5 Rials 2010, Oman
| in Krause book | Number: 44 |
| Years of issue: | 02.2010 |
| Edition: | |
| Signatures: | Sultan of Oman: Sultan Qaboos bin Said |
| Serie: | 40th National Day 1970-2010 |
| Specimen of: | 2010 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 153 x 76 |
| Printer: | Giesecke und Devrient GmbH, Muenchen |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
The Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said Al Said and denomination 5.
Avers:
Qaboos bin Said Al Said ( قابوس بن سعيد آل سعيد, born 18 November 1940, Salalah, Oman, dies 10 January 2020) was the Sultan of Oman and its Dependencies. He rose to power after overthrowing his father, Said bin Taimur, in a palace coup in 1970. He is the 14th-generation descendant of the founder of the Al Bu Sa'idi dynasty.
By combining the Imamat of Oman and the Muscat Sultanate in a single state, the Sultan then, with the support of Great Britain and Shah's Iran, managed to defeat the insurgency in Dhofar. In November 1996, Sultan Qaboos signed the first Basic Law (Constitution) of Oman. 
Centered is Sultan Qaboos University. More exactly - its main office building with clock tower in front.
It is located approximately in 50 km. West of Muscat, on the uninhabited south-eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It was built on the initiative of Sultan Qaboos. Construction began in 1982, and in 1986 the first students were accepted by five colleges of the university: medical, engineering, agricultural, pedagogical and natural sciences. In 1987, the College of Arts was opened, and in 1993 - the trade and economic.
The university is located in a unique valley in its beauty at the foot of the Oman Mountains. The complex is built of white and pink sandstone, with arches and patios; His style was supposed, according to the authors of the project, to reflect the features of not only Omani but, more broadly, Islamic architecture. At the entrance to the campus, which is on the same axis with the Mecca located in Saudi Arabia, traditional massive wooden gates are installed. Further, the axis passes through the educational buildings and administrative buildings and leads to the university mosque on the western outskirts of the campus. The mosque is located above the rest of the buildings and is visible from anywhere in the university.
On the territory of the university, plants characteristic of the nature of the countries of the Persian Gulf are planted. The source of inspiration for the authors of the project were traditional Omani towns. Despite the fact that the opening of a higher educational institution was for Oman a truly revolutionary event, university rules on international standards remain very conservative. Separate entrances are arranged for boys and girls; In classrooms they also sit separately. However, girls make up almost half of the students.
More about this university you can read here
In top left corner is the national emblem of Oman (شعار سلطنة عمان). It is an insignia consisting of a khanjar inside its sheath that is superimposed upon two crossed swords. Adopted in the XVIII century as the badge of the Omani royal family, it subsequently became the national emblem of the Sultanate of Oman. The emblem is featured at the canton on the Flag of Oman.
The national emblem was first designed in the mid-18th century, when it was adopted as the royal crest of the Al Said dynasty. Its usage was expanded when it subsequently became the national emblem of the sultanate. This occurred during the reign of either Faisal bin Turki (1888-1913) or Taimur bin Feisal (1913-1932). The emblem was later incorporated onto the canton of the country's national flag in 1970. Moreover, in order to distinguish "directly royal entities" and create a distinct symbol for these organizations, a crown was added to the top of the national emblem. This modified insignia is utilized on the badges of all branches of Sultan's Armed Forces, including the Royal Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Guard, and Royal Oman Police - among many others.
According to the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the khanjar - along with the two crossed swords - symbolize the historic weapons utilized by the people of Oman. They are attached together by an embellished horse-bit at the center. The khanjar itself is a national symbol of the sultanate, and is still worn by Omani men as a "ceremonial dagger" for formal occasions. It is a ceremonial dagger with its abundantly decorated sheath, traditionally made of rhinonoceros-horn, highly appreciated in the arab world and for that reason contributes substantially to the extinction of the rhinoceros in Africa.
Varifeye thread and windowed security thread with demetallized "5 RIALS". In big hologram window is the Central Bank of Oman headquarters building, in Muscat.
Above the university building are 2 parts of the image (the other 2 parts on the reverse). When viewing a banknote, the images merges into the crown.
Green Khanjar is in lower left corner.
Denominations are in all corners, in words centered.
Revers:
Commemorative issue. It was made to commemorate the 40th National Day.
18 of November is the National day of Oman, as well as birthday of Sultan Qaboos. The National Day Is celebrated every year in honor of His Majesty's accession to the throne, in 1970.
Thats why on banknote is commemorative logo of 40th National Day.
On edges of central picture are acanthus leaves.
Central image - the view at Nizwa city. On banknote are visible: Nizwa Fortress, the mosque of Sultan Qaboos and central gates of city bazaar (souk).
And now more exactly about everything:
Nizwa is the largest city in the Ad Dakhiliyah Region in Oman and was the capital of Oman proper. Nizwa is about 140 km. (1.5 hours) from Muscat. The population is estimated at around 72,000 people including the two areas of Burkat Al Mooz and Al Jabel Al Akhdar.
Nizwa is one of the oldest cities in Oman and it was once a center of trade, religion, education and art. Its Jama (grand mosque) was formerly a center for Islamic learning. Nizwa acquired its importance because it has been an important meeting point at the base of the Western Hajar Mountains. Set amid a verdant spread of date palms, it is strategically located at the crossroads of routes linking the interior with Muscat and the lower reaches of Dhofar thus serving as the link for a large part of the country. Today, Nizwa is a diverse prosperous place with numerous agricultural, historical and recreational aspects. Nizwa is a center for date growing and is the market place for the area.
