2. The YCMES is located in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen. Sana’a is located in the mountains at an elevation of around 2250 meters (7400 feet).

3. Bab Al Yemen The famous Bab Al-Yemen (Door of Yemen) is the gate to the Old City of Sana’a. Until about 30 years ago the entire city of Sana’a was enclosed within this wall. Now the Old City is home to a large and lovely suq (market).

4. Sana’a The Yemeni capital, Sana’a dates back to the Sabaean Dynasty in the 6th Century BC. The Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies is conveniently located in this fascinating historical city.

5. Sana’a The old city of Sana’a contains many fascinating examples of traditional archecture. The tower homes are constructed of volcanic rock, red brick and mud and detailed in with gypsum, the tallest at 9 stories.

6. Old Sana’a Old Sana’a is considered by many historians to be the oldest, continuously-inhabited city in the world. It has many layers of history, but since around 628 has been a Muslim city. The city lies 2200 meters above the sea (over 7,000 feet).

7. Old Sana’a This ancient, fortified city has been inhabited for more than 2500 years and contains a wealth of intact architectural gems. It was declared a World Heritage City in 1984, with 103 mosques, 14 hammams, and over 6,000 houses.

8. Inside the Great Mosque There are more then 100 mosques in the city of Sana’a. The call to prayer is not fully synchronized, producing an eerily beautiful echoing melody. The Great Mosque (shown here) is one of the oldest mosques in Yemen, renovated by the famous queen Arwa bint Ahmed, but originally said to have been built during the life of the Prophet Muhammad.

9. Suq in Old Sana’a The large suq in the Old City of Sana’a is renowned for its beauty and the variety of its colors, scents, sights and sounds. The suq al-ma’adin “metal market” is pictured here.

10. Spice Suq One of the most popular attractions is Suq al-Milh (Salt Market), where it is possible to buy not only salt but also bread, spices, raisins, cotton, copper, pottery, silverware, antiques, and a host of other goods. The historic suq in the Old City has been used as a market for over 1,000 years, and is still flourishing today.

11. Jambiyas A jambiya is a short dagger worn by men in Yemen. Jambiyas are constituted of a handle, a blade and a sheath in which the blade is held. They come in many shapes, colors and materials indicating the wearers rank and affiliations.

12. The façade of the prayer hall and of the small domed building in the courtyard are decorated with bands of black basalt. An Old mosque ( Masjed ) An old mosque in the edge of the city.

13. . The minarets are early thirteenth century, the one on the south- west the typical combination of sections – square to cylindrical l to hexagonal to small domed turret that many other of the city's more elaborate minarets subsequently copied

14. A design of an old mosque from the outside Mosques are usually built of stone, their exteriors severe while interior decoration includes elaborate plaster work and sometimes painted designs. c

15. Floods flow in Al Sayilah A main drainage channel through the middle of the old city, the Sayilah, was dug to draw off flash food water ( sayl ) from the city, which it certainly does: a heavy storm in the rainy season can make it impassable for a few hours. Recently it was extensively lined and paved.

16. West of the Sayilah the city developed round as series of palaces from the end ofthe twelfth century, in the area now knows as Bustan al-Sultan, surrounded by gardens watered from the Sayilah.

17. West of the Sayilah the city developed round as series of palaces from the end ofthe twelfth century, in the area now knows as Bustan al-Sultan, surrounded by gardens watered from the Sayilah.

18. The old houses Houses are typically tower houses, most of them five storeys high, some of them more. The lower third of each is stone, with burnt brick for the upper floors. High and beautiful houses

19. The old and narrow streets of the old city

20. Vegetable gardens ( called miqshamah from the white radish and horse radish qushmi popularly grown in them ) belonging to the mosque,they give a miraculous and unexpected sense of spaceto the old city. Vegetables and herbs are harvested daily, among them the popular basil, rayban, which among its many properties keeps away the evil eye

23. A big hotel in the old city for the tourists.

24. My city is full of life during the whole day because of its old shops.

25. This is a kind of windows Inside, five weary flights of steep stone steps ( men must shout out to warn female inhabitants of their presence as they climb up )lead to the mafraj at the top, the grand viewing chamber, built to catch every whisper of summebreeze and of course the panorama ( but not while chewing: qatdoes not agree with a breeze, say the experts).

26. A qamariyyah Windows are glazed and topped by semi-circular qamariyyah (' moon-shaped' or moon-coloured' elements ) filled with coloured glass; round ones are still sometimes filled with the translucent local alabaster. Externally, windows and decorative brickwork are highlighted with whitewash.

27. A Yemeni house. The architecture of the Yemeni house from the inside and the Especial furniture which reflects the amazing and beautiful unique Yemeni heritage.

28. Souvenirs of Qamarryia

29. Houses with their gardens.

30. A wonderful morning scenery. To walk in the old city is an intense pleasure at any hour of the day. Early in the morning, at the dawn call to prayer, to hear it chanted by a cacophony of rival voices from the minarets whose decorators where also surely trying to outdoeach other in the immaculate interlacing patterns on their shafts; later, to see the market come to life, cramped stall holders unfolding themselves.

31. Prepared by : Secondary students. Supervised by : T.Jamila Rajeh D.