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Shibam Kawkaban
Town in Al Mahwit Governorate, Yemen / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Shibam Kawkaban (Arabic: شبام كَوْكَبَان, romanized: Shibām Kawkabān)[note 1] is a double town[4] in Shibam Kawkaban District, Al Mahwit Governorate, Yemen,[6] located 38 km[1] west-northwest[4] of Sanaa, the national capital.[1] It consists of two distinct adjoining towns, Shibam (Arabic: شبام, romanized: Shibām) and Kawkaban (Arabic: كَوْكَبَان, romanized: Kawkabān).[6] Shibam is sometimes also called "Shibam Kawkaban" in order to distinguish it from other towns called Shibam.[1]
Shibam Kawkaban
شبام كَوْكَبَان | |
---|---|
Town | |
Coordinates: 15°30′N 43°54′E | |
Country | ![]() |
Governorate | Al Mahwit Governorate |
Time zone | UTC+3 (Yemen Standard Time) |
Shibam is a market town at the edge of a large agricultural plain;[4] above it is the fortress-town of Kawkaban, at the summit of the cliffs to the southwest.[6] Kawkaban, which means "two planets" in Arabic, is a sizeable town in its own right,[6] and is known for its lavish tower-houses.[4] Because of the fertile surrounding farmland, the defensive strength of the Kawkaban fortress, and the city's closeness to Sanaa, Shibam Kawkaban has been strategically important throughout Yemen's history.[2]
It contains a fortified citadel about 2,931 m (9,616 ft) above sea level.[7] It is built upon a precipitous hilltop, walled from the north and fortified naturally from the other directions. It was the capital of the Yuʿfirid dynasty (847-997), and was also home to a Jewish community until its demise in the mid-20th century. The city affords good views of the surrounding countryside.
The city features several old mosques: al Madrasa, al Mansoor, al Sharefa and Harabat. The old market is in the middle of the city. Old rainwater reservoirs can also be seen in the fortified town, named Meseda, Alasdad, and Sedalhamam.