Al Hamoda Mosque

The mosque at Jalan Bani Bu Ali, usually called Al Hamoda, is roofed by fifty-two small domes carried on rows of squat piers, a form found in parts of the Gulf and East Africa but nowhere else in Oman on this scale, and its date is uncertain, with estimates running from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century. It is built of mud brick over stone, plain and unornamented, with no minaret. The effect inside, when access is possible, is a low forest of piers under repeated dome vaults. A cemetery and a falaj lie beside it. Non-Muslim visitors are sometimes allowed in outside prayer times if the caretaker is present, but this is not guaranteed.

What you actually see

• The fifty-two domes - the repeated vaults over the prayer hall.
• The pier rows - the squat supports carrying the roof.
• The mud-brick fabric - the plain unornamented construction.
• The cemetery - the burial ground beside the mosque.

When to go

October to March; Ash Sharqiyah is severely hot in summer. Visits should avoid prayer times. Mornings are best for finding the caretaker and for light on the domes.

Honest expectations

Interior access for non-Muslims depends entirely on who is present and is often refused. The building is plain and small. There is no interpretation. Jalan Bani Bu Ali is well off the main routes and has limited facilities.

Nearby

Al Ashkharah lies east on the coast; Sur is north.