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Yemen

Cultural sightseeing in Yemen. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

Yemen is an ancient land of the Arabian Peninsula with predominant mountain and deserted areas. This is the location of the Rub' al Khali, one of the biggest deserts in the world that occupies an area of 1000 km in length and 500 km in width. This is almost a lifeless territory. Endless sand dunes become really hot in the daytime – up to 70° C. Naturally, there are no brave people who try to cross the desert. In the past, this was the territory of the Queen of Sheba. Many scientists believe that the city of Marib was the capital of Sheba in the past. That city existed at the time of the reign of the Israelite King Solomon. The nature of the country is quite modest, and local life hasn’t still returned to its usual after the revolutionary events of 2011. This is the reason why there are not so many tourists in Yemen. However, the rich heritage of the country is interesting to explore, so tourists will have no regrets.
The culture of modern Yemen fully depends on the dominant religion in the country – Islam. It is also worth noting that the historical past of the …
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First of all, visit the capital of Yemen – Sana’a. Locals believe that Shem, a son of Noah who built the Ark, is the founder of the capital. Scientists, however, have a different opinion – they claim that the city was founded in the 2nd century AD. Nevertheless, Sana’a remained on its original site limited by ancient protective walls until the mid-20th century. The city has grown since then. Nowadays, the population of Sana’a exceeds 1 million people. However, there are still many historic buildings. Many buildings in the old city were built more than 400 years ago. Together with mosques and minarets, they create a unique historic look of the city. It is also interesting to visit Sira Fortress – an old castle on top of a hill built in the 11th century. The Great Mosque of Sana'a is one of the oldest architectural landmarks of the whole Muslim world. This mosque was built when Prophet Mohammad was still alive. The Great Mosque was expanded in 705 so it could provide space to more people.
The Bab Al Yemen Market is a place with a thousand-year history. This is an ideal destination for all fans of antiquities. It would also be a mistake to fail to mention Souk Al-Milh. This market looks exactly how Europeans imagine oriental bazaars. This is a colorful place with an inimitable atmosphere. The market is really giant – actually, it consists of more than forty smaller specialized markets. Visitors can find food, spices, household items, artworks, jewelry, clothing, carpets – in short, everything important and not important. There are several interesting historic landmarks not far from the market. Visitors can see old and beautiful mosques including the Jami' al-Kabir Mosque that was built roughly 1,200 years ago. The mosque is still in active use, same as several dozen other mosques in Sana’a. However, tourists need to keep in mind that mosque is not a museum, so non-Muslims are not allowed to enter mosques in Yemen. Copyright www.orangesmile.com
If you consider dust an essential attribute of backpacking, then this attribute is virtually everywhere in Yemen. However, its presence doesn’t mean …
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It is also interesting to visit Janbiya market where visitors can see how the world-famous daggers from Yemen are being made. Janbiya or jambia is the name of special curved knives that are the traditional weapons of Yemeni men. Local men have always attached these daggers to their clothing as a symbol of power and a sign of their family. Here, tourists can see how Janbiya daggers and heavily decorated sheaths look like and can even purchase some weapons. While staying in the capital, consider visiting the Yemen Military Museum and the Museum of Traditional Arts and Crafts. The Dar al-Hajar Palace is one of the most recognized landmarks in Yemen. This is a beautiful palace built on top of a hill. According to a legend, the first palace on this site appeared before the birth of Islam. The current building that tourists can see was built in the 20s of the previous century.
When exploring the country, tourists can see many unusual landmarks. For example, Shibam is a truly marvelous city. Put a matchbox on an empty table and imagine that the table is the desert and the matchbox is a city. This is exactly how Shibam looks like from a bird’s eye view. The city has an ideal rectangular shape and consists of 506 similar 11-story buildings that were built in the 16th century. The buildings are made of mudbricks – giant bricks that are a mixture of mud and straw. The width of the walls is more than 1 meter. This mudbrick city surrounded by the desert exists for more than 400 years and people still live in it.
These spots really worth the attention of a real traveler-researcher. …
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Aden is a large city in Yemen that is located in the Gulf of Aden. This is the largest port city in the country. Here, tourists will find it interesting to visit the National Museum of Yemen where they can see household items, ancient jewelry, coins, and documents. The museum is open in the former palace of the Sultan of Lahej. It is a gorgeous building with multiple stores that is an interesting architectural landmark. Don’t forget to visit the Zoroastrian temple – a sacred place for Zoroastrianism, one of the oldest religions in the world. Marib is an ancient city that existed during the Bible time. This was the capital of the once-famous Sheba Kingdom. Nowadays, tourists can visit this city and see its old ruins. When visiting Marib, it is so easy to imagine life here thousands of years ago and think about the life of people who lived among magnificent temples and palaces.
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Extreme Guinness-type places in Yemen

Dar Al-Hajar

From the series “The Most Wonderful Castles and Palaces”
In Yemen, not far from the capital of the state, is the wonderful Palace Dar Al-Hajar, which recalls the beautiful palaces that can be seen in oriental fairy tales. The castle was built on the high rock and looks so harmonious that at first sight one can hardly see where the rock ends and the building begins. For the locals, Dar Al-Hajar is one of the national landmarks. The picture of the wonderful palace can be seen on banknotes, water bottles and popular souvenirs.

The five-storey palace facing the sky is accessible to the tourists. The excursions are conducted daily here. Through the palace you can only walk in the company of the guide. One of the most striking features of the castle is the intricate interior structure, which consists of the numerous labyrinthine corridors and … Read all
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19.03.2024

Famous sites of culture and history of Yemen in photoset

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