Hadramout governorate

governorate
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Hadramout governorate lies in east of
Yemen between Al-Mahra governorate from
east and Shabwa governorate from west
and extends north in side Al-Ruba Al khali
desert, the southern coasts overlook the
Arab sea, Al-Mukalla the capital is 777km
from Sana’a across Marib-Attaq-Al-Mukalla
paved road.
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Topography:
Hadramout governorate comprises different
Topography distributed between coastal plains
containing beautiful shores on the Arabian
Sea, mountains and hills of heights reaching
2000 m above sea level, large areas of Al-Ruba
Al-khali desert, with many valleys, the largest
Hadramout valley which consist many small
valleys, it is the longest valley and most fertile
in the Arab peninsula since it is 160km long
and pours in Sihout on the Arabian sea at AlMahra governorate.
Climate:
Hot tropical climate in Hadramout, temperature reaches 40c in summer in the interior
areas, where continental dry climate prevails,
temperature reaches 36c in the coastal areas,
due to seasonal winds saturated with moisture, the temperature in winter tends to be
moderate in the coastal areas, 20-24 co and
17-20 co in the interior areas.
Name:
Hadramout governorate had been presented in
the classic books as the land of (Ahqaf), the
historians reported that Amir Bin Qahtan was
the first to land in Ahqaf after A’ad and if he
took part in a battle, he killed many, then they
said if he reported there-death.., is coming:
then it was his title, the area was then named
accordingly.
Hadramout has a deep - rooted past and history distinguished with continuity through the
different historic phases until present. The
archeological researches made in Hadramout
valley indicate that south peninsula witnessed
human activity in the first stone ages,
Hadramout witnessed boom of one of the old
Yemen kingdoms, Hadramout kingdom which
flourished a the start of the first millennium
B.C.
Many ancient cities had flourished there, and
the goddess temples The Moon spread out and
witnessed development in arts, architecture,
and development in irrigation systems, dams,
political systems, legislation, laws and reached
a high level of progress in such aspects.
Hadramout is considered one of the main roots
of Yemen civilization rich with deep rooted historic antiquities, architecture in particular,
represented in embracing the oldest highest
buildings which are still standing, the remains
indicate the monumental ruins of cities, temples and prophets graves (Hud, Saleh) peace be
upon them, as well as the remains of the
ancient Yemen kingdoms spreading all over
Hadramout and which remain a live witness of
the genius Yemeni human being.
Hadramout takes its deep rootedness from the
past, and still look to future as an important
governorate, including archeological, historic,
tourist and economic cities and sites on the
coastal strip, Islands and on the banks of the
fertile Hadramout valley such as:
Mukalla City:
It is the capital, the largest and most important
city on the coastal strip located on the Arab sea
coast, Mukalla mount embraces the city and
provide it with natural protection from behind,
this advantage was useful in past time,
Mukalla was known as khisa or Bandar
Ya’qoub, the general feature of this city as
other coastal cities in general, it is distinguished that all its features are still existing
and were not demolished or deformed, and of
Yemen commercial ports, it contains the most
fishing centers, and a well known commercial
market, fish industry, the most important features are the Sultan palace (Ma’in palace) built
by Omar bin Awad Al-Qu’aity, the museum
occupies part of it, Al-Ghuweizy Castle which
receive the visitor at the entrance of Mukalla
city, as an important feature of the city, as also
public markets and Khalaf beautiful coasts.
Ghil Bawazir:
Located 35 km east of Mukalla, a fertile cultivated area, water runs through this area, cultivated with palm trees Hinna, coconut, in
addition to tobacco, _Ghill tobacco_ is considered the best quality, it contains Al- Ghil
tourist rest house which was in the past a rest
house for Sultan Al-Qu_eity.
Em A1-Hournah:
Located near Ghil Bawazir, it supplies Al-Ghil
farms with irrigation water, a deep hole in
rocky land containing a water spring 12m deep
and 30m diameter, it is a natural hole formed
according to narration as a result of a falling
star in the area, two channels engraved, the
first channel about 5km long, the second 2km,
excavation of the two channels in such rocky
land is a great human effort.
