Middle East Skyscrapers.

By Anita in Architecture on Sep 17, 2007 at 8:50 pm

The “skyscrapers” in Shibam, Yemen were first constructed about 500 years ago using mud bricks, then repaired over and over again through the years. While the five to nine story buildings in this “Manhattan of the Desert” look impressive, the city only houses around 7,000 residents.

I’m guessing that the relatively high population density is due to residents choosing to build within the ancient city wall – if anyone knows the real reason, I’d love to know.

Other neat pictures via deputydog

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Joseph
Sep 18th, 2007 at 1:30 am
They’re not really built of mud ‘bricks’, per se. The buildings are cob, which is monolithic. The straw in the mud is worked together and sewn between wet cobs so it drys with enormous tensile strength as one single structure, more like a sculpture than a brick house.
The Foreigner
Sep 18th, 2007 at 5:14 am
Now, this is fascinating. If I remember correctly, one of Al Qaeda’s “justifications” for 9/11 was that skyscrapers represented “infidel” technology.
Dave
Sep 18th, 2007 at 6:37 am
That’s interesting. Usually there are economic factors that cause people to build upward rather than outward; when land is expensive, that makes the extra effort of building up worthwhile. I can’t imagine that was the case here, with desert all around. Safety maybe? The wall isn’t shown in this photo, but it is known as a walled city…
Pol x
Sep 18th, 2007 at 6:44 am
Hmmm now why would anyone want to live inside the city walls?

What there in particular or SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME?

God man, the world wasn’t always suburban sprawl, walled cities, or citadels was the preferred method of not becoming a slave or having everything stolen by brigands and barbarians.

Every city older than any US one, that is to say nearly everywhere in the world, has started as a fortified community.
Anita
Sep 18th, 2007 at 9:08 am
The wall is seen right above the lower greenlit doors. It’s only about 1 story high, which is why it seemed strange to build within the wall.
Chris
Sep 18th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Romans could built high rise up to 8 stories too.
Dave
Sep 18th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Yes, living inside the walls is for safety (no need to be sarcastic and insulting Pol x), but why build the buildings so high? Wouldn’t it have been much easier and less costly to extend the wall outward?

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