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Shibam

Coordinates:15°55′37″N48°37′36″E/ 15.92694°N 48.62667°E/15.92694; 48.62667
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For the coastal trading vessel, seeMV Shibam.
For the city in the central Yemeni highlands, seeShibam Kawkaban.

Shibām Ḥaḍramawt
شِبَام حَضْرَمَوْت[2][3]
Town
The city with the Hadhramaut Mountains in the background
The city with theHadhramaut Mountainsin the background
Nickname(s):
Manhattanof theDesert(مَانْهَاتَن ٱلصَّحْرَاء)
Chicagoof theDesert(شِيْكَاغو ٱلصَّحْرَاء)[2][4]
Shibām Ḥaḍramawt is located in Yemen
Shibām Ḥaḍramawt
Shibām Ḥaḍramawt
Location in Yemen
Shibām Ḥaḍramawt is located in Middle East
Shibām Ḥaḍramawt
Shibām Ḥaḍramawt
Shibām Ḥaḍramawt(Middle East)
Coordinates:15°55′37″N48°37′36″E/ 15.92694°N 48.62667°E/15.92694; 48.62667
CountryYemen
GovernorateHadhramaut
DistrictShibam[1]
Population
• Total7,000
Time zoneGMT+3
Official nameOld Walled City of Shibam
TypeCultural
Criteriaiii, iv, vi
Designated1982;endangeredas of 2015
Reference no.192
RegionArab States

Shibam Hadramawt(Arabic:شِبَام حَضْرَمَوْت,romanized:Shibām Ḥaḍramawt)[2][3]is a town inYemen.With about 7,000 inhabitants, it is the seat of theDistrict of Shibam[1]in theGovernorate of Hadhramaut.Known for itsmudbrick-madehigh-rise buildings,it is referred to as the "Manhattanof the Desert "(مَانْهَاتَن ٱلصَّحْرَاء) or "Chicagoof the Desert "(شِيْكَاغو ٱلصَّحْرَاء).[5][2][4]

History

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The first known inscription about the city dates from the 3rd century CE.[6]

In the 20th century, it was one of the three major cities of the formerQu'aitiSultanate, the others being Al-MukallaandAsh-Shihr.[7]

The city was added to theUNESCO World Heritage Listin 1982.[8][9]

In 2008, a tropical cyclone flooded Shibam.[10]

During theYemen Civil War,the city suffered some damage[11]after insurgents detonated a car bomb.[12]There was also coalition bombing in the area. In 2015, UNESCO listed the city as "cultural heritage at risk".[8]

Geography

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The town is located in the central-western area of Hadhramaut Governorate, in the desert ofRamlat al-Sab'atayn.Its main road linksSana'aand other cities of western Yemen to the far eastern territories. The nearest towns areSeiyun,seat ofan airport,andTarim,both in the east. Another road, departing from the village ofAlajlanya,in the west, links Shibam toMukalla,the governorate's capital on theIndian Ocean.[citation needed]

Climate

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Shibam has ahot desert climate(Köppen:BWh). At an average temperature of 28.0 degrees Celsius (82.4 degrees Fahrenheit), June is the hottest month of the year. January is the coldest month, with temperatures averaging 18.6 °C (65.5 °F).

