For the coastal trading vessel, see MV Shibam

Place in Hadhramaut, Yemen

Shibam (Arabic: شِـبَـام‎, translit. Šibām), often referred to as Shibam Haḍramawt (Arabic: شِـبَـام حَـضْـرَمَـوْت‎)[3][4] is a town in Yemen. With about 7,000 inhabitants, it is the seat of the District of Shibam[1] in the Governorate of Hadhramaut. Known for its mudbrick-made high-rise buildings, it is referred to as the "Chicago of the Desert" (Arabic: شِـيـكَاغـو ٱلـصَّـحْـرَاء‎),[3] or "Manhattan of the Desert" (Arabic: مَـانْـهَـاتَـن ٱلـصَّـحْـرَاء‎).[2]

History [ edit ]

The first known inscription about the city dates from the 3rd century CE.[5] It was the capital of the Hadramawt Kingdom.

In the 20th century, it was one of the three major cities of the Qu'aiti Sultanate, the others being Al-Mukalla and Ash-Shihr.[6]

Geography [ edit ]

The town is located in the central-western area of Hadhramaut Governorate, in the desert of Ramlat al-Sab'atayn. Its main road links Sana'a and other cities of western Yemen to the far eastern territories. Nearest towns are Seiyun, seat of an airport, and Tarim, both in the east. Another road, departing from the village of Alajlanya, in the west, links Shibam to Mukalla, governorate's capital, located by the Indian Ocean.[citation needed]

Climate [ edit ]

Shibam has a hot desert climate (Köppen: BWh). At an average temperature of 28.0 °C, June is the hottest month of the year. January is the coldest month, with temperatures averaging 18.6 °C (65.5 °F).

Climate data for Shibam Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Average high °C (°F) 24.0

(75.2) 25.3

(77.5) 27.4

(81.3) 29.5

(85.1) 31.8

(89.2) 33.4

(92.1) 32.5

(90.5) 31.8

(89.2) 30.8

(87.4) 29.0

(84.2) 26.7

(80.1) 25.3

(77.5) 29.0

(84.1) Daily mean °C (°F) 18.6

(65.5) 19.9

(67.8) 22.1

(71.8) 24.3

(75.7) 26.7

(80.1) 28.0

(82.4) 27.5

(81.5) 26.9

(80.4) 26.0

(78.8) 23.3

(73.9) 20.8

(69.4) 19.8

(67.6) 23.7

(74.6) Average low °C (°F) 13.3

(55.9) 14.6

(58.3) 16.9

(62.4) 19.2

(66.6) 21.7

(71.1) 22.7

(72.9) 22.6

(72.7) 22.1

(71.8) 21.3

(70.3) 17.6

(63.7) 14.9

(58.8) 14.3

(57.7) 18.4

(65.2) Average precipitation mm (inches) 8

(0.3) 5

(0.2) 17

(0.7) 10

(0.4) 3

(0.1) 0

(0) 3

(0.1) 4

(0.2) 1

(0.0) 0

(0) 5

(0.2) 8

(0.3) 64

(2.5) Source: Climate-Data.org[7]

Architecture [ edit ]

Overview [ edit ]

Shibam, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known for its distinct architecture. The houses of Shibam are all made out of mud brick, and about 500 of them are tower blocks, which rise 5 to 11 stories high,[8] with each floor having one or two rooms.[9] This architectural style was used in order to protect residents from Bedouin attacks.[citation needed] While Shibam has been in existence for an estimated 1,700 years, most of the city's houses originate from the 16th century. Many, though, have been rebuilt numerous times in the last few centuries.

Shibam is often called "the oldest skyscraper city in the world".[5] It is one of the oldest and best examples of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction.[10] The city has some of the tallest mud buildings in the world, with some of them over 30 m (98 feet) high,[11] thus being early high-rise apartment buildings. In order to protect the buildings from rain and erosion, the walls must be routinely maintained by applying fresh layers of mud.

The nearby town of Tarim contains the tallest structure in the Wadi Hadhramaut valley, the mudbrick minaret of the Al-Mihdhar mosque. It stands at a height of approximately 53.53 metres (174 feet).[9] This is the tallest minaret in the southern Arabian peninsula.[12]

Threats [ edit ]

The mudbrick buildings are frequently threatened by wind, rain, and heat erosion, and require constant upkeep in order to maintain their structures. The city was heavily affected by flooding from a tropical cyclone in 2008.[13] The foundations of many of the buildings in the city were compromised by the flood waters, eventually leading to their collapse.[14] It was also the target of an Al Qaeda attack in 2009.[15][16]

In 2015, Shibam was added to the list of World Heritage sites in Danger when violent civil war erupted in Yemen. Historic buildings were significantly damaged during heavy bombing in Sana'a, and remain at risk from armed conflict.[17][18]

Gallery [ edit ]

City gate

View of some "skyscrapers"

Two buildings on a street inside the town

Street view

Architecture pattern

Shibam buildings with balconies

View of Old Walled City of Shibam

See also [ edit ]