When one hears about Yemen, it’s the civil war and the humanitarian crisis mired by the conflict, but for ancient architectural marvels, the region doesn’t disappoint.

Resting above sea level at 2600 meters amid a harsh mountainous landscape, Shaharah is a secluded village with only one point of entry, with water cisterns within the confines of its perimeter and adjacent terraced fields — created to sustain itself during sieges. The town, over the centuries, has endured numerous armies having its resistance eventually shattered by air raids during the civil war in the 1960s.

It is not known for how many centuries people have been living in this region. Yet, there is some evidence of the ancient town holding a reputable position of being an important center of Islamic studies in Yemen during the 9th century CE.

Establishing Contact

For many centuries villagers would trek a dangerous trail to obtain supplies, that in itself would be an ordeal.

A person would have to climb down the mountain and then back up to the other side to fetch goods and supplies. So treacherous was the journey that even the most daring, light-footed and experienced man would have a hard time bringing back many products.

As a consequence, inhabitants would have no other choice but to sustain themselves for months at a time without replenishment. The use of cisterns to irrigate the meticulously terraced fields implied that people had sufficient water to produce their crops and support their livestock. The plentiful limestone found in the mountains helped build these cisterns.

Bridging and Protecting Shaharah

So when did the bridge come into the picture?

In 1538, the Ottomans started their conquest of expansion into Yemen, previously ruled by the Mamluks, and ended up occupying northern Yemen.
They were eventually unsuccessful in holding Shaharah, but the damage was inevitable. Shaharah was overrun, only to get their freedom in the 1600s. This time the local leader, Al-Usta Saleh, ordered the building of a bridge connecting Shaharah to the adjacent village, that could be easily destroyed in the event of an attack from the Turks, to keep them at bay.
He employed the services of an Architect, Salah al-Yaman, to construct it. No one knows how it was built, with one popular legend stating that there were several bridges set-up below the main structure, to transfer supplies up the rugged terrain. The remnants of these minor bridges are still present today.
In contrast, another legend explains that only one half of the bridge was built by Salah and the other by an unknown architect from the adjacent mountain. The construction took around three years to complete and cost about 100,000 French Riyals — a fortune in the 17th century. The development suggests the use of traditional building tools and local supplies of limestone.

The Bridge’s Features & Importance

The footbridge connects two mountain ranges at the closest point, namely Jabal al Emir and Jabal al Faish, the latter named after the Faish tribe who were pivotal in the formation of the Sabean kingdom. It is 20 meters (65 feet) long and 3 meters (9 feet) wide making it the only easily accessible point of entry to Shaharah. It suspends 200 meters (656 feet) above the gorge, a caveat for people with acrophobia.

Its image can be seen in 10 Yemeni Rial coin, indicating the significance of the structure in Yemeni culture — a symbol of resistance.

Contributions

Shaharah has made many contributions to Yemeni society. Historically, it had been the fortress of Imams or religious leaders, notably of the Zaidi (Shi’a) faith. Zaidis were victorious against the Ottoman expedition in the 17th century.

Imam Al-Qasim bin Muhammad, the founder of Zaidi kingdom, made Shaharah his capital and ultimately fought off the Turkish invaders. The town became a major centre for Islamic Zaidi teachings.

After his demise, his son would go on to expel the Turks entirely from the region. They eventually lost power in the year 1962, resulting in the Northern Yemen Civil War, bringing an end to Shaharah’s peace after about 300 years.

The view of the stone footbridge enclosed by mountain ranges as high up as the clouds is incredible. It is no wonder that its architect Salah lost his mind after finishing it. Village seniors have passed down the story through ages that he couldn’t fathom the construction of such an elaborate bridge with bare local supplies and traditional masonry. One can undoubtedly comprehend al-Yaman’s reaction to his gem by observing the bridge’s construction today.

Despite the country’s deteriorating state of affairs, people still prevail in the town and the neighbouring villages, and the bridge is still in use for crossing one mountain range to another. Prior to the conflict, tourists from all over the world would visit and experience the beauty of this extraordinary feat, which has stood the test of time.

The landscape is arguably one of the most beautiful in the Arabian peninsula and adorns ‘The Bridge of Sighs’ to make it one of the most beloved treasures of the distressed country.

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Source:

Author's original article behind Medium paywall: Shaharah — the remote fortified mountain village

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