Historic city of Saada
Saada is one of the oldest medieval cities in Yemen, of great importance for its historical, architectural, urban and spiritual value.
Historic city of Saada
Saada is one of the oldest medieval cities in Yemen, of great importance for its historical, architectural, urban and spiritual value. Saada founded by Imam AI-Hadi Yaya in the 9th century, becomes the cradle of “Zaydism”, a powerful spiritual school of Muslim thought in Yemen. It thrives, continuously inhabited in a medieval scheme with earthen architecture, very characteristic and representative of the whole region; makes it a unique and still alive city of the first Islamic Arab cities. Surrounded by an exceptional wall of zabur land, 3,000 m long and 4 m wide, with 52 watchtowers and 16 doors, the most famous of which are Bab al-Yemen and Bab Najzan. Houses and palaces are built of earth and brick on several floors, open halfway up on a decorated courtyard. Inside the walls, 14 mosques date from the 10th to the 16th century. The Great Mosque where the eleven successors of the first Zaydite Imam are buried and the An-Nisari Mosque are considered to be high spiritual educational places and of undeniable architectural value; minarets like the various domes are of rare beauty. The fortress of the 16th and 18th century, seated on a hill of iron slag (residue from the workshops of artisans for centuries) is now liberated from the army. Several conservation projects are underway: the end of the paving of the streets, the restoration of the doors, the restoration of the only Mosque of women, and of residences with their interior decorations. The needs are “the implementation of an action plan” for insufficient infrastructure, an inventory of real estate and furniture, keep the intangible goods of great knowledge in the craft of stone tableware. Outside the city, the Zaydite cemetery is the largest and oldest in Yemen, dotted with countless stelae, all skillfully carved. At the exit of Bab al-Yemen, pros of ancient cisterns, immense rocks shelter Neolithic engravings representing wild animals disappeared today; with ibexes and human figures, are the oldest in the country. Four citadels protected the city, Tulmus, Alsama, Sinara restored by the Ottomans and AI-Ablaa. The valley includes ten hamlets, beautiful houses surrounded by fields, vineyards and fruit trees. an inventory of real estate and movable property, keep the intangible goods of great knowledge in the craft of stone tableware. Outside the city, the Zaydite cemetery is the largest and oldest in Yemen, dotted with countless stelae, all skillfully carved. On leaving Bab al-Yemen, pros of ancient cisterns, immense rocks shelter Neolithic engravings representing wild animals that have disappeared today; with ibexes and human figures, are the oldest in the country. Four citadels protected the city, Tulmus, Alsama, Sinara restored by the Ottomans and AI-Ablaa. The valley includes ten hamlets, beautiful houses surrounded by fields, vineyards and fruit trees. an inventory of real estate and movable property, keep the intangible goods of great knowledge in the craft of stone tableware. Outside the city, the Zaydite cemetery is the largest and oldest in Yemen, dotted with countless stelae all skillfully carved. On leaving Bab al-Yemen, pros of ancient cisterns, immense rocks shelter Neolithic engravings representing wild animals that have disappeared today; with ibexes and human figures, are the oldest in the country. Four citadels protected the city, Tulmus, Alsama, Sinara restored by the Ottomans and AI-Ablaa. The valley includes ten hamlets, beautiful houses surrounded by fields, vineyards and fruit trees. stone tableware craft. Outside the city, the Zaydite cemetery is the largest and oldest in Yemen, dotted with countless stelae, all skillfully carved. At the exit of Bab al-Yemen, pros of ancient cisterns, immense rocks shelter Neolithic engravings representing wild animals disappeared today; with ibexes and human figures, are the oldest in the country. Four citadels protected the city, Tulmus, Alsama, Sinara restored by the Ottomans and AI-Ablaa. The valley includes ten hamlets, beautiful houses surrounded by fields, vineyards and fruit trees. stone tableware craft. Outside the city, the Zaydite cemetery is the largest and oldest in Yemen, dotted with countless stelae, all skillfully carved. On leaving Bab al-Yemen, pros of ancient cisterns, immense rocks shelter Neolithic engravings representing wild animals that have disappeared today; with ibexes and human figures, are the oldest in the country. Four citadels protected the city, Tulmus, Alsama, Sinara restored by the Ottomans and AI-Ablaa. The valley includes ten hamlets, beautiful houses surrounded by fields, vineyards and fruit trees. ancient cisterns, huge rocks shelter Neolithic engravings representing wild animals that have disappeared today; with ibexes and human figures, are the oldest in the country. Four citadels protected the city, Tulmus, Alsama, Sinara restored by the Ottomans and AI-Ablaa. The valley includes ten hamlets, beautiful houses surrounded by fields, vineyards and fruit trees. ancient cisterns, huge rocks shelter Neolithic engravings representing wild animals that have disappeared today; with ibexes and human figures, are the oldest in the country. Four citadels protected the city, Tulmus, Alsama, Sinara restored by the Ottomans and AI-Ablaa. The valley includes ten hamlets, beautiful houses surrounded by fields, vineyards and fruit trees.