Ar-Rustāq

Rustaq lies in a broad oasis on the northern side of Oman's mountains. Its great fortress rises above palm gardens and water channels, guarding the approaches between the interior and the Batinah coast. Towers, gateways and thick walls mark successive stages in the building's long history.

In 1624 Omani leaders chose Nasir ibn Murshid of the Yaruba as imam at Rustaq. He made the town a centre of his authority and worked to bring divided territories together while challenging Portuguese positions on the coast. The fortress was renewed during his reign and became a strategic base of the Yaruba imamate. Rustaq served as a capital more than once; later rulers added to its defences, including the Wind Tower attributed to Imam Sayf ibn Sultan. The fort and its oasis recall a period when the interior was a base for a growing maritime power.