🏙️ Old City of Shibam
Yemen
About This Sacred Site
Shibam, often called the 'Manhattan of the Desert,' is a UNESCO World Heritage city in the Hadhramaut Valley of Yemen featuring about 500 mud-brick tower houses, some reaching seven stories high. The 16th-century walled city includes several historic mosques, most notably the Friday Mosque. This remarkable urban planning achievement represents one of the earliest examples of vertical construction and dense urban living. The towers served both as residences and as defensive structures against Bedouin attacks.
Key Facts
- •UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982
- •Known as the 'Manhattan of the Desert'
- •Features about 500 mud-brick tower houses up to seven stories
- •The oldest skyscraper city in the world
- •The current city dates primarily to the 16th century
Location
Coordinates: 15.9267, 48.6275
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