The old town of Shibam and its enclosure wall has skyscrapers made of earth brick
The city of Shibam , located in the centre-west region of the governorate of the Hadramaout, in the desert of Ramlat al-Sab`atayn, is best known for its huge skyscrapers of banco (gross land or adobe ). This small town of 7,000 inhabitants has about 500 houses measuring between 5 and 11 floors and reaching more than 30 meters high, all built entirely of mud brick. skyline strange that the big buildings confer on the city of Shibam earned him the nickname of « Manhattan of the Desert » or the Chicago of the Desert.
Flickr – khaled Nasher
Shibam is often called “the oldest skyscraper city in the world” and it is one of the best and one of the oldest examples of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction . Its plan is trapezoidal, almost rectangular, and is surrounded by a enclosure wall in which a block of dwellings, also built with land, were placed on an orthogonal grid. Shibam was founded in the 3rd century AD, but most of the houses you see here date only from 16th century , built following a devastating flood of which Shibam was the victim in 1532-1533. However, some old houses and large buildings have remained for the first centuries of Islam, such as Friday Mosque , built in 904, and Castle built in 1220.
Flickr – Jean Paul Peters
In general, the lower floors without windows are used for the storage of cereals, domestic parts just above, and rooms and gathering place for the family and leisure still above. The main room on the second floor is used by men to meet and socialize. There are often wonderfully carved walls and beams supporting the beautifully decorated ceiling, while women's pieces are more generally on the third or fourth floor. The higher rooms serve the common life of the whole family, and on the higher levels, there are often bridges and doors that connect the houses between them. This is a defensive function, but also practical, especially for the elderly who have difficulty climbing and descending the endless stairs.
Wikimedia – Aiman titi
The houses had to be rebuilt over the centuries. Rain and erosion have been constant threats to Shibam buildings. In order to protect their houses, the inhabitants must lay a thick layer on the facades and roofs with mastic or other waterproof product, and ensure that they are maintained and regularly renovated. Those who can afford to brush their houses to protect them from termites.
Shibam was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1982.
Flickr – Dan
Flickr – Dan
Flickr – Edu Bertrand
Wikimedia – Jialiang Gao
Flickr – kurvenalbn
Flickr – loose_grip_99
Flickr – Aysegul Tastaban
Sources: main photo (lcc-magellan.com), Wikipedia , Unsco , Yemen Tourism
Loading comments ...