Oman: Nizwa Fort
Nizwa Fort is one of the most spectacular forts in the country (and there are over 1000 of them). It was originally built in 1650 and was the home for Imam Sultan bin Saif Al Yarubi, the ruler of Oman. The fort took 12 years to built and is perhaps the finest example of the Omani defensive architecture. The fort and palace revolve around a massive round tower (45m in diameter, 34m high, and another 30m deep). The tower is nearly impregnable and has a lot of additional architectural defensive characteristics like faux doors, booby traps, and wells (though which the defenders would pour hot date molasses on the attackers – ouch!). Climbing on top of the tower offers spectacular panoramic views of the valley and mountains around.
