City Guide: Sanaa

Capital city of the Yemen is one of the authentic cities which protects its life style,culture,architecture and customs.The streets on which there are traditional artisans,well-kept streets and after being in the UNESCO World Heritage List restorated buildings flourish the city. Buildings rising among the narrow streets generally have 6-7 stories.Although many of these buildings were made with adobe,they have been standing hundreds of years. In Yemen,the fundamental structural material is adobe and it is still being producted by traditional ways.The Windows of the buildings are engraved with lime named “nura” such as lacework and precious wooden doors accompany to them.The façades,Windows and arches of the doors were richly adorned,with decorative plaster ceiling and stained glass top Windows they made beautiful places in interior architecture.

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• Tourist Attractions

  Sana’a is called as “64-minareted city”.Islam’s first Works ALl-Quebir Mosque,Great Mosque,Salahaddin Mosque,Otoman Works such as Kubbet’ül Talha Mosque,Al Mutevekkil Mosque, Kubbet’ul Bekiriye Mosque and especially Old Sana’a are the important venues of the city.
  
  You can enter the district called Old Sana’a via Babul-Yemen door.Once upon a time,there was 7 doors of the capital city Sana’a,Today it has 2 doors and the other one is Babul-Salam.This area surrounded with ramparts is dazzling with its architecture.This place,achieved protecting its identity,is a wonderful place.
  
  Al-Quebir Mosque which is restorated by Ottoman Empire is showing many traces of Ottomans.Bekiriye Mosque is a 400-yeared Ottoman mosque restorated by Abdulhamid in 1600s.
  
  You should exactly see Dhahar Valley.In the valley,one of the most gigantic buildings of  Yemen  Rock Palace which was constructed on a rock in the  Imam Al Mansur time is also remarkable.There are lots of rooms in this place.
  
  Except Dhahar Valley,Al-Rawdah,Ibb,Jiblah,Hadramut Valley and Shibam,Aden, Kulan, Tula,Hajjah,world wide famous with its coffee Moka,Taiz, Zebid, Hudeyda and Manakak are among the places that could be visited.
  

• Culture & Entertainment

  In Sana’a,top stories of the buildings are parted for a place named as “mafraj” that you can rest with the landscape.Hookah is one of the indispensible decors of the house’s the most prestigious room.
  
  If you are a guest in mafraj,you are offered a leaf newly plucked from its branch.This plant pronounciated as “gat” has small leafs.It is eaten as it is and is chewed for a long time.It is observed that  this plant is generally consumed by men and it has relaxing effect.Yemenis chew lots of gat in the day time.
  
  In the streets you can see men working with daggers on their belts and turbans upon their head,women shopping from under their black sheets and veils and children playing with their traditional clothes.Yemeni men never leave their dagger “cambiya”.Fasten as a phallic symbol,this dagger and the set consists of its carrier has no danger;dagger is not sharp and it is almost impossible to use it as a killing tool.You cannot already see any fighting or discussing.Cambiya is used in folk dances which starts among the streets out of blue.

• Food & Drink

  You must taste the traditional dishes called “salta”.This dishes are cooked in casserole and have lots of spice,chicken,bean and coriander in it.
  
  While you are visiting Old Sana’a you will find old coffee shops effecting.Even if the mother land of the coffee is Etiopia,it was first started to be milled and drunk by Sufi religious order in Yemen.You should give a break at one of the coffee shop and taste the Yemen Coffee.

• Shopping

  Craft branches such as Dagger-making,clothing,glassware,hardware,herbalists are expanded along the streets.You can also find silversmiths there.If you bargain ,you can buy the things you want  cheaper than the real price.Especially souvenirs are so beautiful and cheap.Big size bags made from  crocodile or  snake skin are 4-5 dollars and cashmere shawls are 2 dollars.Although there are many cheap things,Yemen Hones is very expensive with its 200 dollared price.Do not forget buying Yemen Coffee.

Ticket Sales Offices: Sanaa

• Sanaa: Airport Map Information

  Sanaa Intl. Airport

  Address	:	Sanaa International Airport, Sanaa, Yemen
  Phone	:	+9671345814

• Sanaa: Airport Map Information