Bayt al Qafl - the storehouse

The name Bayt al Qafl means "House of the Lock"and is due to the use of an elaborate and complicated lock on the door. These houses only exist on the Musandam Peninsula, some of them are over 200 years old and were used as storage facilities.

These huts were built in the mountains of Musandam for two reasons: On the one hand, the irregular, but then abundant harvest yields had to be stored for a longer period of time; on the other hand, this supply had to be secured against theft because the mountain dwellers spent the summer on the coast due to the extreme climate.

These huts are inherited within the family. Their thick, windowless stone walls protrude almost two metres out of the ground and only enclose a single room measuring between four and six square metres. The floor is about one metre deep in the ground. This construction method protects the stored supplies from heat.

Large clay craters are typical for the storage of stocks. Grain is mainly stored in them.

➤ More pictures of the Musandam peninsula

➤Hotels in Musandam

➤ Immerse yourself in the tranquil world of the fjords on the multi-day tour with the yacht Rubba from/to Khasab