Yemeni Skyscrapers: Why is Shibam Called the 'Manhattan of the Desert'?
Chicago is officially considered the birthplace of skyscrapers, where the first high-rises appeared in the late 19th century. But this is only part of the truth. People were building multi-story buildings even before our era. For example, in Ancient Rome, residential buildings reached 20 meters in height, and there was even a law regulating their maximum height. However, the Romans were not the only builders of high-rises. In the Yemeni city of Shibam, buildings over 30 meters high, built 300-500 years ago, have survived to this day.
Shibam in Yemen has a rich history. It was founded around the 3rd century AD, choosing a place in the Hadramaut Valley, surrounded by endless sands. Over the centuries of its existence, Shibam has repeatedly become the capital of kingdoms, sultanates and emirates. However, its main glory is associated with something completely different.
Shibam played a key role as a trading post on the caravan route. Merchants arrived here with precious cargoes of spices, silk and incense. The city prospered, but its inhabitants were constantly looking for ways to protect their homes from floods and raids. In the 16th century, a high fortification wall was built around Shibam to protect it. After that, building in width became impossible, and the townspeople turned to constructing multi-story buildings. Multi-story buildings built in the 16th and 17th centuries are towers standing almost right next to each other. These clay towers have become a symbol of human ingenuity.
Some buildings are so close together that they are connected by balconies. This allowed the city's defenders to move quickly from one point to another during enemy attacks. Most of the houses in Shibam are 20-25 meters high, although some buildings rise more than 30 meters. Such buildings usually have between 5 and 11 floors. In total, about 500 such skyscrapers remain in the city.
Each floor is a separate apartment occupied by one family. The windows in the skyscrapers of Shibam are small and few in number. This helps protect the interior from the sweltering heat typical of this region. From the outside, these high-rises seem to be a chaotic, spontaneous development. But in fact, the construction of each building was strictly regulated by the authorities.
The officials who issued the building permits made sure that the residents of all the houses received the same amount of light. The layout of the blocks was also carefully designed, taking into account the streets and alleys, the width of which had to be at least 2 meters. A wide avenue runs through the entire city, from which the streets branch off.
When we think of skyscrapers, images of glass and steel come to mind. But in Shibam, things are different. Here, skyscrapers are made of clay mixed with straw and water. These bricks are not even fired, but simply shaped into rectangular bricks and dried in the sun. This material, known as adobe, proved ideal for the desert climate. All the buildings in the city, including those belonging to the rulers and high clergy, are made of this material.
Adobe is a short-lived material. If buildings made from it are not maintained and repaired, they will last no more than 300 years. The secret to their durability is regular maintenance: residents cover the walls with a fresh layer of clay after rain to protect them from destruction. But the main enemy of high-rises made of clay is not time, but water. The material is designed for a dry climate, but floods occasionally occur in Shibam. The last one, which occurred in 2008, destroyed several houses and took the lives of dozens of city residents.
Shibam's clay skyscrapers are not just houses, but a whole philosophy. The city is planned to be comfortable and safe. Narrow streets create shade, protecting from the scorching sun. The windows in the houses are small to keep the cool, and the doors are decorated with carvings that speak of the family's status. The material of Yemeni skyscrapers provides an optimal microclimate for a person - it is never hot inside the tower houses. However, some city dwellers, wanting to ensure maximum comfort, still install air conditioners in their apartments.
Today, the oldest high-rise building in the city dates back to 1609, while most of the houses were built between 1880 and 1915. About 7,000 people live in the skyscrapers of Shibam.
The skyscrapers of Yemen's Shibam are officially recognized as the tallest clay buildings in the world. Since 1982, they have been under the protection of UNESCO. The city is unique in its height and number of buildings, but its architecture cannot be called unique. One of Yemen's main attractions, the Dar al-Hayyar Palace, standing on a high cliff, is built of adobe.
Today, Shibam is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but its future is in jeopardy. Rain, war, and lack of funds threaten the clay skyscrapers. Locals are trying to preserve their heritage, but without support, it is a difficult task. Tourists who come to Shibam are often amazed by its beauty, but due to the unstable situation in Yemen, their numbers are decreasing.
Nevertheless, Shibam lives on. Its residents are proud of their city and believe that the clay towers will stand for centuries to come. Every house here is history, every corner is a memory of the past. It is amazing how the genius of ancient architects allowed them to create such an effective and sustainable system. Would you like to live in such a tower house? Or do you still prefer modern glass and concrete?