Nizwa (Arabic: نِزْوَى, romanized: Nizwā) is the largest city in Ad Dakhiliyah Region in Oman and was the capital of Oman proper. Nizwa is about 140 km (87 mi) (1.5 hours) from Muscat. The population is estimated at around 72,000 people, including the two areas of Burkat Al Mooz and Al-Jabel Al-Akhdar.
Nizwa is one of the oldest cities in Oman and it was once a center of trade, religion, education and art. Its Jama (grand mosque) was formerly a center for Islamic learning. Nizwa acquired its importance because it has been an important meeting point at the base of the Western Hajar Mountains. Set amid a verdant spread of date palms, it is strategically located at the crossroads of routes linking the interior with Muscat and the lower reaches of Dhofar thus serving as the link for a large part of the country. Today, Nizwa is a diverse prosperous place with numerous agricultural, historical and recreational aspects. Nizwa is a center for date growing and is the market place for the area.
Historians cannot agree on the origins of the name of the city. Some suggest the name was derived from the Arabic verb (Arabic: انزوا) which means being alone. Others say that the city was named after an old water spring.
History
British RAF Venom attacking Nizwa Fort during Jebel Akhdar War, 1950s
Nizwa was the capital of Oman in the 6th and 7th centuries AD. With its deep connection to the root of Islam, Nizwa possesses a number of renowned mosques, such as Sultan Qaboos Jama (Friday mosque), So'al Mosque built in the 2nd century AH (9th century AD), Ash-Shawathinah Mosque in Uqr and Ash-Sharja Mosque. There are also Al-Ain Mosque, Ash-Sheikh Mosque and Shuraij Mosque in Tanuf built in 377 AH (around 1000 AD).
A handwritten letter from Muhammad in 630 asked the locals of the mountain town of Nizwa to convert. The locals then sent a return delegation to Medina and embraced Islam. A tutor was sent by Muhammad to teach the new Muslims of Nizwa the fundamentals of the religion.[1]
Ibn Battuta visited, noting it as "a city at the foot of a mountain, enveloped by orchards and streams, and with fine bazaars and splendid clean mosques."[2]
In the early 1950s, the large round tower of the ancient fort built in the center of the town was bombed and rocketed by the BritishRoyal Air Force, who were called in to assist the then-reigning SultanSaid bin Taymour in suppressing a revolt by leaders of the interior Imamate of Oman. The conflict was driven by a struggle for shares in Oman's newly discovered oil wealth.
Nizwa has become a more modern city since 1970 under the reign of Sultan Qaboos. Improvements include connections to Muscat via a two-lane highway, which has increased tourism. Communications have been improved to include broadband access, and the city is home to a substantial hospital. It is also a hub for education including a Technical College, College of Applied Sciences, The University of Nizwa, and the training academy for the Royal Oman Police. There are now many hotels and tourism is promoted in the area.
Geography and climate
Mountains surround Nizwa from every side and there are some outstanding mountain scenery close by. Nizwa has an arid climate under Köppen's climate classification. In the winter from November until March the climate is pleasant with temperatures as low as 12 C in January. In the summer, the climate is hot and dry with temperatures reaching 45 C in July.
Source: World Meteorological Organization (temperature and rainfall 1999–2009)[3]
Attractions
The main tourist attractions in the city are Nizwa Fort, the traditional Souq and Falaj Daris. In the 1990s, the Jama, the fort and the souq which sit next to each other in the centre were renovated using the same traditional materials. In 1993 Nizwa won the award of 'Organisation of Arab Cities'.
Nizwa fort was built in the 1668 AD by Imam Sultan Bin Saif Al Ya'rubi. It is Oman's most visited national monument. The fort was the administrative seat of authority for the presiding Imams and Walis in times of peace and conflict. The main bulk of the fort took about 12 years to complete and was built above an underground stream. The fort is a reminder of the town's significance through turbulent periods in Oman's long history. It was a formidable stronghold against raiding forces that desired Nizwa's abundant natural wealth and its strategic location at the crossroads of vital routes.
Nizwa Souq
Nizwa souk
The city, famous for its handicrafts and agricultural products, has an expansive souq with an array of products. It is one of the most important in the country besides Muttrah. The souq bustles with vendors selling everything from meat, fish, fruits and vegetables to spices, dates, gold and silverware. Nizwa is renowned for its silver jewelry which is considered to be the best in the country. Its people are masters in Khanjar making (curved dagger), recognised for its distinctive style and patterns. They also make copper ware, coffee pots, swords, leather goods and pottery.
Nizwa fort
Falaj Daris
Falaj Daris (a World Heritage Site) is the largest falaj in Oman and is the life maintainer of Nizwa. It provides the surrounding countryside with much needed water for the plantations. Al Ghantuq and Dhoot are two other important falajs in Nizwa. Farming is widely practiced and the town's immense palm farms stretches for eight kilometers along the course of two wadis (Kalbouh and Al Abiad). Also in practice are red sugar processing and hide tanning.
