Image: Sana'a

Description: According to popular legend, Sana'a was founded by Shem, the son of Noah, not far from the mountain where Noah's ark came to rest when the flood subsided. Yemenis thus claim it to be the oldest living city in the world - upto 10,000 years old, and known to have been inhabited for over 2,500 years. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the walled city's 6,500 houses and more than 100 mosques make it a living museum of traditional styles. It was never easy to reach this "Hidden Jewel of Arabia" which is situated in the heart of mountainous Yemen. Yet those who did manage to complete the dangerous and tiresome journey on donkey or camel-back from the distant coast were awestruck and inspired by the city's tall, beautifully decorated buildings, its well-stocked markets and imposing walls, gates and fortifications.
Title: Sana'a
Credit: Own work
Author: Tyabji
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
License Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Attribution Required?: Yes