Shibam is a town in Hadramawt,
Yemen with about 7,000
inhabitants. It has been the
capital of the
Hadramawt Kingdom for several
periods of time.
Shibam owes its fame to its distinct architecture, which now is on UNESCOs programme to safeguard the human cultural heritage. The houses of Shibam are all made out of mud bricks, but still there are about 500 tower houses, rising 5 to 9 stories high. While Shibam has existed for around 2,000 years, most of the city's houses come mainly from the 16th century. However, many were rebuilt over and over again during the last few centuries.
Shibam is often called "the oldest skyscraper-city in the world", or "Manhattan of the desert" which is a claim with quite a bit of consistency.
Hadramawt Kingdom for several
periods of time.Shibam owes its fame to its distinct architecture, which now is on UNESCOs programme to safeguard the human cultural heritage. The houses of Shibam are all made out of mud bricks, but still there are about 500 tower houses, rising 5 to 9 stories high. While Shibam has existed for around 2,000 years, most of the city's houses come mainly from the 16th century. However, many were rebuilt over and over again during the last few centuries.
Shibam is often called "the oldest skyscraper-city in the world", or "Manhattan of the desert" which is a claim with quite a bit of consistency.
(Surrounded by a fortified wall, the 16th-century city of Shibam is one of the oldest and best examples of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction. Its impressive tower-like structures rise out of the cliff and have given the city the nickname of 'the Manhattan of the desert'. ) UNESCO