Al- Shahar city:
Known with other names Samoun and Al
Souq, located 62km east of Mukalla, it is an
ancient city, it was a commercial center for
exporting olibonum and dates, the people there
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are known with textile industry of some traditional dresses, jewelry, boats building, dyeing ,
al-Shahar was one of the Arabs known markets in the area of the Arab known markets.
Al-Shahar is divided today with the old part
and the new part, the old part of the city is
built of bricks, distinguished with a certain
architecture, it has two gates, one called (Bab
Al Khour) and the other (Bab Al-eidrous), the
ancient land marks as the castles and the old
wall, the new part in the new quarters, stone is
used as a building material in its houses, it is
very beautiful due to the white color of the
stones.
Hot Springs:
The coast of Hadramout is known with many
springs and hot
springs in many areas, properties differ from
place to place, people come from close and
remote areas seeking cure from diseases as
dermatitis, rheumatism, digestive system diseases, fatness, diabetes. Some springs are
strong and used for cultivation, such as,
Suwaibir, 47 km from Shahar and close from
Suwaibir.
-Tobalah: The most ample and largest is 10km
from Shahar.
-Al- Hami: 17 km from Al-Shakhar city.
-Shanna coast: 120km east of Mukalla, considered of the beautiful coasts in Yemen and
distinguished with turtles multiplication in the
season of propagation.
Hadramout valley: A 322 km paved road links
Mukallah city with Hadramout valley and the
cities and villages spreading on its banks to
Seiyun city, the capital of the valley.
Hadramout valley is considered the longest in
the Arab peninsula, 160km long extends to
Thamoud, then the valley water pour in Sehout
through Masila valley 12 km wide. In some
areas and 700 m in other areas, it is highly fertile, cultivated with palm trees and types of
legumes, tobaco, Hinna, it is the largest dates
producing area, bananas, papyas is also planted, lemon and narjil and others. Hadramout
valley is considered one of the highest
valleys in technology related to water
courses drainage, as ducts water
drainage is made within hours, which is
not usual in many large valleys in Yemen
where water courses continue running for
long time.
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Seiyun city:
Located 322km from Mukalla, the largest city
in Hadramout valley, the houses surrounded
with green carpet of large gardens, palm trees.
It is the administrative capital of the valley
since the 15th century, it has been mentioned
in the ancient reference inscriptions, the classical historians noted that it was a great city,
and residence for Hadramout, Himiar and
Kinda. Land marks as sultan Huge palace (Al
Kutheir sultan palace) known at present as the
revolution palace, consisting of five floors
including tens of rooms and utilities, it has
been transformed to a museum of antiquities
and a museum of customs. (1) traditions and
handicrafts. (2) Al- Ghalas castle, the complex
of handicrafts such as woodworks, poultry
industries, ceramics, handicrafts (leather) etc.
The important land marks in seiyun: The market where many handicrafts and traditional
industries are shown.
The grave of Almohajir Ahmad Bin Issa is a
tourist landmark, for being distinguished with
architectural pattern as a tomb located in a
high place of the mountain and the style of the
mosque building located at the foot of the
mountain and the paved road linking between
the tomb and the mosque in its zigzag form
and the white paint raise the features of the
tomb and the mosque, the tomb dates to the
10th century and is located 10km east of
Seiyun city.
Tareem City:
One of the well known historic ancient
Hadramout valley cities until now. It is Located
35 K.M North South of seiyun city, linked with
asphalt road. It was the capital of Kinda kings,
then capital of hadramout Valley before seiyun.
It was mentioned in the ancient Yemeni sculptures
At the Islamic era it became the center for science and culture, still it has the known Ribat
Treem Ribat performing it’s scientific and religious functions.
