Sana'a -
The Allure of a Gingerbread City
Yemen’s capital city Sana’a leaves the first-time visitor simply breathless – for its incomprehensible beauty and incomparable oneness. Instead of helplessly trying to put my personal experience into words (which would invariably be bound to fail), I would like to quote from Eric Hansen’s highly recommended book “Motoring with Mohammed” as an introduction to some pictures:
“Shadows became noticeable, and I caught my breath as the jumble of towering earth-colored buildings became visible. My first impression was that during the night I had fallen back in time and awakened in the midst of a fairy-tale world from my childhood. I looked out at a gingerbread fantasy in which every surface was adorned with mad geometric designs, covered in squiggles of white cake icing.”
“The splendor of Sana’a could not be taken in at a glance. Each visual morsel deserved careful attention. Among the first architectural details to catch my eye were the roof finals. […] Watching this first sunrise over the city, I understood perfectly well the symbolism of oneness expressed by the finals. I had been unprepared for this sensation of attachment. No one had warned me about the allure of Sana’a, and in my surprise, I was caught off balance – seduced without a struggle. The magical, otherworldly beauty of the city took hold of me, and I didn’t resist.”
“I was looking at something eternal, ageless, and precious – a place where I could leave myself far behind.“
“Shadows became noticeable, and I caught my breath as the jumble of towering earth-colored buildings became visible. My first impression was that during the night I had fallen back in time and awakened in the midst of a fairy-tale world from my childhood. I looked out at a gingerbread fantasy in which every surface was adorned with mad geometric designs, covered in squiggles of white cake icing.”
“The splendor of Sana’a could not be taken in at a glance. Each visual morsel deserved careful attention. Among the first architectural details to catch my eye were the roof finals. […] Watching this first sunrise over the city, I understood perfectly well the symbolism of oneness expressed by the finals. I had been unprepared for this sensation of attachment. No one had warned me about the allure of Sana’a, and in my surprise, I was caught off balance – seduced without a struggle. The magical, otherworldly beauty of the city took hold of me, and I didn’t resist.”
“I was looking at something eternal, ageless, and precious – a place where I could leave myself far behind.“
The Haze of Dawn over Sana'a
View over Gingerbread City on a Perfect Morning
Mixing Palm-Tree Gardens, a Mosque and Medieval Skyscrapers
An Impenetrable Maze of Brick Houses
The City Walls Are Partly Reconstructed
Sana'a Melts into the Surrounding Mountains
Night over Sana'a – Stunning and Incomprehensible
And just to round it off I need to add that pictures can only convey a limited impression of what it feels like to be in Sana’a and become part of it…
Andreas Hauser
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