Al Alam Palace

Qasr al-Alam is the official ceremonial palace of the Sultanate of Oman, situated on the Muscat waterfront and flanked by the 16th-century Portuguese forts of Mirani and Jalali. Built in the early 1970s under Sultan Qaboos by an Indian construction firm, the palace blends modern architectural lines with Islamic decorative elements — its bold gold and blue facade making it immediately recognizable on the Muscat skyline. The building serves a purely representative function: state receptions, diplomatic visits, and the annual National Day tea party are hosted here, while Sultan Qaboos himself resided at his private Bait al-Barakah palace in Seeb. The palace grounds are closed to the public, but the exterior and its setting between the two Portuguese-era forts can be viewed freely, and the complex is particularly striking when illuminated after dark.