‘Other countries might have preserved it’: Yemenis mourn destruction of historic mud-brick palaces

When bulldozers entered Abdul Rahman Bin Sheikh al-Kaf’s earthen residence in the city of Tarim and began tearing down its stunning design, clouds of debris engulfed the site, attracting a large crowd.

Haddad Musaied received a message from a friend urging him to see the demolition. “As a journalist, you have a responsibility to halt what is happening,” the contact said.

Upon arriving the scene in the Aydid district, Musaied could only record with his device the disintegration of the once magnificent palace, which had survived storms and even war over the years. “This was heartbreaking to see the city’s heritage and cultural wealth being silently lost,” Musaied states.

The journalist uploaded his footage on social media. His video reveals about a portion of the grand building in ruins, unveiling the interiors, including exquisite roofs, painted columns and wooden openings.

“Other nations might have protected it, even if it were only 30 years old,” he remarks.

Unique Design Legacy Under Risk

The palace was among 30 earthen palaces in the city, attracting numerous visitors. It was built during the world wars by wealthy members of the prominent family, merchants who acquired their fortune in Southeast Asia during the late-19th and early-20th centuries.

Mohammed al-Kaf blamed the national government for failing to fund repairs and mentioned that neighbors had complained about the state of the structure and potential harm to nearby residences should it collapse. “I hold responsible the government for not assisting us in preserving the palace,” he states.

Cultural Significance and Neglect

These Tarim structures are unique, earthen and colorful, and remarkable for combining local architecture with overseas influences, according to Ahmed al-Rubaki of the Al-Ranad Foundation. “Craftsmen, artists, sculptors, painters, woodworkers and other artisans devoted their skills to the building of magnificent residences,” Rubaki says.

If these palaces collapse, the city’s past will be lost, as they are the area’s last remaining surviving monuments

The city is also known as the bastion of Sufi Islam in the country and a historic centre for missionaries who disseminated Islam across Asia, Africa and India. In recognition of its rich historical legacy, it was named the capital of Muslim culture in 2010, initiating a brief campaign by the Yemeni government to refresh and renovate some monuments.

Recently, for its cultural significance, Tarim was added to Yemen’s world heritage tentative list, a precursor to evaluation for the world heritage list.

Impact of War and Deterioration

As with other historical locations across the nation, the mansions of Tarim have endured from more than a decade of armed conflict, leaving them deserted and neglected. The prominent palace is the most prominent, but not the only to be demolished; some have already been replaced with contemporary concrete structures.

Another site, rising prominently in one of the city’s densely populated neighbourhoods, with arched balconies, ornate pillars and a balanced exterior, is also owned by the al-Kaf family. On the brink of failure, with decay apparent in the structure, the land around it has been marked with land delineation stones, suggesting sections have been disposed of, increasing worries for its fate.

War shut down Al-Quba Palace, another earthen site bearing clear scars of years of disrepair and weathering. It had been repurposed as a hotel, but part of its exterior have crumbled, replaced by a rusted, drooping wire fence; its swimming pool is broken and empty.

Official Response and Limitations

A representative of the the national heritage body, acknowledges the situation, saying that the majority of the city’s mud-brick mansions are in a “run-down state” and at risk of failure.

He says that his department, like other underfunded government agencies, has no funds to acquire, rent or restore the palaces. Their primary role, he says, is to communicate updates about the properties to superior authorities and lobby for their preservation. “Our institution, like other government bodies struggling with limited resources, are making efforts to preserve what can still be saved – by providing updates to the concerned authorities and those who might help,” he concludes.