Oman 2017

Oman
2017

Matrah Harbor, Muscat

Muscat - Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque - Salalah - Wadi al-Shab

Muscat

Omani national emblem in traffic circle

Omani flag

Sunrise over the Gulf of Oman

Matrah harbor

Fortress over Matrah harbor

Gates on highway

Mosque

Supreme Court framed by the Grand Mosque

Supreme Court

Royal Court Affairs building

Supreme Judicial Council

Commerical buildings

Image of Sultan Qaboos

2017 was the 47th year of the reign of Sultan Qaboos

The corniche

Riyam park tower rom the corniche

Riyam park tower

Ministry of Finance

Fortress

Gates on highway

Dhow in Matrah harbor

Dhow in front, the Sultan's megayacht Fulk al-Salamah behind

The corniche

Royal Opera House

Palace of the Sultan

Palace of the Sultan - note marble sidewalks

Palace of the Sultan

Palace of the Sultan - note gun emplacements

Matrah souk

Emily and friend

Common mynah

Slender-beaked gull

Royal Navy of Oman amphbiuous support ship whose only task is to support the Sultan's megayacht

Indian Navy Talwar-class (modified Krivak III-class) INS Trikand (F51) frigate - part of the anti-piracy flotilla

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat

In 1992, Sultan Qaboos directed the of a Grand Mosque. It took six years and seven months to build. The mosque was inaugurated by the Sultan on May 4, 2001.

The mosque is built from 300,000 tons of Indian sandstone. The main prayer hall is square (244 feet per side) with a central dome rising to a height of 164 feet above the floor.

The main hall can hold over 6,500 worshippers, while the women’s can accommodate 750 worshipers. The outer paved ground can hold 8,000 worshipers and there is additional space available in the interior courtyard and the passageways, making a total capacity of up to 20,000 worshipers

The prayer carpet which covers the floor of the prayer hall contains 1.7 billion knots and weights 21 tons. It took fours years to make and is the second largest single piece carpet in the world.

The chandelier above the praying hall is 46 feet tall and was made in Italy – it is the largest chandelier in the world.