Yemen has been in the news a great deal recently – because of its supposed links with the training of terrorists. Yet little attention has been paid to the country itself – particularly its rich and surprising architectural heritage. So little known outside the country this remarkable architecture has survived hundreds of years. Take a look at the secret cities of Yemen.
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We will start in the town of Al Hajjara, so little known that even Wikipedia does not have an entry on it. Situated at the heart of Yemen in the Al Bayda Governorate of the country, the town boast one of the most simply amazing structures you will ever see. The residence of the Imam Yahya Muhamamd is perched – precariously or so it seems – atop a rocky outcrop. Imam Yahya was famous for stabilizing the north of the country and for his benign attitude towards minorities, particularly Yemenite Jewry. In order for his country to be recognized as independent he made many treaties, most notably the Ital-Yemeni Treaty of 1926 which gave Yemen full sovereignty. The country joined the United Nations in 1948 – a year before his death.
The Imam’s residence, grand and ornate belies the poverty in which many of the country’s population exist. The country itself is just over half a million square kilometers. Although it is on the Arabian Peninsula many would not think of a country like this having island but, in fact, Yemen has over two hundred (more of one later). It is the only republic in the area – and one of eight in total in the Arab World. It is thought that around twenty percent of the population live on just over one US dollar a day. It is, then, a poor country, but not one without its advantages.
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