Sanaa Today
Sana’a is the capital and the largest city of Yemen, home of the Sana‘a Governorate. It is also the world’s fastest growing capital city, and is not immune to the social and technological problems faced by rapidly developing third world capitals. Sana’a contains around 1.7 million residents.
The world’s earliest skyscrapers towering above the narrow, winding paved streets, large open public plazas, and groups of men, asses, and bicycles scampering around as they go about mundane chores, all give this ancient city its magical ambiance – a character that has somehow retained its essence over centuries of physical and social change.
Today Sana’a is in a phase of rapid urban growth, guided by its traditional architectural and societal values. New houses are built for the expanding population similar to the earliest gypsum-coated, sun-dried brick residences. Mosques, with their soaring minarets, continue to add a romantic touch to the cityscape. The grand Saleh Mosque was in inaugurated in 2008, with a capacity of around 40000 worshippers.
