The Ancient Skyscraper City: Shibam
When done with Sana’a, head over to the amazing Hadhramaut Valley in central Yemen.
Either drive or fly. Hiring a car and driver for the 2-day drive would be nothing short of being totally exhilarating but it is not recommended due to safety concerns. This road is often closed to foreigners and even when open, several permits need to be acquired before leaving Sana’a.
Leave the thrills to the Hadhramaut Valley so better get on the next Yemenia Airways flight from Sana’a to the town of Seiyun. Within an hour the plane will touch down in Seiyun, just 20 km to the east of Shibam.
While Seiyun is well known for the famous Sultan’s Palace in its historical core, the place to get to is Shibam.
The 16th-century sun-dried mud brick city of Shibam is also referred to as the “Manhattan of the desert.”
Also referred to as Shibam Hadhramaut it should not be confused with another town called Shibam directly northwest of Sana’a.
Shibam Hadhramaut is justifiably described as “the oldest skyscraper city in the world” or “the Manhattan of the desert”, and is one of the oldest examples of city planning based on the principle of vertical construction. The city has some of the tallest mud buildings in the world, with some of them over 30 m (100 ft) high.
Shibam is nothing less than an incredible sight. The first known inscription about the city dates from the 3rd century A.D. and the city itself has been in existence for about 1,700 years.
Most of the buildings that still stand today were built between the 16th and 19th centuries.
In 2008 the city suffered major damages from flooding which resulted in the collapse of some buildings.
An Al Qaeda terrorist attack in 2009 added to the misery when several tourists were killed in a blast.
Walk around inside the old walled city to adore its architecture and meet the fascinating locals.
Overlooking the walled city is a high mountain which can be climbed with some great effort from where the views over the city are stunning.
The towns of Seiyun and Tarim
From Shibam head back to Seiyun and continue on to the town of Tarim, about 40 km past Seiyun.
Tarim has the highest concentration of descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad anywhere in the world and is widely acknowledged as the theological, juridical, and academic centre of the Hadhramaut Valley.
Hard to miss is the minaret of the Al Muhdar Mosque, which at 53 m (175 ft) high, is one of the tallest earth structures, made from soil, in the world.
“To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.”
FREYA STARK, 1938 (comments about Seiyun town)
Another interesting feature of Tarim is the flamboyant Al-Kaf Palace, built by Sayed Omar bin Sheikh al-Kaf. This is just one of about thirty mansions that were constructed by wealthy merchant families in Tarim between the 1870s and 1930s. The al-Kaf family, who made much of their fortune in Singapore, was considered the most influential.
As you travel around the Hadhramaut Valley watch out for the women herding goats or working in the fields dressed in black abayas and traditional conical straw hats known as madhalla.
☛ Read more: All Posts about Yemen
☛ Read more: Yemen – Where Time Stands Still
☛ Read more: Sana’a – Yemen’s Ancient City in a Time-Warp
☛ Read more: Unique Rock Villages of Yemen
☛ Read more: Growing up in Al-Mahwit, Yemen
READ MORE:
Yemen, A True Travel Story to the Most Dangerous Destination in the World by UNCHARTED BACKPACKER
Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.