JABREEN CASTLE
01 Oct 2023 || MIDDLE EAST | OMAN
◊
Northern Oman is absolutely quintessential Middle East. Home to massive, classic sandstone fortifications, complete with crenelated ramparts, it is reminiscent of my childhood imagery of Arabia. With ancient heritage sites buffered up against vast mountain peaks, palm oases and seemingly endless deserts; it’s simply a mystical, magical place. One of these incredible Omani cultural sites is Jabreen Castle, a lesser known, but just as striking 350-year-old architectural masterpiece that features an impressive 55 rooms, found close to Nizwa’s cultural centre.
We were astonished by our visit to Jabreen Castle (sometimes also called Jibreen or Jabrin Castle). Before we visited, Niwza Fort and Bahla Fort were firmly on our must-see list and Jabreen Castle, situated kind of between the two, just seemed like a logical addition. However, we were utterly incorrect to refer to the site only as an extra – it turned out to be our favourite!
If you’re visiting Oman, there are far too many excellent options for historic forts, castles and mudbrick villages to fit into one trip, especially in the northern region around Nizwa. So, we thought we’d give one of our favourite sites, Jabreen Castle, some love and shine some light on this incredible stronghold!
◊
IN THIS GUIDE //
Jabreen Castle
WHY VISIT JABREEN CASTLE
JABREEN CASTLE LOCATION
– GETTING TO JABREEN CASTLE
BEST TIME TO VISIT JABREEN CASTLE
WHAT TO SEE AT JABREEN CASTLE
THINGS TO KNOW WHEN VISTING
THINGS TO DO NEARBY
HOTELS NEAR JABREEN CASTLE
FINAL THOUGHTS
WHY VISIT JABREEN CASTLE
If you’re trying to decide which sites to see around Nizwa and only have time to choose one or two, here is why you should consider Jabreen Castle:
It’s unique – there are many fortifications around the Hajar Mountains, but this one is an actual castle and is more reminiscent of a palatial summer residence than a war time fortification.
From the top of the castle, there are vast, stretching views of Oman’s tallest mountains and the surrounding date palm plantations.
The castle is home to some unique, beautifully ornate ceiling paintings and fine calligraphy, etched into the walls.
It has fewer tourists than nearby Nizwa fort (but possibly slightly more than at Bahla Fort, from our experience!).
The entry fee is more affordable compared to Nizwa Fort and there’s an actual, decent audio guide (available in several languages).
Jabreen Castle is conveniently located, making it an easy drive from either Nizwa or Muscat.
It was the only castle/fort we felt like you could get lost in. The warren of corridors and rooms seem endless.
The site is historically important – originally, the castle was a renowned centre for Islamic learning, medicine, history and astrology.
Jabreen Castle genuinely feels like a well loved and cared for site. The entire place has been superbly renovated with antique wooden furniture, wall hangings, and lighting – rare for historical sites in Oman!
JABREEN CASTLE FACTS
Built: 1670 CE
Ticket Price (2023): 3.15 OMR for non-residents, 5 OMR returnable deposit for audio guide
Distance from Muscat: 180 kilometres (113 miles)
Parking: lots of easy, free parking is available at Jabreen Castle
Opening Hours: Saturday-Thursday 09:00 – 16:00, Friday 08:00 – 11:00
Time Needed: 1-3 hours
Disabled Friendly: not really, there are lots of stairs and narrow passageways
–
CAMPING ON JEBEL SHAMS | EXPLORING OMAN’S WHITE WADI
JABREEN CASTLE LOCATION
Jabreen Castle is located in northern Oman’s Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, around 42 kilometres from Nizwa (the closest city) and 8 kilometres from Bahla. The driving distance from Muscat to Jabreen Castle is around 180 kilometres.
⋅ GETTING TO JABREEN CASTLE ⋅
There is no direct public transport to Jabreen Castle; buses from Muscat will stop at Nizwa (Saal walking bridge or Firq/Farq bus stop are the closest options to Jabreen Castle) and you can either walk, or get a taxi. Organised day tours with a private driver from Muscat to Nizwa and surrounding sites are both common and easy to organise (these tours often include the souq, goat market and fort at Nizwa, plus sometimes Bahla Fort).
The best way to reach Jabreen Castle is by private rental car (no four-wheel drive necessary). It’s incredibly straightforward to drive on Omani roads (one of the nicest countries in the world to drive in our opinion!) and self-driving gives the best flexibility. We recommend renting vehicles through Discover Cars, who we use for every overseas trip we take.
