shibam, yemen

also known as ‘the manhattan of the desert’, shibam is said to be home to the world’s oldest, surviving skyscrapers.

although some have been refurbished considerably since being constructed from mud-brick the majority of the 500+ buildings date back around 500 years, an incredible feat considering the technology available at the time.

the current population is a surprisingly low 7′000 and each building requires constant maintenance to combat erosion.

unsurprisingly, inside the city there is virtually no traffic due to the extremely narrow alleyways.