Dar Al Hajar - the
Rock House, in Wady Hajar, a few kilometers from Sana'a - is a must place to see, for any visitor to Sana'a. Not to see the Rock House, is not to see Sana'a. Most people who go to Sana'a, miss visiting this glorious work of art. Here are some photos of the Dar that I took recently:
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| Dar Al Hajar |
From a distance, above: Wadi Hajar and the Dar. The Dar is now mainly surrounded by
qat plants. Long ago, it was mostly surrounded by a variety of fruits.
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| Dar Al Hajar |
From photos and from a distance, Dar Al Hajar looks rather small; but, standing right under it, it is huge.
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| Dar Al Hajar |
This extraordinary building was built on a rock. Looking at it, it seems to be part of the rock.
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| Dar Al Hajar |
It seems to protrude and grow from the rock.
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| Dar Al Hajar |
From the entrance at the bottom, to the top, depending at how you look at it - Dar Al Hajar has five or seven floors.
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| Dar Al Hajar |
Its base is as stunning as the whole building. It blends so well with the surrounding.
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| Dar Al Hajar |
Every bit of Dar Al Hajar was carefully and elaborately planned and built, in the unique style of Yemeni architecture.
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| Dar Al Hajar |
Outside the Dar, are other buildings and a courtyard.
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| Dar Al Hajar |
While building the Dar, the massive rocks around - were left unmoved; the building was superbly shaped and constructed to accommodate the rocks.
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| Dar Al Hajar |
At the entrance, right at the bottom, there is a museum and a shop for selling Yemeni artifacts..
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| Dar Al Hajar |
From above, the view is truly spectacular.
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| Dar Al Hajar |
Qat is the main crop in the Wady Dar; fruits like: grapes, apricots, quinces and pears are grown too; and vegetables and corn. There are also other old buildings and monuments around the Rock House, scattered within the valley. Many of which are as spectacular and exotic. Built like a fortress, Dar Al Hajar is right at the center of the Valley; from the roof, you can clearly see all the sides. Sometimes when it rains heavily, the valley gets flooded; it is said that , long ago, before the present building was constructed - the Dar was partly destroyed by floods and had to be rebuilt again. Rebuilt again to shape the awesome building that it is today.
+ Inside Dar Al Hajar