Economy
Historically, Nizwa was known for producing mats from straw. As of 1920, the city was described as having a "thriving" metalworking industry.[4]
Indian School Nizwa, a high school for international students with an Indian majority[5]
Pakistan School Nizwa, a co-educational Pakistani school, founded in 1994 under the patronage of Embassy of Pakistan
Transport
A short drive from Nizwa centre is the old village of Tanuf, known for its seasonal waterfalls. Waterfalls in Tanuf are unique to the area within the steep mountain sides and the water reservoir.[citation needed]
Nizwa is connected to the UAE city of Al Ain by road, via the Mezyad border post. This road also goes past the Provinces of Ibri and Dhank.[6]
nizwa, confused, with, nazwa, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jsto. Not to be confused with Nazwa This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Nizwa news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message Nizwa Arabic ن ز و ى romanized Nizwa is the largest city in Ad Dakhiliyah Region in Oman and was the capital of Oman proper Nizwa is about 140 km 87 mi 1 5 hours from Muscat The population is estimated at around 72 000 people including the two areas of Burkat Al Mooz and Al Jabel Al Akhdar Nizwa ن ز و ىCityNizwaNizwa in March 2008NizwaLocation of Nizwa in OmanCoordinates 22 56 N 57 32 E 22 933 N 57 533 E 22 933 57 533 Coordinates 22 56 N 57 32 E 22 933 N 57 533 E 22 933 57 533Country OmanRegionAd Dakhiliyah RegionGovernment TypeAbsolute monarchy SultanHaitham bin Tariq Al SaidArea Metro3 500 km2 1 400 sq mi Elevation492 m 1 614 ft Population 2008 Metro120 000Time zoneUTC 4 Oman standard time Nizwa is one of the oldest cities in Oman and it was once a center of trade religion education and art Its Jama grand mosque was formerly a center for Islamic learning Nizwa acquired its importance because it has been an important meeting point at the base of the Western Hajar Mountains Set amid a verdant spread of date palms it is strategically located at the crossroads of routes linking the interior with Muscat and the lower reaches of Dhofar thus serving as the link for a large part of the country Today Nizwa is a diverse prosperous place with numerous agricultural historical and recreational aspects Nizwa is a center for date growing and is the market place for the area Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Geography and climate 4 Attractions 4 1 Nizwa Fort 4 2 Nizwa Souq 4 3 Falaj Daris 5 Economy 6 Education 7 Transport 8 Notable people 9 See also 10 References 11 Sources 12 External linksEtymology EditHistorians cannot agree on the origins of the name of the city Some suggest the name was derived from the Arabic verb Arabic انزوا which means being alone Others say that the city was named after an old water spring History Edit British RAF Venom attacking Nizwa Fort during Jebel Akhdar War 1950s See also Wajihids Nizwa was the capital of Oman in the 6th and 7th centuries AD With its deep connection to the root of Islam Nizwa possesses a number of renowned mosques such as Sultan Qaboos Jama Friday mosque So al Mosque built in the 2nd century AH 9th century AD Ash Shawathinah Mosque in Uqr and Ash Sharja Mosque There are also Al Ain Mosque Ash Sheikh Mosque and Shuraij Mosque in Tanuf built in 377 AH around 1000 AD A handwritten letter from Muhammad in 630 asked the locals of the mountain town of Nizwa to convert The locals then sent a return delegation to Medina and embraced Islam A tutor was sent by Muhammad to teach the new Muslims of Nizwa the fundamentals of the religion 1 Ibn Battuta visited noting it as a city at the foot of a mountain enveloped by orchards and streams and with fine bazaars and splendid clean mosques 2 In the early 1950s the large round tower of the ancient fort built in the center of the town was bombed and rocketed by the British Royal Air Force who were called in to assist the then reigning Sultan Said bin Taymour in suppressing a revolt by leaders of the interior Imamate of Oman The conflict was driven by a struggle for shares in Oman s newly discovered oil wealth Nizwa has become a more modern city since 1970 under the reign of Sultan Qaboos Improvements include connections to Muscat via a two lane highway which has increased tourism Communications have been improved to include broadband access and the city is home to a substantial hospital It is also a hub for education including a Technical College College of Applied Sciences The University of Nizwa and the training academy for the Royal Oman Police There are now many hotels and tourism is promoted in the area Geography and climate EditMountains surround Nizwa from every side and there are some outstanding mountain scenery close by Nizwa has an arid climate under Koppen s climate classification In the winter from November until March the climate is pleasant with temperatures as low as 12 C in January In the summer the climate