Al Hazm Castle, also known as Al Hazm fort, is a castle in

Rustaq Rustaq ( ar, ٱلرُّسْتَاق, Ar-Rustāq) is a town and ''Wilayah'' (District) in Al Batinah Region of northern Oman. The wilayah is in the Western Hajar Mountains, in the south of the Batinah. Rustaq was once the capital of Oman, during ...

Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of ...

History

It was built by Imam Sultan bin Saif II in 1708. It was built as a residence for the imam. The castle also had a prison, mosque, and religious classrooms. After Sultan bin Saif II died in 1718, he was buried within the castle. In 1988, it was submitted to the tentative list of the

UNESCO World Heritage sites A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

. It was undergoing restoration work as of 2020.

Architecture

It is a large rectangular construction flanked by two round

fortified tower A fortified tower (also defensive tower or castle tower or, in context, just tower) is one of the defensive structures used in fortifications, such as castles, along with curtain walls. Castle towers can have a variety of different shapes and fu ...

s. The towers are on the Southern and Eastern corners. The castle features a large intricately carved wooden door.

References

{{reflist Forts in Oman