Nizwa was the capital of Oman in the VI and VII centuries AD. With its deep connection to the root of Islam, Nizwa possesses a number of renowned mosques, such as Sultan Qaboos Jama (Friday mosque), So'al Mosque built in the II century AH (IX century AD), Ash-Shawathinah Mosque in Uqr and Ash-Sharja Mosque. There are also Al-Ain Mosque, Ash-Sheikh Mosque and Shuraij Mosque in Tanuf built in 377 AH (around 1000 AD).
In the early 1950s, the large round tower of the ancient fort built in the center of the town was bombed and rocketed by the British Royal Air Force, who were called in to assist the then-reigning Sultan Said bin Taymour in suppressing a revolt by leaders of the interior Imamate of Oman. The conflict was driven by a struggle for shares in Oman's newly discovered oil wealth.
Nizwa has become a more modern city since 1970 under the reign of Sultan Qaboos. Improvements include connections to Muscat via a two-lane highway, which has increased tourism. Communications have been improved to include broadband access, and the city is home to a substantial hospital. It is also a hub for education including a Technical College, College of Applied Sciences, The University of Nizwa, and the training academy for the Royal Oman Police. There are now four hotels and tourism is promoted in the area.
Right of center is Nizwa Fort - a large castle in Nizwa, Oman.
It was built in the 1650s by the second Ya’rubi Imam; Imam Sultan Bin Saif Al Ya'rubi, although its underlying structure goes back to the XII century. It is Oman's most visited national monument. The fort was the administrative seat of authority for the presiding Imams and Walis in times of peace and conflict. The main bulk of the fort took about 12 years to complete and was built above an underground stream. The fort is a powerful reminder of the town's significance through turbulent periods in Oman's long history. It was a formidable stronghold against raiding forces that desired Nizwa's abundant natural wealth and its strategic location at the crossroads of vital routes.
The fort's design reflects the Omani architectural ingenuity in the Ya’rubi era that witnessed considerable advancement in military fortifications and the introduction of mortar-based warfare. The main part of the fort is its enormous drum-like tower that rises 30 meters above the ground and has a diameter of 36 meters. The strong foundations of the fort go 30 meters into the ground, and a portion of the tower is filled with rocks, dirt and rubble. The doors are inches deep and the walls are rounded and robust, designed to withstand fierce barrages of mortar fire. There are 24 openings all around the top of the tower for mortar fire.
Two cannons guard the entrance to the fort which opens into a maze of rooms, high-ceilinged halls, doorways, terraces, narrow staircases and corridors. Four cannons remain on the tower's top, down from a total of 24, which once served as the fort’s main firepower. They provided complete 360-degree coverage of the countryside around making it virtually impossible for a surprise attack on the fort without provoking a reply from the cannons. One of them has the name of Imam Sultan bin Saif engraved on it. Another, from Boston City, was presented to the first Omani ambassador to the United States in 1840. Clumps of cannonballs, misshapen with rust and age lie around.
The design of the tower, complete with battlements, turret, secret shafts, false doors and wells incorporates a great deal of architectural deception. Access to the top is only by means of a narrow twisty staircase barred by a heavy wooden door studded with metal spikes to exhaust the enemy and impede their progress to the top of the tower. Those who did manage to run the gauntlet of hurdles risked being burnt by boiling oil or water that was poured through shafts which opened directly above each set of doors. Date syrup, a liquid that oozed from bags of dates stored in special date cellars, also came in handy as an alternative to oil and water. The fort was built above a subterranean stream that ensured a permanent supply of water when subjected to a prolonged siege. Several cisterns located within the fortified compound also ensured plentiful supplies. Underground cellars stockpiled food and munitions. Running all round the summit of the tower is a wall for use by 120 guards who kept watch over the surrounding countryside and were armed with muskets and flintlocks. Furthermore, 480 gun-ports allowed for a concentrated barrage of fire if the fort came under attack.
On left side are the main gate of Nizwa souk (bazaar).
The Nizwa vegetable souk is the regional trading center for locally-grown vegetables, many of which are purchased by exporters. This particular section is in more modern quarters, although much remains in older quarters. Nizwa Souq surrounded by a sturdy wall and beautiful large wooden doors. The souk also features a goat trading ring, an entire date market, a fish salting center, a copper housewares molding area, and an assortment of almost anything else imaginable.
About 20 years ago, the local souk had a reputation as one of the largest in the Middle East. Local sellers sat on small logs or stools, getting the goods necessary to the buyer from under the table, from bags, packages or any other improvised container, without rising from their place. Now in the age of technological progress, merchants settled on modern arcade streets, with all the amenities, where they lay out their goods, the range of which has remained the same, right before the clear eyes of the consumer. Among the abundance of all kinds of goods, there are still many gold and silver items. As before, they are mainly made in Nizwa, so the prices for Arab jewelry here are noticeably lower than in Europe.
In addition, in the local city market you can buy a traditional curve Arabic knife "Hanjar", glass products, objects of utensils and antiques are sold, invariably a wide choice is offered to lovers of sweets. For local residents, livestock is of particular interest. Near the market is the restaurant Al-Akur, famous for its national dishes, some of which, sometimes surprising and even somewhat shocking foreign tourists.
Centered is the Sultan Qaboos Jama (Friday mosque) in Nizwa.
This beautiful building with a dome of blue and gold tones became the same business card of Nizwa as a citadel. It is claimed that the mosque at this place existed from the second year of the AH (623 AD) and was built by Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Ibadi. The current building was erected in the early 1970s.
Denominations in numerals are repeated 3 times. In words at the bottom.
Comments:
If you find my work useful I will be grateful for any help in supporting the site.
-
PayPal
-
For users of European Union banking system