is hot and dry with temperatures reaching 45 C in July Climate data for NizwaMonth Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearAverage high C F 26 2 79 2 29 6 85 3 32 5 90 5 37 8 100 0 42 0 107 6 43 5 110 3 42 7 108 9 41 6 106 9 39 7 103 5 36 6 97 9 31 6 88 9 27 8 82 0 36 0 96 8 Average low C F 12 3 54 1 14 0 57 2 17 1 62 8 21 9 71 4 26 0 78 8 28 4 83 1 28 0 82 4 26 9 80 4 25 0 77 0 20 9 69 6 17 8 64 0 14 1 57 4 21 0 69 9 Average precipitation mm inches 0 7 0 03 5 7 0 22 9 4 0 37 15 2 0 60 1 9 0 07 10 9 0 43 6 6 0 26 8 0 0 31 3 5 0 14 5 9 0 23 1 7 0 07 3 8 0 15 73 3 2 88 Source World Meteorological Organization temperature and rainfall 1999 2009 3 Attractions EditThe main tourist attractions in the city are Nizwa Fort the traditional Souq and Falaj Daris In the 1990s the Jama the fort and the souq which sit next to each other in the centre were renovated using the same traditional materials In 1993 Nizwa won the award of Organisation of Arab Cities Nizwa Fort Edit Main article Nizwa Fort Nizwa s fort Nizwa fort was built in the 1668 AD by Imam Sultan Bin Saif Al Ya rubi It is Oman s most visited national monument The fort was the administrative seat of authority for the presiding Imams and Walis in times of peace and conflict The main bulk of the fort took about 12 years to complete and was built above an underground stream The fort is a reminder of the town s significance through turbulent periods in Oman s long history It was a formidable stronghold against raiding forces that desired Nizwa s abundant natural wealth and its strategic location at the crossroads of vital routes Nizwa Souq Edit Nizwa souk The city famous for its handicrafts and agricultural products has an expansive souq with an array of products It is one of the most important in the country besides Muttrah The souq bustles with vendors selling everything from meat fish fruits and vegetables to spices dates gold and silverware Nizwa is renowned for its silver jewelry which is considered to be the best in the country Its people are masters in Khanjar making curved dagger recognised for its distinctive style and patterns They also make copper ware coffee pots swords leather goods and pottery Nizwa fort Falaj Daris Edit Falaj Daris a World Heritage Site is the largest falaj in Oman and is the life maintainer of Nizwa It provides the surrounding countryside with much needed water for the plantations Al Ghantuq and Dhoot are two other important falajs in Nizwa Farming is widely practiced and the town s immense palm farms stretches for eight kilometers along the course of two wadis Kalbouh and Al Abiad Also in practice are red sugar processing and hide tanning Economy EditHistorically Nizwa was known for producing mats from straw As of 1920 the city was described as having a thriving metalworking industry 4 Education EditUniversity of Nizwa University of Technology and Applied Sciences Indian School Nizwa a high school for international students with an Indian majority 5 Pakistan School Nizwa a co educational Pakistani school founded in 1994 under the patronage of Embassy of PakistanTransport EditA short drive from Nizwa centre is the old village of Tanuf known for its seasonal waterfalls Waterfalls in Tanuf are unique to the area within the steep mountain sides and the water reservoir citation needed Nizwa is connected to the UAE city of Al Ain by road via the Mezyad border post This road also goes past the Provinces of Ibri and Dhank 6 Notable people EditSee also Category People from Nizwa Ahmed Al Harrasi is an Omani scientist and a professor of organic chemistry at University of Nizwa Arshad Al Alawi is an Omani professional footballer Alkhattab Alhinai is the Deputy Chairman of Oman State Council Bal arab bin Himyar was an Omani Imam a member of Yaruba dynasty See also EditList of cities in OmanReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nizwa Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Nizwa Oman portal Krane Jim 2010 Dubai The Story of the World s Fastest City London England Atlantic p 7 ISBN 978 1 84887 009 3 Battutah Ibn 2002 The Travels of Ibn Battutah London Picador p 98 ISBN 9780330418799 Climatological Information Nizwa World Meteorological Organization Retrieved 21 April 2016 Prothero G W 1920 Arabia London H M Stationery Office p 99 ISN Welcome to Indian School Nizwa CBSE School Sultanate of Oman Retrieved 5 August 2016 Kazmi Aftab 23 May 2013 Mezyad Fort stands tall in the foothills of Jebel Hafeet Gulf News Retrieved 4 March 2019 Sources EditScheerpenzel E Oman Then and Now SPB Academic Publishing 2000 Antonio Farach Lucille Umali Times of Oman Shabiba 2011 The Great Fort of Nizwa External links Edithttps www ncsi gov om Elibrary LibraryContentDoc bar Census 20Final 20Result 202010 388bd9c6 a938 467d 8c92 f6950cc1785f pdf Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nizwa amp oldid 1108528591, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
