Yemen

Sana'a

WHS Score 3.82
rate
Votes 16 Average 4.38
Show votes
Votes for Sana'a

1.5

  • bergecn

3.5

  • Ammon Watkins
  • MaxHeAnouBen
  • Roger Ourset

4.0

  • Solivagant

4.5

  • Adrian Turtschi
  • Thomas Buechler

5.0

  • Hanming
  • Harry Mitsidis
  • Krijn
  • Riomussafer
  • Roland
  • SaoDies
  • Stanislaw Warwas
  • Szucs Tamas
  • Truls Brekke

The Old City of Sana'a is renowned for the unique skyline of a densely packed ensemble of multi-storey traditional houses and minarets.

Surrounded by ancient clay walls, the old city boasts over 100 mosques, 12 hammams, and 6,500 houses. Many of the houses reach several stories high and are decorated with geometric patterns, elaborate friezes, intricately carved frames and stained glass windows. Sana’a is also connected to the spread of Islam in its early years - the majestic seventh-century Jami' al-Kabir (Great Mosque) is known as the first mosque built outside Mecca and Medina.

Community Perspective: As a site that has been off-limits for a decade, the only review so far stems from Solivagant who characterizes it as “a city to wander round without a map”.

Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
Old City of Sana'a (ID: 385)
Country
Yemen
Status
Inscribed 1986 Site history
History of Sana'a
1986: Inscribed
Inscribed
2015: In Danger
damage due to armed conflict
In Danger
damage due to armed conflict Since 2015
WHS Type
Cultural
Criteria
  • iv
  • v
  • vi
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
Related Resources
News Article
  • March 21, 2023 yemenonline.info — Houthis plan to demolish Old Sanaa’s bazaars for religious site
  • Aug. 13, 2022 aljazeera.com — Historic buildings collapse in Sanaa after heavy rains
  • Aug. 17, 2020 middleeasteye.net — Historic houses in Sanaa's Old City on brink of collapse after heavy rains
  • May 6, 2020 middleeastmonitor.com — Saudi raids destroy Yemen World Heritage sites
  • April 22, 2020 whc.unesco.org — UNESCO expresses concern while monitoring flash floods in the Old City of Sana’a
  • Sept. 8, 2016 theartnewspaper.com — Ninth-century mosque destroyed by airstrike in Yemen
  • June 12, 2015 theguardian.com — 'Air strike' kills five in historic district of Sana'a
  • May 13, 2015 english.alarabiya.net — UNESCO condemns 'severe' bombing damage to Sanaa old town
  • Jan. 9, 2015 yementimes.com — Sana'a's Old City: Prospects grim for cultural preservation
  • April 1, 2008 yementimes.com — Historic homes in Old Sana'a crumble

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Urban landscape: Urban continuity
Travel Information
Red Zone Travel Advisory
Red Zone Travel Advisory
Yemen fully off-limits
Recent Connections
View all (13) .
Connections of Sana'a
Geography
Trivia
Architecture
Damaged
World Heritage Process
Religion and Belief
  • Notable mosques
    103 mosques, "The majestic seventh century Jami' al-Kabir (Great Mosque) is one of the oldest in the Muslim world."
Constructions
WHS on Other Lists
Timeline
Visiting conditions
News
yemenonline.info 03/21/2023
Houthis plan to demolish Old Sanaa…
aljazeera.com 08/13/2022
Historic buildings collapse in San…
middleeasteye.net 08/17/2020
Historic houses in Sanaa's Old Cit…

Community Reviews

Show full reviews
First published: 01/05/05.

Solivagant

Sana'a

Sana'a (Inscribed)

Sana'a by Solivagant

San’a is a city to wander round without a map and without any particular objectives other than soaking up the atmosphere. “Dive in” at the Bab Al-Yaman and just see where serendipity takes you. Oh, and have plenty of digital cards or film! Because of the narrowness of the alleyways and the height of the buildings it is worth going at different times of day in order to benefit from different positions of the sun. Some buildings will let you in and the views from the top over the city are worthwhile if you can find them/ obtain invitations. You will also get a feel for the enclosed gardens which dot the city but are largely invisible from the outside other than a few palm branches peeping over the walls!

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