Sultan's Palace

Lonely Planet review

If you stand by the harbour wall on Mirani St, the building to the right with the delightful mushroom pillars in blue and gold is the Sultan's Palace. It was recently extended over the site of the former British embassy. In the grounds, there used to be the stump of a flagpole: the story goes that any slave (Oman was infamous for its slave trade from East Africa) who touched the flagpole was granted freedom.

There's a fine view of the palace from the roundabout on the inland side: some streets of houses have recently been cleared (to the chagrin of some) to make a new colonnade befitting of a royal residence and more appropriate to officially 'meet and greet' - particularly spectacular when the mounted guard is in attendance.