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Doorway into Nothing
Beautiful entryways into tumbled buildings and nonexistent rooms give a clue to the richness of life that was once in the Al Munisifeh quarter of Ibra in Oman.
There is something ineffably sad about an abandoned city or town.
Ibra is one of the oldest cities in Oman, and home to some of the biggest tribes in the country. It grew rich because of its location on the major trade route between Muscat, Sur and Zanzibar, becoming a centre of trade, religion, education, and art. We we passing through on our way to the Sharqiya Desert (see: Life in the Desert and Desert Dreams).
Al Munisifeh is a virtually deserted tribal village just two kilometres outside of Ibra. The empty village is surrounded by remnants of its original walls, with gateways at either end. Relatively modern houses are interspersed with empty lots and crumbling multi-story mansions built of mud-brick and stone. Roofs and floors have mostly disappeared, and some skeleton buildings look ready to collapse at any moment.
Our guide was vague about the actual history of the village, and the reasons for abandoning it, and I’ve not been able to fill in the blanks online.
So, we will just have to let our imaginations run wild as we wander through an empty village with still-beautiful doors, windows, and dreams.
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From the Car
Oman is not a particularly big country, and the highways are superb – but it still feels like you cover a lot of empty ground getting around.
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Empty Bench
In the deserted village of Al Munisifeh, it sometimes felt as if people would be back any minute! I never could establish exactly how long some of the buildings have been empty – as far as I can tell, leaving this village for Ibra was a gradual process.
Said in a Doorway
Our guide Said points out some of the detailed craftsmanship.
Decorated Door
Oman is known for its beautiful and intricate doors and windows.
Interior Arches
Even in their current state, the internal plastered walls and graceful arches suggest these rooms had a stately elegance.
Corridors
Entries into walled corridors show how extensive some of these buildings were.
Doorways
Everywhere there are beautifully carved wooden pieces that surely could be recovered!
Rusty Fittings
Arch and Lintel
I love the delicately carved lintel over this heavy wooden door.
Rusty Door Pull
It amazes me what has been left behind.
Rough Arches
Wooden Door
How beautiful this must have once been!
Partial Buildings
Some of the ruins look relatively recent – and there are even power lines running through parts of the site.
Lone Wall
It amazes me that some of these walls continue to stand with little support.
Ornate Carved Doors
Said in the Street
Bricks and Mortar
Clearly some work is going on around the village – but we saw no one.
Wood inside a Window
The carved work inside these old buildings …
Another Window
… is intricate and lovely.
Bricks and Mortar and Sun
Street Lamp
After wandering the deserted streets of the ruined village, finding a street lamp was surprising.
Less than Ten Minutes Away …
Back on the main roads, a modern mosque sits against the desert sky.
It was a surreal experience: wandering through the remnants of someone else’s hopes and dreams. I find it hard to imagine just walking away from what were once mansions, with their elegant arches and beautifully carved doors and windows.
Eventually, the desert will reclaim what still remains.
Until next time,
Safe travels!
Pictures: 24October2019
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