Misfat Al Abriyeen
If you are looking for a truly unique and awe-inspiring trip to Oman, visit the ancient, gorgeous and charming village of Misfat Al Abryeen. Alighted high on the mountains of Jebel Shams is mesmerising village whose inhabitants have transformed the terrain to a fertile oasis by the strength of their backs and the sweat of their brows. It is no wonder that this quaint little village is one of the most sought-after destinations by tourists and locals alike. The village didn’t just crop up one day but has a rich and vibrant history spanning over three hundred years of human settlement and an agriculture practice of ingenuity. The village is well known and more reputed for its building excavated from a mountain and mud. The substantial size of the foundation stones proves the excellent skill and craftsmanship of stonemasons in the olden days.
Step away from the bustle of the city and the need to power walk among pedestrians and reach out to another dimension in the village where its authenticity is well preserved. Despite being a tourist attraction, the heavy brunt of development for tourism has not tainted this picturesque village. The village is a breathing community putting on display life in historical Oman in a modern timeframe in the region of Al Hamra. It is a plethora of alleyways, houses, beautiful gardens and open terraces. The village is packed with an architectural style that is unique in itself. The homes here are built on large rocks and making its way up to become towering multi-level dwellings. Each of these houses is made by excavating and constructing it into the mountain itself. Each house is built in very close proximity to each other. Therefore a view from the outside makes the village to appear as a single unified entity. The building style also gives indomitable security to the village.
The village is named after the first settlers called Abri. The oldest houses still in use are nearly two hundred years old shedding a glimpse on the sturdiness of the buildings. The village has unique sights to offer like water and oil pots left hanging used by households even now. The village also has windows painted in psychedelic colours and doors with intricate designs. Each dwelling in the village has a unique design for themselves. The community is not wholly ancient. Air Condition units and broadcast dishes can be seen perched atop of houses. The village, in short, is a canvas involving a concoction of the age of modernity and age of bygone.