Jabal Haraz, Mountain region with fortified villages in western Yemen.
The sandstone and basalt buildings of Jabal Haraz rise on rocky peaks, reaching elevations of 3,000 meters above sea level between Sanaa and Al-Hudaydah.
During the Himyarite Kingdom period, Jabal Haraz functioned as a caravan route before becoming the central stronghold of the Sulayhid dynasty in the 11th century.
The villages feature traditional mud-brick architecture with houses forming protective walls, demonstrating advanced agricultural practices through extensive mountain terracing systems.
Manakhah, the central town of the mountain range, maintains a regular market where inhabitants from surrounding villages gather to trade local products.
The terraced fields of Jabal Haraz produce high-quality Mocha coffee beans, alongside crops such as alfalfa, millet, and lentils at different elevation levels.
GPS coordinates: 15.16667,43.75000
Latest update: March 6, 2025 12:10
Yemen offers photographers subjects ranging from the ancient mud architecture of Sanaa to volcanic craters and the geological formations of Socotra. The Old City of Sanaa presents multi-story tower houses decorated with white gypsum patterns, while Shibam in Hadhramaut displays mud-brick high-rises dating from the 16th century. The fortress of Kawkaban sits atop a high plateau, the village of Hababah demonstrates traditional mountain architecture, and Shaharah Bridge connects two mountain peaks at an elevation exceeding 8,500 feet (2,600 meters). Socotra features Detwah Lagoon, dragon blood trees and limestone caves within its distinct ecosystem. The crater of Haradha Damt is an extinct volcano near Damt, the Marib Dam represents Sabaean engineering from antiquity, and the ruins of Arsh Balqis mark an ancient temple site. Wadi Dawan cuts through Hadhramaut with palm groves and mud villages, Jabal al-Nabi Shu'ayb reaches 12,028 feet (3,666 meters) as the highest peak on the Arabian Peninsula, and Zabid preserves its role as a historic center of Islamic scholarship. Sira Fortress in Aden occupies a volcanic rock above the harbor, Dar al-Hajar in Wadi Dhahr is an 18th-century palace built on a rock outcrop, and Al Saleh Mosque in Sanaa dates from 2008.
Marib Dam
162.4 km
Barran Temple
173.1 km
Ghumdan Palace
54 km
Dar al-Hajar
50.6 km
Jabal An-Nabi Shu'ayb
27.5 km
Al Saleh Mosque
52.3 km
Great Mosque of Sana'a
54.1 km
Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba
173.1 km
Shaharah Bridge
113.6 km
Yemen Gate
54.1 km
Queen Arwa Mosque
145 km
Sirwah
139.8 km
National Museum of Yemen
53.3 km
Palace of Queen Arwa
144.8 km
Al-Bakiriyya Mosque
54.1 km
Shibam-Kawkaban
41.7 km
Al-Mahdi Mosque
53.5 km
Yemen Military Museum
53 km
Kaminahu
154.4 km
Talha Mosque
53.9 km
Salah al-Din Mosque
53.9 km
Al Hudayda Castle
96.2 km
Ancient Dam of Ma’rib
164.9 km
Ma’rib Ancient Historical Old City
172.8 km
Archaeological site of Marib
172.3 km
Almaqah Temple
139.9 km
Haradha
155.6 km
Bab Al-Yaman market
53.9 kmReviews
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