Al Hamra: Houses with Palm-Leaf Ceilings

Al Hamra draws attention to its preserved multi-storey houses. Nearby, visitors can watch a halwa maker at work in the old souq. The architecture and a specific craft activity thus offer different points of interest for a trip.

Multi-storey Houses and Palm-Leaf Ceilings

Al Hamra has preserved houses with two, three or four storeys. Their ceilings are made of palm trunks and palm fronds covered with mud and straw. The houses can therefore be viewed through two specific features: their varying number of storeys and the construction of their ceilings. Palm trunks and fronds form the ceiling structure, with mud and straw as the covering above. For travellers interested in building methods, these details make the architecture tangible without reducing it to a generic image of the place.

Halwa Making in the Old Souq

In the nearby old souq, visitors can watch a halwa maker at work. It is also home to the old souq’s only halwa shop that is still in operation. For those interested in production and crafts as well as buildings, this offers another way to experience the destination: rather than focusing on architectural form, attention turns to the work involved in making halwa. Both topics offer specific interests around which you can plan your trip.

Ad Dakhiliyah: Landscape and Defensive Architecture

The wider destination of Ad Dakhiliyah encompasses the towering mountains of Jabal Al Akhdar and Jabal Shams, as well as numerous caves, springs and valleys. This is a broader landscape setting than the view of Al Hamra’s houses. The region’s forts and historic buildings also provide their own points of interest.

Bahla Fort is a medieval fortress listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It stands on a high hill amid a fertile palm oasis. Together with the oasis settlement and its surrounding fortifications, it forms an outstanding example of medieval defensive architecture. The complex enabled important tribes to prosper in Oman and on the Arabian Peninsula. At Bahla, the focus is therefore not only on the fort but also on its setting within a fortified oasis settlement.

Nizwa Fort is considered a major tourist destination in Oman and an outstanding example of Omani defensive architecture. It conveys aspects of Omani history as well as traditional building and fortification techniques. Jabreen Castle offers further specific architectural details: the building has a rectangular floor plan, two entrances and two towers. The large gate is decorated with floral motifs and conical studs. Inside are reception halls, a courtroom, living quarters, a kitchen, storerooms for dates and gunpowder, separate prisons for men and women, and guard rooms. The Sun and Moon Room was used for important consultations; soldiers hid in the Imam’s Protection Room to guard the imam. The rooms can thus be understood by their different functions, from consultation and living to security and supplies.

Bayt Al Ridaydah is another regional architectural attraction. Imam Sultan bin Saif Al-Ya’rubi (1649–1679) had it built in the 17th century. Falaj Al-Khatmain, a traditional irrigation system, runs through the courtyard. The Oman Across Ages Museum in Wilayat Manah offers another way to explore history: it presents Oman’s history from prehistoric times through the Islamic period to the present day.

Choose the Right Focus

In Al Hamra, the focus is on the preserved houses and the nearby souq with its halwa making; Ad Dakhiliyah offers a broader view of the landscape and a range of cultural sites. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide whether you want to plan your trip mainly around Al Hamra’s architecture and the craftwork in the souq, or around the region’s landscape and cultural attractions. This lets you match your choice of holiday base to the interests that will shape your trip.

Discover more destinations: Nizwa, Kharma, Adam, Ma'murah, Bahlāʼ.

Back to the regional travel overview: Ad Dakhiliyah.