Bidbid Castle

Bidbid Castle lies in the village of the same name in the Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate in Oman.

Other than that the castle of Bidbid was built sometime during the 16th century by one of the local tribes, I could not find any historical information about it. If you know more, please mail me.

The village of Bidbid is situated in the Wadi Samail, also known as the Samail Gap, which has long been a main route from Muscat to the interior of Oman. As a result, several fortifications, walled villages and watch towers were erected along the wadi to protect the Omanis against attempted invasions.

The castle consists of a large watch tower on a rocky outcrop, separated from the main castle, but connected to it by a single wall. A falaj (a man-made, partly underground water channel) flows right beneath its east wall, next to the oasis.

Apparently, Bidbid Castle was one of the first fortifications to be restored with the use of original materials, by the state of Oman during the 1990s. When I visited it was still, or again, being restored. So at present its interior can not be visited. The castle is partly surrounded by a residential area, which has a run-down feel to it, sadly enough.

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