Sana'a, political capital of Yemen since 1990, located in Sana'a
Province, on a plateau northeast of the port of Al Hudaydah, is the
commercial center of a fruit-growing region and is divided into two sections.
The eastern section, known as the old city, has several mosques and the central
market, Souq al-Milh, where jewelry, silver and leather goods, silks, and
carpets are made and sold. The western section is largely residential.
Sana'a first became an important center in the 4th century AD, in the kingdom
of an ancient Arabian people, the Himyarites. The city was included in the
Muslim caliphate in 632, and it came under the control of the Ottoman Empire in
the 1870s.
It is a beautiful and fascinating city of unique architecture and veiled
women. Among its attractions is the world's first skyscraper -- the
2,000-year-old, multi-storey Palace of Ghamdan (now, alas, in ruins).For a
lively look at local life, visit the souk just east of the Old City where qat,
which everyone chews, is on sale. A few day excursions can be made from Sana'a.
A short drive to the north leads to Ar Rawdah, a beautiful summer resort; other
outings include trips to Kawkaban, Marib, Sa'da, Wadi Dahr, Hadda and Al Huqqar
(with ruined ancient temples). Museums to visit are: the Museum for Arts &
Crafts, in an old palace, specialises in artefacts from everyday Yemeni life,
also the National Museum includes displays on the ancient kingdoms of Yemen
(including Saba), the country's Islamic history and its modern folk culture.
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