dakhiliyah Governorate.
The restored wall was opened on January 8 in the village of Al Aqur. Al Aqur Wall and Al Aqur Square is about 1,950 meters long, of which about 700 meters has been restored at a cost of RO 4,000. The opening ceremony was attended by Ibrahim bin Said al Kharousi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Heritage.
The wall runs across date palm orchards, old mud houses, and offers a view of Al Shahba. The wall is decorated with beautiful lighting and a geometric design that matches the neighborhood and the design of the castle. The wall includes six towers, the highest of which is 13 meters.
It now has cafes, restaurants that sell traditional food, a photo booth to click souvenir photos in traditional Omani costumes as well as a large square for walking around and holding events.
Ishaq bin Hilal al Sheriani, Chairman of Bawareq Nizwa International Investment Company, which is carrying out the restoration work, said: “The revival of ancient houses that were abandoned decades ago has become a tourist destination on the international map today. The Al Aqur heritage village contained 18 rooms 7 years ago, while today it includes 200 rooms. The number is increasing with many quality facilities. There are more than 15 cafes, two museums, a public library, and two majlis, a center for introducing Islam, a Qur’an school, and a clinic, considering that the first hospital in Nizwa was in the Al Aqur neighborhood."
These projects contributed to providing hundreds of jobs for young people and inspired them to take up self-employment.
Suleiman bin Mohammad al Sulaimani, agent of Harat and Al Aqur Wall said; "Restoration and rebuilding of Al Aqur Wall began in early 2020, and it is expected to be fully restored before 2028. We started with the part overlooking the Al Bustan Inn. We expected that we would complete the restoration of the entire wall within 15 years. People also learned about the wall, and the success of the experience of restoring part of it made it easier for us to obtain support to restore the rest of the wall."
Regarding the materials used in rebuilding the wall, he said: "In the past, we used mortar, clay, and stones, and at present, we restore and build with several types of materials. Some parts are part of the old premises while some others are completely demolished. We use modern materials such as iron, bricks, stones, and cement in the base so that they are more solid. But it is completely covered with modern materials as well. This is to avoid any problems due to humidity, and since the wall is located in many places on the farms, it is a humid area. There are places where we started building from scratch because it had completely collapsed. In these places, we build them about two meters underground and cover them with insulation from rainwater and falaj. We also use modern base materials to give the wall a longer lifespan."
The wall was most likely built during the reign of Imam Al Salt bin Malik al Kharusi. However, there is no explicit evidence or documentation that it took place during the era of Imam Al Salt, but studies point to this period.
The wall was further strengthened during the reign of Imam Sultan bin Saif bin Malik al Ya'rubi as the dynasty’s military and financial capacity was bigger.
In ancient days, the wall protected the people from invaders and thieves. In the past, the old neighborhoods were mostly walled. But its walls differ according to their importance. Part of its walls are the walls of houses and this neighborhood was the command center in Oman. The imam or the sultan was present within this neighborhood. Governors, officials, judges, advisors, and scholars were also there. Therefore, its fortification was very important.
"The wall has been neglected for about 60-70 years. This negligence led to its near collapse in many areas. Another reason is many houses were built close to the wall as many landlords did not know about the wall as it had either collapsed or only parts remained. The change of ownership of properties adjoining the wall also made the restoration more challenging. All landmarks should be restored and taken care of. The wall is an integral part of the Al Aqur neighborhood," Al Sulaimani said.
Al Sulaimani said restoration was expensive due to costly materials and lack of specialists. The dilapidated state of the wall made many construction equipment inaccessible.
To fund the restoration of remaining parts of the wall, the management has set an entry fee of 500 baisas for Omanis RO1 for non-Omanis.
PHOTOS BY SAMI AL HINAI
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