Ancient poets once compared Sana 'a to the "Pearl of Arabia". Because of the pleasant climate, blooming flowers and lush grass, it is also called "Spring City", and there are countless tourists from all over the world every year. Among Arabs, there is a saying that "although it is a long way, we must go to Sana 'a". Now many people call Sana 'a "the Gate of Yemen".
There are many explanations for the word "Sana 'a". It is said that "Sana 'a" is Ethiopian, meaning "fortress". It is said that Sana 'a is located in the throat of the Indian Ocean through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea, facing Africa across the Red Sea and the Mande Strait, and its geographical position is very important. In addition, the word "Sana 'a" is a root with "craft" in Arabic, which means "handicrafts", because it is an ancient cultural center with developed handicrafts, and the residents here are famous for being good at making exquisite handicrafts.
Sana 'a is a famous Islamic historical city with a history of 2,500 years. This is one of the earliest human settlements. It is said that Noah's eldest son Shem once settled here, and the earliest historical record about Sana 'a can be traced back to the first century AD ... Sana 'a Castle was built on the land of the ancient Saba Kingdom. In the 3rd century AD, a new palace, the famous Gudan Palace, was built in the southwest outside the castle. The city of Sana 'a developed around these buildings, first in the east and then expanding to the west. From 525 to 527 AD, Ethiopia occupied Sana 'a and Yemen highlands to prevent Christian invasion, but was soon driven away by Persians. Since 628 AD, Islamic forces have gradually penetrated into the southern Arabian Peninsula. Sana 'a has become the main spreading center of Islamic teachings in the vast area between Libya and Iraq. In 630 AD, a large mosque was built on the west side of Gudan Palace. In the 8th and 9th centuries, during the reign of Abbas in Baghdad, a palace was built in the north of Sana 'a, and in 898 AD, the most important Muslim sect in Yemeni history, the Imam Zayed Sect, was founded. Up to now, there are 106 mosques, 12 Hamam temples and 6,500 clubs, all of which were built before 1 1 century. In the 12 and 13 centuries, during the Ayub dynasty, a palace was built in the west of the Grand Mosque. 1597 In the early days of Ottoman rule, mosques were built in the west of the city and residential areas were built in the north of the city. Historically, Sana 'a was ruled by Arabian Persia and Ottoman Turkish Empire. Sana 'a was destroyed and rebuilt many times due to natural and man-made disasters. 1962 After the success of the Yemeni revolution, Sana 'a was designated as the capital of northern Yemen. 1May 1990, North and South Yemen were unified, and Sana 'a was the capital of the unified Yemen.
The urban area consists of the old city and the new city. The old city is in the east, with many old mosques and minarets. The great library of the Grand Mosque is one of the largest libraries in Arab countries. The east of the city is the administrative business district, and the west is the residential garden district. For a long time, Sana 'a is famous for its unique architectural art and numerous historical sites. Strolling in the old city of Sana 'a, various mosques can be seen everywhere, and the narrow and lively streets are as dense as cobwebs, giving people a strong Arabic color. The buildings here are all made of bluestone, white stone or red stone, with unique shapes and exquisite stone carvings. What attracts most tourists' interest is the windows of these buildings, which are composed of upper and lower parts. The upper part is mostly a semicircular arch inlaid with petal-shaped colored glass. Whenever the sun shines, the room is colorful and dazzling. The lower part is an ordinary window that can be opened and closed freely. The window is about half a meter high from the indoor floor. People sit on the floor indoors, and the lively scene in the street is unobstructed. There are more than 50 mosques in Sana 'a, among which the Great Mosque, which was built more than 300 years ago, is well preserved and full of holy places. The most famous monuments in the city are the old city of Sana 'a, Yemen Gate and Yahya Palace, among which the old city of Sana 'a is listed as a world cultural heritage by UNESCO.
On the green Yuan Ye of Dar Valley in the northern suburb of Sana 'a, a 20-meter-high boulder stands quietly. According to the ups and downs of the rock, there are four or five floors of ornate buildings built on it. This is Casol Gakker Palace, the palace of the old imam, also known as the "Stone Palace". The whole palace stands tall, with huge rocks like a solid platform and a jungle around it. There are bunkers around the palace, and the building behind the palace is said to be a place for old priests to play. The architecture of the whole palace makes people feel different.
The new urban area of Sana 'a shows people another style, which indicates that the city is developing into a modern city. There are many tall buildings, and large shopping malls live next to each other. All kinds of cars shuttle back and forth on the wide asphalt road, and the traffic is very busy. Towering aviation buildings, gorgeous Sana 'a hotels, bank buildings surrounded by fountains, and new buildings rising from the ground constitute a thriving capital landscape.
Sana 'a has power stations, textile, leather, food and other factories and gem processing handicrafts. Agriculture and animal husbandry are developed nearby, and it is a distribution center for coffee and other products. China has expressways leading to major cities and ports. There is an international airport in Lahaba in the west of the city. China once built a modern expressway and a cotton textile factory, leading to the port of Hodeida.