Jabreen Castle

 


After our cave tour and some lunch we visited Jabreen Castle.
"Jabreen Castle was built by Imam Bel’arab bin Sultan Al Yarubi. His father was Imam Sultan bin Saif Al Yarubi the Imam who removed the Portuguese from Oman" from OmanTripper.com
I opted to tour the castle with the audio guide and there were so many fascinating details. The Imam who built the castle and lived there was very interested in science and art. He funded the education and living expenses of the students that came to study at the castle. Because it was built in a time of peace in the 17th century, the castle is very unique and charming.

I love the palm farming that surrounds the grounds.
Although it was built in a time of peace, the fortifications included spouts to pour boiling date syrup on attackers and stone holes used as jails. The women's jail was a bit more civil.

This is the date long-term storage. The juice from the dates would run into those pits. Dates are the primary crop of the country.




It was apparently a sign of wealth to have beautifully decorated ceilings. The castle had several different types. This staircase lead to the personal suits of the Imam. The Arabic inscriptions were curses and verses of the Quran designed to keep evil away from him. It also featured a booby-trap. The 4th stair was a loose board. It made it difficult to sneak up the stairs and could also be removed entirely as a trap at night.





There was a lot to explore. Here you can see two ships  drawn in a defense tower as well as the spout you would pour boiling date syrup down. 
I especially loved his library. Many of the rooms used to congregate were furnished with rugs and cushions. There was pottery, wooden trunks and other beautiful decor. Omani doors are a thing here. I love them.
I felt like it was easy to imagine life in this castle. An Omani working there encouraged us to come back in 2022. The castle recently changed hands into a private company and they've made a lot of plans to add to the castle. I'm looking forward to going back! Here's a link to more information about Jabreen Castle


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