Climate data for Shibam
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 24.0
(75.2) 		25.3
(77.5) 		27.4
(81.3) 		29.5
(85.1) 		31.8
(89.2) 		33.4
(92.1) 		32.5
(90.5) 		31.8
(89.2) 		30.8
(87.4) 		29.0
(84.2) 		26.7
(80.1) 		25.3
(77.5) 		29.0
(84.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 18.6
(65.5) 		19.9
(67.8) 		22.1
(71.8) 		24.3
(75.7) 		26.7
(80.1) 		28.0
(82.4) 		27.5
(81.5) 		26.9
(80.4) 		26.0
(78.8) 		23.3
(73.9) 		20.8
(69.4) 		19.8
(67.6) 		23.7
(74.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 13.3
(55.9) 		14.6
(58.3) 		16.9
(62.4) 		19.2
(66.6) 		21.7
(71.1) 		22.7
(72.9) 		22.6
(72.7) 		22.1
(71.8) 		21.3
(70.3) 		17.6
(63.7) 		14.9
(58.8) 		14.3
(57.7) 		18.4
(65.2)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches) 8
(0.3) 		5
(0.2) 		17
(0.7) 		10
(0.4) 		3
(0.1) 		0
(0) 		3
(0.1) 		4
(0.2) 		1
(0.0) 		0
(0) 		5
(0.2) 		8
(0.3) 		64
(2.5)
Source: Climate-Data.org[13]

Architecture

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Overview

[edit]
External videos
video iconOld Walled City of Shibam (UNESCO/NHK)(viaUNESCO)

Shibam, which is now aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site,is known for its distinct architecture. The houses of Shibam are all made out of mudbrick, and about 500 of them aretower blocks,which rise 5 to 11 stories high,[14]with each floor having one or two rooms.[15]This architectural style was used in order to protect residents from Bedouin attacks.[16]While Shibam has been in existence for an estimated 1,700 years, the present town dates to 1533.[17]Many, though, have been rebuilt numerous times in the last few centuries.

Shibam is often called "the oldestskyscrapercity in the world ".[6]It is one of the oldest and best examples ofurban planningbased on the principle of vertical construction.[18]The city has some of the tallest mud buildings in the world, with some of them over 30 m (98 feet) high,[19]thus being earlyhigh-riseapartment buildings.In order to protect the buildings from rain and erosion, the walls must be routinely maintained by applying fresh layers of mud. The city is surrounded by a fortified wall,[18]giving it the name "the walled city of Shibam".

Threats

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The mudbrick buildings are frequently threatened by wind, rain, and heat erosion, and require constant upkeep in order to maintain their structures. The city was heavily affected by flooding from a tropical storm in 2008.[20]The foundations of many of the buildings in the city were compromised by the flood waters, eventually leading to their collapse.[21]It was also the target of anAl Qaeda attack in 2009.[22][23]

In 2015, Shibam was added to the list of World Heritage Sites in danger when violentcivil warerupted in Yemen. Historic buildings were significantly damaged during heavy bombing inSana'a,and remain at risk from armed conflict.[24][25]

[edit]
  • View of Shibam
    View of Shibam
  • City gate
    City gate
  • View of some "skyscrapers"
    View of some "skyscrapers"
  • Two buildings on a street inside the town
    Two buildings on a street inside the town
  • Street view
    Street view
  • Architecture pattern
    Architecture pattern
  • Shibam buildings with balconies
    Shibam buildings with balconies
  • View of Old Walled City of Shibam
    View of Old Walled City of Shibam
  • View of Shibam
    View of Shibam
[edit]

