The history of Portuguese influence on Omani architecture begins in the port city of Muscat, where two impressive forts rise on rocky pinnacles like stone sentinels. Al-Mirani Fort, completed in 1588, is a true architectural treasure—it is the only fortification in Oman that has preserved its original Portuguese chapel. Its walls, erected in response to Ottoman invasions in 1546, 1551, and 1581, were intended to protect the strategic deep-water port, which the Portuguese considered crucial for controlling trade routes from India. The distinctive windows with sharp ends and decorative frames betray the European hand of the builders, while the thick walls adapted to the local climate testify to a pragmatic approach to desert conditions.

Nearby, on the other side of the bay, Mutrah Fort dominates the harbor panorama with its distinctive silhouette of towers. It was this view that greeted sailors approaching Muscat from the sea—the low, crenellated buildings with round towers served as a warning to potential invaders and a guarantee of safety for allies. The Portuguese understood the strategic importance of this location perfectly, building fortifications on natural rocky hills that provided an excellent vantage point for many kilometers. For modern travelers, hiking the steep paths leading to these forts is a real treat - active recreation combined with a history lesson, where each step upward reveals an ever-wider panorama of the turquoise bay and white buildings of Muscat.

Fascinatingly, the Portuguese presence in Oman began with an unexpected turn of history. Vasco da Gama, who sailed around the Cape of Good Hope in 1498, relied on the knowledge of an Omani sailor - ironically, it was this help that led to the invasion and two-hundred-year occupation. The Portuguese introduced a system of tribute and transformed coastal cities into military bases capable of accommodating over a thousand soldiers. However, their fortifications were not only military bastions - they also served the daily needs of the inhabitants, combining defensive, storage, and administrative functions. This multifunctionality became a model for later Omani defensive architecture.

Today, the forts in Muscat contrast with the modern buildings of the Persian Gulf – while the neighboring emirates compete in the construction of skyscrapers, Oman has retained its traditional, low-rise architectural profile. This is thanks to the policy of Sultan Qaboos, who ruled from 1970 to 2020 and ordered the observance of traditional building styles. More than a hundred forts scattered throughout the country, although many of them were built after the expulsion of the Portuguese in 1656, imitate the characteristic features introduced by the occupiers. For lovers of active tourism, exploring these coastal fortresses is an excellent opportunity to combine trekking on rocky terrain with discovering architectural details - from the remains of Portuguese chapels to defense systems designed to repel cannon attacks.

In the heart of the Omani interior, surrounded by palm gardens and mountain peaks, stands Nizwa Fort, a monumental structure which, although built before the arrival of the Portuguese, was significantly modified according to European defensive models. This impressive fortress, with its distinctive round main tower over thirty meters in diameter, is a perfect example of the fusion of Arab building traditions with Portuguese fortification innovations. The square shape of the complex, multi-level observation towers, and reinforced gates are elements that only appeared in Omani architecture after 1656, when the Ya'rubid dynasty expelled the Portuguese and took over their construction know-how.

Nizwa, once the capital of Oman, lies more than 500 kilometers from the coastal city of Muscat, making it an ideal point for understanding how Portuguese influence spread from the coast inland. While coastal forts served as direct defense against attacks from the sea, inland fortresses protected trade routes through the desert and oases. Observing the effectiveness of Portuguese defensive solutions, Ya'rubid architects applied similar principles when expanding older fortifications. The characteristic battlements, which became the hallmark of Omani forts, allowed defenders to fire at attackers while remaining hidden - a technique well known to European castle builders.

For modern travelers, Nizwa Fort offers an unforgettable experience – climbing the steep stairs inside the main tower, where each level reveals further elements of the defense system, is a real adventure for lovers of active recreation. From the highest point, there is a panoramic view of the Nizwa oasis, the mountain peaks of Jabal al-Akhdar, and traditional mud-brick villages. This landscape, unchanged for centuries, allows you to imagine what life was like when Portuguese architectural influences reached the most remote corners of the sultanate. The thick walls of the fort, built of local stone and clay, regulate the temperature perfectly - even on hot days, the interior remains cool, which testifies to the combination of European fortification knowledge with Arab experience in building in extreme climatic conditions.

An interesting aspect of Nizwa Fort is its multifunctionality—in addition to its military functions, the complex served as a residence for rulers, an administrative center, and a warehouse for food and water. This practicality, characteristic of Portuguese fortifications in the colonies, was adapted by Omani builders and became the standard. The rainwater collection and storage system, underground storage facilities, and strategically placed observation points form a self-contained defensive organism capable of withstanding a prolonged siege. For military history enthusiasts, exploring these engineering solutions is a fascinating lesson in how European technology was adapted to the conditions of the Arabian desert.

Fort Bahla, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, represents the oldest layer of Omani defensive architecture, dating back to the 12th century, which was later enriched with Portuguese fortification elements. This massive adobe brick structure, surrounded by defensive walls stretching for twelve kilometers, is a living textbook on the evolution of construction techniques on the Arabian Peninsula. Although its foundations were laid long before the arrival of the Portuguese, later extensions and modifications clearly bear the mark of European influence - characteristic battlements, strategically placed corner towers and reinforced main gates are elements that only appeared in Omani architecture after contact with Portuguese military engineers.

Bahla's location in the interior of the country, in a region famous for date cultivation and traditional crafts, makes this fort a particularly interesting example of the spread of Portuguese architectural patterns. While coastal forts such as Al-Mirani Fort and Mutrah Fort were built directly by the Portuguese to protect strategic ports, Bahla was modified by local builders who adapted European solutions to their own needs and capabilities. The result is a unique combination of the Arab tradition of building with clay and Portuguese knowledge of defensive fortifications - the walls, made of adobe, a material perfectly suited to the desert climate, were reinforced according to European standards, and the defense system gained the multi-level firing points characteristic of Portuguese forts.

For lovers of active recreation, exploring Fort Bahla is a real challenge - the complex is so vast that a thorough tour takes several hours of intense walking along steep paths and stairs. A hike along the 12-kilometer defensive walls, which surround not only the fort itself but also the adjacent oasis, offers unforgettable views of the desert landscape and traditional villages. From the highest points of the fortifications, you can see Oman's characteristic falaj irrigation systems, which have been supplying water to oases for centuries. These ancient hydraulic structures, like the defensive architecture, combine local knowledge with external influences to create unique solutions adapted to extreme conditions.

Comparing all four forts, one can see a clear evolution of Portuguese influence on Omani architecture. Al-Mirani Fort and Mutrah Fort, as direct works of Portuguese builders from the late 16th century, represent a pure European style of fortification adapted to local conditions. Nizwa Fort shows the first phase of the adoption of Portuguese solutions by Omani architects after independence in 1656. Bahla Fort, on the other hand, demonstrates how European innovations were fully integrated into traditional Arab architecture, creating a synthesis of two building cultures. For modern travelers, this diversity offers the opportunity to trace the fascinating history of the transfer of technology and architectural ideas along the route connecting coastal Muscat with the desert interior—a tourist trail that combines active recreation with a deep immersion in the history of two continents meeting on Arabian soil.