Fort Al-Mirani is perched on the rocks overlooking the harbour of Muscat and serves as an excellent reminder of the town’s maritime importance in the past. The fort dates back to 1587 but was erected on earlier fortifications. Al-Mirani was the first defensive structure in Oman to use cannons. The fort is also known as Al Gharbiyah (Arabic for “western”) because it defended the harbour’s corresponding section (Fort Al-Jalali stands at the other end).