TheDubaiGlobal Village, an open-air shopping and entertainment complex in theUnited Arab Emirates,includes a Yemeni pavilion with mud-brick structures intended to evoke the architecture of Shibam.[26]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ab"Districts of Yemen".Statoids.Retrieved21 October2010.
  2. ^abcdمدينة شبام حضرموت "شيكاغو الصحراء".Al-Bayan(in Arabic). 30 July 2012.Retrieved22 March2018.
  3. ^abبلدة شبام حضرموت.Mawdoo3(in Arabic). 6 April 2017.Retrieved22 March2018.
  4. ^ab"The Ancient City of Shibam: The Manhattan of the Desert".Weather.9 November 2013.Retrieved22 March2018.
  5. ^"In Pictures: Yemen's 'Manhattan of the Desert' risks collapse".Aljazeera.10 November 2020.Retrieved15 March2023.
  6. ^ab"Wadi Hadramowt and walled city of Shabam".ShibamOnline.net.Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2012.Retrieved3 January2010.
  7. ^McLaughlin, Daniel (2008). "10: Southeast Yemen".Yemen.Bradt Travel Guides.pp. 191–198.ISBN978-1-8416-2212-5.
  8. ^abVaroutsikos, Bastien (16 December 2015)."Bricks and mortar fire: Yemen's cultural heritage is in the crosshairs".The Conversation.Retrieved26 August2024.
  9. ^whc.unesco.orghttps://whc.unesco.org/en/list/192.Retrieved26 August2024.{{cite web}}:Missing or empty|title=(help)
  10. ^"This Ancient Mud Skyscraper City is the 'Manhattan of the Desert'".National Geographic Society.18 June 2017. Archived fromthe originalon 18 June 2017.Retrieved26 August2024.
  11. ^"This Ancient Mud Skyscraper City is the 'Manhattan of the Desert'".National Geographic Society.18 June 2017. Archived fromthe originalon 18 June 2017.Retrieved26 August2024.
  12. ^Maggie Michael,Report details damage to ancient Yemeni archaeological sites 15 November 2018.
  13. ^"Climate: Shibam".Retrieved22 May2020.
  14. ^Helfritz, Hans (April 1937). "Land without shade".Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society.24(2): 201–16.doi:10.1080/03068373708730789.
  15. ^Jerome, Pamela; Chiari, Giacomo; Borelli, Caterina (1999). "The Architecture of Mud: Construction and Repair Technology in the Hadhramaut Region of Yemen".APT Bulletin.30(2–3): 39–48 [44].doi:10.2307/1504639.JSTOR1504639.
  16. ^Morrison, Alastair M.; Coca-Stefaniak, J. Andres (27 August 2020).Routledge Handbook of Tourism Cities.Routledge.ISBN9780429534805– via Google Books.
  17. ^Jerome, Pamela; Chiari, Giacomo; Borelli, Caterina (1999)."The Architecture of Mud: Construction and Repair Technology in the Hadhramaut Region of Yemen".APT Bulletin: The Journal of Preservation Technology.30(2/3): 39–48.doi:10.2307/1504639.ISSN0848-8525.JSTOR1504639.
  18. ^abOld Walled City of Shibam,UNESCO World Heritage Centre
  19. ^Shipman, J. G. T. (June 1984). "The Hadhramaut".Asian Affairs.15(2): 154–162.doi:10.1080/03068378408730145.
  20. ^"Death Toll Mounts In Tropical Storm".CBS13.26 October 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 22 March 2009.Retrieved26 October2008.
  21. ^"Historic Town of Shibam Hadramout Escapes Flooding Largely Unscathed".ITN Source. 3 November 2008.
  22. ^"Al Qaeda blamed for Yemen attack".CNN.16 March 2009.Retrieved26 April2009.
  23. ^"Al-Qaeda in Yemen:Political, Social and Security Dimensions".Yemen Post.12 April 2009.Retrieved26 April2009.
  24. ^"List of World Heritage in Danger: The 54 properties which the World Heritage Committee has decided to include on the List of World Heritage in danger in accordance with Article 11 (4) of the Convention".UNESCO World Heritage Centre.2015.Retrieved30 April2017.
  25. ^Bokova, Irina (12 May 2015)."UNESCO Director-General calls on all parties to protect Yemen's cultural heritage".UNESCO World Heritage Centre.Retrieved30 April2017.In addition to causing terrible human suffering, these attacks are destroying Yemen's unique cultural heritage, which is the repository of people's identity, history and memory and an exceptional testimony to the achievements of the Islamic Civilization.
  26. ^O’Connor, Paul (16 January 2022)."Spectacular memory: Zombie pasts in the themed shopping malls of Dubai".Memory Studies.16(2): 212–226.doi:10.1177/17506980211066579.ISSN1750-6980.S2CID257805765.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related toShibam.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide forShibam.
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