Rustaq
Rustaq (ٱلرُّسْتَاق) 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 the era of Imam Nasir bin Murshid al Ya'arubi. Rustaq Fort, built four centuries prior to the 7th century CE, is an imposing structure built on three levels, containing separate houses, an armoury, a mosque and four towers. The tallest tower stands over 18.5 m high, and has a diameter of 6 m.
The Al Hazm Castle is an outstanding example of Omani Islamic architecture and was built in 1711 AD. The fort's roof is built on columns, and contains no wooden supports. Its walls can withstand great impact, at no less than 3 m thick at any point.
Rustaq is an area of healing warm springs, the most notable being 'Ain al-Kasafa. Its waters runs at 45 °C and are regarded as a cure for rheumatism and skin diseases due to its sulphur content.
There are three popular wadis to visit: Wadi Bani Ghafar, Wadi al-Sahtan and Wadi Bani Auf. In addition, the mountains are pitted with caves such as Al Sanaqha Cave with its own subterranean springs. One of the main occupations in Rustaq is beekeeping. Pure Omani honey is a most sought-after commodity and is of the highest quality. Fruits such as pomegranates, apricots, plums and grapes are grown on the foothills of the Akhdar Mountains and brought to Rustaq for sale. There are also historical mosques in Rustaq, including the Al-Bayada Mosque, the Basra Mosque and the Qasra Mosque.
The name of this town is a derived from the Middle Iranian rōstāg, meaning "district" (also in Baluchi, Persian, Kumzari, etc.), New Iranian rusta, meaning a 'large village.' The term is a cognate to other Indo-European tongues such as Latin, where 'rustica', means the same thing (whence the source for the English term, 'rustic').
The Al Hazm Castle is an outstanding example of Omani Islamic architecture and was built in 1711 AD. The fort's roof is built on columns, and contains no wooden supports. Its walls can withstand great impact, at no less than 3 m thick at any point.
Rustaq is an area of healing warm springs, the most notable being 'Ain al-Kasafa. Its waters runs at 45 °C and are regarded as a cure for rheumatism and skin diseases due to its sulphur content.
There are three popular wadis to visit: Wadi Bani Ghafar, Wadi al-Sahtan and Wadi Bani Auf. In addition, the mountains are pitted with caves such as Al Sanaqha Cave with its own subterranean springs. One of the main occupations in Rustaq is beekeeping. Pure Omani honey is a most sought-after commodity and is of the highest quality. Fruits such as pomegranates, apricots, plums and grapes are grown on the foothills of the Akhdar Mountains and brought to Rustaq for sale. There are also historical mosques in Rustaq, including the Al-Bayada Mosque, the Basra Mosque and the Qasra Mosque.
The name of this town is a derived from the Middle Iranian rōstāg, meaning "district" (also in Baluchi, Persian, Kumzari, etc.), New Iranian rusta, meaning a 'large village.' The term is a cognate to other Indo-European tongues such as Latin, where 'rustica', means the same thing (whence the source for the English term, 'rustic').
Map - Rustaq
Map
Country - Oman
Flag of Oman |
From the 17th century, the Omani Sultanate was an empire, vying with the Portuguese and British empires for influence in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean. At its peak in the 19th century, Omani influence and control extended across the Strait of Hormuz to Iran and Pakistan, and as far south as Zanzibar. When its power declined in the 20th century, the sultanate came under the influence of the United Kingdom. For over 300 years, the relations built between the two empires were based on mutual benefit. The UK recognized Oman's geographical importance as a trading hub that secured their trading lanes in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean and protected their empire in the Indian sub-continent. Historically, Muscat was the principal trading port of the Persian Gulf region.
Currency / Language
ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
---|---|---|---|
OMR | Omani rial | رع. | 3 |
ISO | Language |
---|---|
AR | Arabic language |
EN | English language |
UR | Urdu |