2014-11-14

Al Hajjarah | Ancient Village on a Cliff, Yemen

Al Hajjarah sometimes spelled Al Hajarah or Al Hajjara is a village in Yemen. The word Hajar means 'stone", was built in the mountains of Kharaz in the XII century by the Sulaihids, and became an important fortification during the Ottoman occupation of Yemen. It is located in the Manakhah District of the Sana'a Governorate. The basis of the ancient settlement amounted to huge multi-story houses, formed of massive stone blocks extracted in nearby quarries. High brown buildings with flat roofs resemble modern skyscrapers.

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Centuries ago, the Yemenis built fortified towns at the height of the cliffs, and Al-Hajjar is the most impressive, with dozens of buildings suspended over mountains and cliffs. Al-Hajjara was built in the 11th century under the Ottomans and with its sturdy structure, it is easy to see why it is considered an impregnable place. 

Dar al Hajar


Al Hajjarah is a small town in Yemen with hidden beauty, both ancient and modern with brown houses, flat roofs crammed on skyscraper cliffs. With a population of 2,000, the village is located 40 kilometers northwest of the capital Sana'a in the Haraz Mountains at 1,850 meters above sea level.

The main task of the ancient tower blocks was domestic residents' accommodation Al Hajar and their protection from enemy attacks. Massive skyscrapers were built close to each other, had no windows in the lower part, and actually merged with the mountains that served as a further guarantee of safety.

In the United Arab Emirates, the Western Highlands receives the highest rainfall. Therefore, the city of Al Hajjara of the Arab country of Yemen is a place with very developed agriculture. Therefore, the landscape here has a lot of terraced fields. The most cultivated crops are sorghum, cotton, and fruit trees, especially mango. Even if you have never been to Yemen, you can enjoy the taste of Yemen through the famous Mocha coffee. Yemeni coffee is made from ancient varieties of arabica coffee found only in Yemen and processed in a traditional way handed down through the centuries.

First Image source Kate Dixon
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Image source Kate Dixon

Dar al Hajar Yemen


The main building of Al Hajar is the palace of Dar al Hajar, standing all alone in the middle of the green oasis of Wadi Dhahr Yemen. Consisting of thirty-five rooms five-story building opened today Tourism attraction, as the city itself Al Hajar.

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Image source eharnan

The central plateau is drier because it is further away from the sea. The area stretches for 2km and has sufficient rainfall year-round to grow crops such as wheat and barley. The stored rainwater is used for irrigation because Yemen has no rivers, only springs that often dry up in the summer.

Due to the terrain and climate here, houses in Yemen are built mainly of clay or stone. Houses are often decorated with calligraphic letters marking events. The windows are meticulously decorated with date tree motifs, round dots, zigzag lines, or patterns. Although different from region to region, in general, the houses still have the typical features of the Yemeni style.

According to legend, Sana'a was founded by Noah's son, Shem, located near the mountain where Noah's ark drifted after the flood. With an age of up to 10,000 years, Sana'a is the pride of the Yemeni people. They consider it the oldest city in the world. Secluded and hidden behind the mountains, Sana'a is known as the "Hidden Gem of the Arab Block" thanks to its beautiful houses and commodity markets. Hopefully, the city will forever keep its ancient features and last forever. [According to Environmental Graffiti]

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Image source Kate Dixon

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Image source nadirah2012

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Image source Kate Dixon

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Image source foto_morgana

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Image source bsboudreau

dar al hajar, dar al hajar yemen, yemen rock palace, dar al hajar store, dar al yemen, yemen palace, yemen stone, wadi dhahr yemen,
Image source Kate Dixon

dar al hajar, dar al hajar yemen, yemen rock palace, dar al hajar store, dar al yemen, yemen palace, yemen stone, wadi dhahr yemen,
Image source Kate Dixon

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Image source Kate Dixon
Yemen Heritage Series | Dar Alhajar Video
Stone house (Dar Alhajar) google map

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Image source World_Citizen

Source — Wikipedia

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