Al Hamra is a 400-year-old village located at the foot of the Hajar Mountains. It is one of the oldest in Oman.
The Al Hamra ruins are the largest and best preserved in Oman. Most of the homes were two or three stories high, made of mud and stone, with date palm leaves and trunks making up the ceilings and beams.
The old village of Al Hamra has been desolated since its thousands of inhabitants left between 1995 and 2005 when modern life knocked on the door of these mud houses. They did not go far: the new Al Hamra with its more comfortable new houses with A/C units, its large streets close to the main road and its schools is just around the corner.
We noticed beautiful old wood doors while strolling in the village.
We spotted ancient palm beams or nicely sculpted niches.
While the village is deserted, we felt a sense of lingering life and presence.