What to See in Yemen - Top Sights and Attractions

Mosque in Sana'a, Yemen. The Great Mosque of Sana'a is an ancient mosque in Sana'a, Yemen, and one of the oldest mosques in the world. The mosque is said to have been founded in the early Islamic period, suggested to be in 633. While the precise date of construction is unknown, the earliest recorded renovations occurred under Caliph al-Alid I in the early 8th century, implying a possible earlier date of construction. The mosque was reportedly built in part from spolia from the Himyarite-era Ghumdan Palace and from the Axumite Christian Church of al-Qalis that formerly occupied the site. The Great Mosque is the largest and most notable of over one hundred mosques in the Old City of Sana’a.

The building has undergone renovations in the 8th century, the 13th century, and in the Ottoman period. An important archaeological find was the Sana'a manuscript, discovered there during restoration in 1972. Today, the Great Mosque of Sana’a is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Old City of Sana'a.^[2]

Museum. The National Museum of Yemen in Sana'a, Yemen, was founded in 1971 in Dar al-Shukr which is one of the Yemeni Imam Palaces. It is located near Qubbat al-Mutawakkil Mosque dome in Al-Tahreer Square in the city center.

The Museum recently moved to a nearby building called Dar Al-Sada. The relocation was made to the newly renovated Palace because it offers the necessary space to accommodate the increasing number of artifacts throughout the history of Yemen.

The museum contains the artifact of ancient Yemen collected from different archaeological sites. The National Museum consists of the four-story building and its room has been reserved for the presentation of rare artifacts and monuments. The exhibits include the artifacts of a Yemeni Imam, artifacts from Marib, ancient Kingdoms of Yemen and artificat from the Islamic States era.

Dar al-Shukr was converted into National Heritage Museum in 1991 but has been closed since years ago due to the lack of preparations and overhaul.

The museum housed over 30 thousand antiquity pieces as per 2007.^[4]

Castle in Aden, Yemen. Sira Fortress/Castle is a military site in Aden, Yemen. The original fortress dates to the 11th century, and is still in use today by the Yemeni military. The fort is located on Sira Island, a rocky and tall volcanic outcropping which dominates the old harbor of Aden. Although it is referred to as a castle quite often, it is less of a castle and more of a fortification. Much of the fort's history is unknown, especially since there have been few archaeological studies done of the area. One theory is that construction was initiated around the year 1173 by a Turkish ruler of Aden named Prince Othman Al-Zangabili Al-Takriti. The fortress was proven during subsequent attacks against Aden by the Portuguese and especially the Turks in 1517. Although the ancient harbor began to silt up and the primary commercial center eventually moved to the other side of the Aden Peninsula, the British continued to develop and garrison the fortress after their arrival in 1839. It is about a 15 minute walk up the stairs and can be considered a bit steep. It is one of the most common tourist attractions in the city of Aden.^[5]

Tourist attraction in Aden, Yemen. The Cisterns of Tawila, or the Tawila Tanks, are the best-known historic site in Aden, Yemen. The site consists of a series of tanks of varying shape and capacity. They are connected to one another and located in Wadi Tawila to the southwest of Aden’s oldest district, Crater. Originally there were about 53 tanks, but only 13 remain following a succession of renovations, including those done by the British in the 19th century. The existing tanks have a combined capacity of about nineteen million gallons. The tanks were designed to collect and store the rain that flows down from the Shamsan massif through Wadi Tawila, and to protect the city from periodic flooding. The largest of the tanks are the Coghlan Tank at the center of the main site and the large, circular Playfair Tank, located at the lowest point, outside the main site.^[6]

Mosque in Taiz, Yemen. Madrasa and Mosque of Al-Ashrafiya or Al-Ashrafiya Mosque is a historical madrasa-mosque located in the old city of Taiz, Yemen at the foot of Mount Sabr in the southwestern part of the city. It is arguably the most notable preserved artifact of Taiz, given its distinct and beautiful design. It is considered to be one of the most important centers in the Islamic history of Yemen along with its complements, the Mudhaffar Mosque. It was supposedly built in two stages: by Sultan Al-Ashraf Umar II or 800 Hijri, by Sultan Al-Ashraf Isma'il I and opened in 1382 or 803 Hijri. This compound can be found in the neighborhood of Ashrafiya, surrounded by a number of other locations and overlooks the Cairo Citadel. The mosque accommodates approximately 120 to 800 worshippers.^[8]