Cairo Castle, Mountain fortress in Ta'izz, Yemen
The fortress sits at 1500 meters altitude on Mount Sabr, featuring four-meter-thick defensive walls that reach heights of 120 meters above ground level.
Built in the first half of the 12th century by Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Sulayhi, the castle served as a military stronghold and prison until the Yemeni Revolution of 1962.
The castle contains two main sections: Al-Adina with its terraced gardens and palaces, and Al-Maghrabah with its guard towers and grain storage facilities.
Following restoration efforts between 2002 and 2012, the castle reopened to visitors in 2018, though some areas remain closed due to structural concerns.
The fortress maintains connection points to the ancient city walls of Ta'izz through its main structure, which incorporated four strategic gates and a watchtower system.
Location: Ta'izz
GPS coordinates: 13.56700,44.01350
Latest update: March 13, 2025 12:27
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.
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