- Nizwa
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Nizwa
نزوى— City — Nizwa 
Coat of armsLocation of Nizwa in Oman
NizwaCoordinates: 22°56′N 57°32′E / 22.933°N 57.533°E Country 
OmanRegion Ad Dakhiliyah Region Government – Type Absolute monarchy – Sultan Qaboos bin Said Area – Metro 3,500 km2 (1,351.4 sq mi) Population (2008) – Metro 731,730 Time zone Oman standard time (UTC+4) Website http://www.omanet.om Nizwa (Arabic: نزوى) is the largest city in the Ad Dakhiliyah Region in Oman and was the capital of Oman proper. Nizwa is about 140 km (1.5 hours) from Muscat. The population is estimated at around 70,000 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.
Contents
Etymology
Historians can not 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
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 1,000 AD).
In the early 1950s the large round tower of the ancient fort built around 400 years ago 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 the 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 there is 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 four 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 features an arid climate under Koppen's climate classification. In the winter from November until March the climate is pleasant with temperatures as low as 10 C in December. In the summer, the climate is hot and dry with temperatures reaching 50 C in July. Precipitation is very low and concentrates in the winter when an air mass of low pressure causes rain to fall.
Climate data for Nizwa Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Average high °C (°F) 25
(77)29
(84)33
(91)36
(97)40
(104)43
(109)47
(117)43
(109)40
(104)35
(95)27
(81)23
(73)35.1
(95.1)Average low °C (°F) 13
(55)14
(57)17
(63)20
(68)26
(79)27
(81)30
(86)27
(81)24
(75)23
(73)18
(64)17
(63)21.3
(70.4)Precipitation mm (inches) 23
(0.91)18
(0.71)13
(0.51)8
(0.31)3
(0.12)1
(0.04)1
(0.04)1
(0.04)1
(0.04)3
(0.12)8
(0.31)15
(0.59)95
(3.74)Source: "Weather Underground and Weather Reports" 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
Main article: Nizwa Fort
Nizwa's enormous fort
Nizwa fort was built in the 1668 A.D 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 soukThe 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.
The far end of the Nizwa Souq hosts a livestock market early each Friday morning. Local farmers bring their cows, goats and sheep to be inspected, auctioned and sold to the highest bidders. The scene is crowded and busy especially on the eve of Eid festivities.
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 Abiadh). Also in practice are red sugar processing and hide tanning.
Education
- University Of Nizwa
- Nizwa College of Technology[1]
- Indian School Nizwa (CBSE Syllabus)A high school for international students with an Indian Majority
- Nizwa College of Applied Sciences
Tanuf
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. Tanuf with its dam, waterfalls, wadi and falaj is a very popular picnic destination during rain time.
University Of Nizwa
The University of Nizwa was established in 2002 by the Decree of His Majesty the Sultan Qaboos as the first non-profit university in the Sultanate of Oman; it remains the only institution of its kind in the nation. Upon the satisfaction of all requirements set forth by the Ministry of Higher Education and the Higher Education Council, the University of Nizwa was granted legal status by ministerial decision No. 1/2004 on January 3, 2004. On October 16, 2004, the University of Nizwa opened the doors to its inaugural class of 1,200 students, 88% of whom were Omani women. The current campus is located near the base of the famous Jabal al-Akhdhar in Birkat al-Mouz, 20 km NW of Nizwa. The construction of a new campus, located near the new Farq-Hail highwa began in March of 2010. The university is currently in the final stage of institutional accreditation in accordance with the academic standards established by the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority.
Though the student body comprises native Arabic speakers, the official language of academic instruction is English, making the university a bilingual institution. English language proficiency is achieved in a year-long intensive course as part of the academic General Foundation Program.
References
- Scheerpenzel, E: Oman Then and Now SPB Academic Publishing, 2000.
Categories:- Nizwa
- Populated places in Oman
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