CAR HIRE FOR YOUR VISIT TO JABREEN CASTLE
We always rent our vehicles all over the world, including our recent trips in Oman, with Discover Cars. They’re often the most affordable, plus they paid out immediately on an insurance claim we made when our car took some heavy damage in Sicily. We fully recommend them.
If you book through the link below, we make a small profit, at zero cost to you, which helps us write these posts with no advertising! We only endorse products and companies we *actually* use regularly. For more information, read our position on affiliates.
–
TAKE A LOOK BELOW OR CHECK CAR RENTAL
BEST TIME TO VISIT JABREEN CASTLE
The optimal time to visit Jabreen Castle is during the cooler winter months between October and March. This is the best time to visit as temperatures are below the incredible summer highs which often exceed 40 degrees Celsius. January is the coolest month with average temperatures in the mid/high 20 degrees Celsius.
We have visited twice in February and March and it was, as expected, hot, but not uncomfortably so. From September through February the skies are, on average, around 80% clear or mostly clear during every day.
The castle is actually designed to keep the rooms cool, even in the warmer months, so it might provide some respite if you visit during summer!
JABREEN CASTLE MINI-HISTORY AND STRUCTURE
This extraordinary stronghold was built in several stages, beginning in the 17th century, by Imam Balarab bin Sultan bin Saif Al Ya’rubi, using stone, grey sandstone, sand and gypsum. The preliminary garrison building was expanded upon by the Imam and Jabreen Castle was subsequently used as a summer palace.
To protect against attackers, the building process utilised minimal wood to prevent the structure catching fire, as well as building thick defensive walls to withstand cannon volleys.
Beneath both courtyards, deep wells were constructed to provide a clean and reliable water source for the inhabitants’ cooking and drinking needs. Further to this, an irrigation channel was built, which ran through Jabreen Castle’s interior to service the surrounding agricultural land and palm tree plantations.
Chosen as the first building in Oman to be restored by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture, restoration works started in 1979 and finished four years later. The renovations covered rebuilding destroyed sections of Jabreen Castle, repairing or replacing rotten wood joists and supports as well as restoring ceiling decorations.
In the present day, nearly a quarter of a million people now visit every year.
–
OMAN’S COOLEST BEEHIVE TOMBS | HIKING TO OMAN’S FAIRYTALE POOLS
WHAT TO SEE AT JABREEN CASTLE
Here are a few worthwhile things to keep an eye out for at Jabreen Castle, although the most enjoyable way to explore is to just have a wander around and realise how huge the structure is! Don’t forget your audio guide – lasting about half an hour, it is available for a deposit at the entrance. The guides are available in a variety of languages.
Sun and Moon Hall – a clever configuration of 14 windows allows moonlight to enter the room at night and sun/glare levels to be controlled during the day with shutters. Don’t forget to look up or you’ll miss the ornate ceilings.
Date Storeroom – tonnes of dates were stored here in case of siege, the weight of which acted like a kind of press and the resulting date juice ran along channels to be collected. It was then consumed or boiled up for use in the murder holes (see below).
Painted Ceilings – a number of rooms in Jabreen Castle feature some superbly decorated ceiling decorations, such as the ‘God’s Eye’ that watches over the Sun and Moon Hall.
Views from Atop – there are plantations and mountains surrounding the entire castle, making for an enjoyable panorama.
Stairway with Carved Ceiling – heading up to the Imam’s rooms, you’ll find Arabic writing and motifs lining the walls and ceiling.
Internal Balconies – intricate wooden balconies line the inner courtyards on multiple floors, allowing the residents to enjoy a private outdoor space.
Two Towers – the two circular towers stemming from the castle’s initial use as a fortified garrison are connected by two courtyards.
Murder Holes – this sounds a bit grim (and it is)! These are slits above the doors where defending soldiers could pour hot oil or other liquids onto attackers.
Horse Storage – the Imam had a passion for horses, with around 90,000 in his armies during his reign. He had a special room for his own, personal horse on an upper floor.
Art Exhibits – when we visited, there was a whole art exhibit on the bottom floor of the castle
THINGS TO KNOW WHEN VISITING JABREEN CASTLE
Tickets for Jabreen Castle are available on arrival at the entrance and cost 3.15 OMR per person. You cannot currently buy them online (in 2023) but can pay with both card or cash.
Although it is not a religious site, it is requested that you dress modestly (as you should across all of Oman)
No eating, drinking or smoking is permitted inside Jabreen Castle
In-person multilingual guides are available
On site, there are bathrooms and a coffee shop
