Sana'a - Culture

Sana'a, city and political capital of Yemen, located in Sana'a Province, on a plateau northeast of the port of Al Hudaydah. Sana'a is the commercial center of a fruit-growing region. It is divided into two sections with the junction formed by the palace of the former imams, or rulers, of Yemen. The eastern section, known as the old city, has several mosques and a market where jewellery, silver and leather goods, silks, and carpets are made and sold.

Of Sana'as total population of 250,000, it is estimated that approximately 50,000 people live in the old city today, with about 42,000 of these living within the old walls themselves. Many of these inhabitants are old families. But there is a steady influx of people from country districts, replacing Sananis who have chosen to move to more modern-style housing outside the city walls.

In Sana'a you would be standing on an elevation of about 7000 ft above sea level.  Surrounded by mountains of basalt, and situated in a relatively flat plain, Sana'a remained one of the major cities in Yemen throughout history. Tourists arriving in Sana'a aren't interested in seeing the development, and the change that has taken place in Sana'a much as they're interested in focusing their attention on the historic and ancient city of Sana'a.

• The Old City: This contains houses which are more than 400 years old, built of dark basalt stone and decorated with intricate frieze work. The old city wall is extremely well preserved.

• Suq al-Milh: The best time to visit Sana'a's main souk is in the morning or between 6 and 7pm, when it is a hive of activity. The name Souk al-Milh means Salt Market, but actually a wide variety of goods are on sale, such as spices, vegetables, corn, qat, pottery, raisins, copper, woodwork and clothing.

• The National Museum is located next to al-Mutwakil mosque, about 100 metres north of Tahrir Square. The House of Good Luck (Dar as-Sa'd) in which it is housed, was once a royal palace dating from the 1930's. The museum contains artefacts from the ancient kingdoms of Saba, Ma'rib, Ma'in and Himyar, and is open daily from 9am till 12 noon and from 3 till 5pm Fridays; mornings only.

• The Military Museum is situated at the western corner of the same square and is open daily from 9am till 12 noon and from 4 till 8pm (except Fridays and the last Thursday of each month).

• Mosques: For Muslims only, these mosques are well worth a visit: al-Jami'al-Kabir (the Great Mosque) on the western side of the main souk; Salah al-Din in the city's eastern quarter; Qubbat Talha which has an interesting Turkish influence; al-Aqil, a small mosque with a beautiful minaret which is delicately lit at night; and Qubbat al-Bakiliya in the eastern part of the city, which was built by the Turks in the 17^th century and restored in the latter half of the 19^th century.

The Yemeni architecture is apparent not only in the old houses of historic Sana'a, but also in the new houses, and buildings which are still built today.  Modern architecture in Yemen is still influenced by traditional architecture. The Yemeni architecture reflected the genius of the Yemeni people, and the variation in building styles from one region to another within Yemen attest to that fact.

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