Tareem city is full of Yemeni architectural art
treasures represented by its mosques, wonderful palaces fenced by palm trees. One of its
important cites is Al-Mehdar mosque and
Minaret which was established on 1915 A.C.
Its height is 125 feet. Also, the ancient castles
near the city like Al Najeer castle, 6 Km east of
Treem, and AL Orr castle near Al- Soum village
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about 15 Km east Treem.
The second largest library in Yemen exist in
Treem, and contains more than five thousand
manuscripts.
Einat:
A beautiful village located 8 Km east of
Treem, it dates to the 16th century,it has a
certain style of domes and religious tombs, it
is the seven domes known in Einat, it comprises a number of houses of beautiful architectire.
The Tomb of Prophet Hud, Peace be upon him
Hadramout is a land of prophets, peace be
upon them. It is a holy land, since it comprises a number of prophets tombs as the tomb of
prophet Saleh and Hanthalah bin Safwan the
prophet of Ashab Alruss and the tomb of
prophet Hud which is the most important.
The tomb of prophet Hud is located 90Km
east of Tureim city, it is on a hill above sea
level with a dome date to 1673 and called A1Naqa, it is linked with the village by a zigzag
road paved by stone and painted like the
dome with white color which adds beauty to
the architectural style, the tomb of prophet
Hud is an important tourist place since pre
Islam. During visit days which last for one
week a market is held as of the 6th day of
Sha’aban of each year.
Bir Barhout:
It is a cave located at 300 ft high, and 10Km
south of prophet Hud tomb, many legends are
narrated about it from the pre-Islam time
until now.
Seasonal Religious visits:
Hadramout comprises a number of known
holy men, distributed in several areas of
Hadramout, they have high spiritual position
in the hearts of the people, expressed through
annual collective visits associated with religious appeals and songs accompanied with
music, seasonal markets coincide with such
visits of pleasures associated with the such
visits are:
-Al sit visit: at: Sha’ab Al Nour And Al-Wasat
villahes, north Al-Shahr city, starting from
12-19 of Muharram of each Hijri year.
Al Houl visit: visit to the tomb of the
Ethiopian scholar,
starting from 17-20 Rabi 11 of each Hijri year.
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Shibam Hudramout city:
Shabam is one of the most important cities in
Hudramout valley, it dates to the third century
B.C., located at the middle of Hudramout valley on a hill 30m high above the valley level, it
is located 19km from seiyun on the paved road
leading to Mukalla. Shibam city has been mentioned in the reference inscriptions, the houses form a firmly built castle, rise to 8 floors,
built of clay bricks, it had been known in several names:
Al-Safra, Alia, Al-Dumna, Hudramout city, AlSouq, because it was before as an Arab market
in the Arab peninsula, within the known Arab
markets. Many European travelers visited
Shibam city and called it the desert Manhatin
and skyscrapers city.
Shibam is considered of the most beautiful historic Yemeni cities after ancient Sana’a. It is
considered one of the world human heritage
cities, UNESCO announced an international
campaign to protect it in 1984, the land marks
are the wall, Haron Al Rashid mosque and the
current city constructed before more than five
hundred years, it is considered an architectural rarity which could not be repeated, therefore
it worths to be of the world wonders in location
as a gem in the middle of Hundramout valley,
on a high hill, seems to the observer as a castle in a deep rooted glory of a valley which still
possess properties which make it one of the
most tourists, architectural and historic
Yemeni areas.
Al- Qutn city:
The second largest city in Wadi Hadramout
after seiyun, it is located 20km west of Shibam,
it was the base of sultan Qu’aiti in wars
against sultan Al Kutheiri during the dispute
between the authorities to expand the areas of
influence in the valley, it lasted until the end of
the first half of this century, Al-Qutn is a beautiful city, with buildings of bricks mixed with
straw, it is the
pattern prevalent in cities and villages of
Hudramout valley, the most important landmarks Al-Qu’aiti castle, where seasonal commercial market is held as of 15 Jamada II of
each Hijri year and cast for one week.