Nicknamed the "Manhattan of the desert", Shibam is one of the oldest and best examples of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction.
Sana'a has been inhabited for more than 2,500 years. It became a major center for the propagation of Islam in the 7th and 8th centuries. This heritage can be seen in the 103 mosques, 14 hammams and over 6,000 houses, all built before the 11th century.
Zabid was the capital of Yemen from the 13th to the 15th century. It played an important role in the Arab and Muslim world for many centuries because of its Islamic university. Unfortunately, the city is currently in decline and in a very poor state of conservation.
Located in the northwest Indian Ocean near the Gulf of Aden, Socotra Archipelago is 250 km long and comprises four islands and two rocky islets. The site is important because of its biodiversity and distinct flora and fauna: 37% of Socotra’s 825 plant species, 90% of its reptile species and 95% of its land snail species do not occur anywhere else in the world.
This property includes seven archaeological sites of the rich kingdom of Saba from the 1st millennium BCE to the arrival of Islam around 630 AD. The kingdom controlled much of the incense route across the Arabian Peninsula.
Lynn Garry Salmon <>{
Last updated: June 12, 2023