Muscat. Oman

As Ahmed bin Majid al Najdi recognised in 1490, Muscat has a character quite different from its other nearby capitals- a fact that holds true even today. It lacks the high-rise blocks, and even purely functional buildings are required to have a traditional dome or an arabesque window. Because of these strict building policies, Muscat is an extremely clean and iconically uniform city. Muscat means ‘safe anchor’, and the sea continues to define the city: it brings people on cruise ships and goods to the historic ports of Old Muscat and Mutrah. It also provides a living for fishermen off the beaches of Shatti al Qurm and Athaiba.