The great arch
Between two round towers.
Dan from Brussels, Europe — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Dan from Brussels, Europe — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Dan from Brussels, Europe — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Dan from Brussels, Europe — CC BY-SA 2.0 · lelebella — CC BY 2.0
Bab al-Yaman is the main gate in the old fortified wall of Sanaa, at the southern end of the walled city, and the most ornate of its gates. Most visitors enter the old districts through it. Its facade and round towers make up the best-known image of the capital, and it is a meeting point crowded with sellers and passers-by for most of the day. The German geographer Carl Rathjens dated its present look to the 17th century. A local story credits its first design to Shem, son of Noah, which belongs to the city's legends rather than its documented history. Travellers heading south towards Ma'bar and Dhamar used to set out from this gate, so for centuries it linked the city with the southern road. You see a wide arch between two round towers topped by crenellations, and behind the wall the tower houses of the city with their white decoration. Once through the gate you are right in the streets and souqs of the Old City. Some photos here date from past decades, so the scene today may differ a little. It is about 200 m in a straight line from the Great Mosque. The best time for photos is early morning, before the crowds. Watch your belongings in the crush, ask before photographing people and do not photograph any checkpoints. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to the whole of Yemen and tells anyone there to leave, so check official guidance before making any plans.
Between two round towers.
Above the old wall.
Tower houses and souqs.
Southern edge of the Old City, Sanaa, Yemen
Its present look dates from the 17th century according to Carl Rathjens, and the link to Shem is a legend.
Early morning is best for photos, before the crowds.
