Marib was the capital of the Sabaean kingdom. Tarim is a historic town in the Hadhramaut Valley of Yemen. The minaret of the Al Muhdhar Mosque is measured 53 metres high and recognised to be one of the tallest earth structures in the world. Shibam owes its fame to its distinct architecture which now is on UNESCOs programme to safeguard the human cultural heritage. The houses of Shibam are all made out of mud bricks but still there are about 500 tower houses rising 5 to 9 stories high. While Shibam has existed for around 2000 years most of the citys houses come mainly from the 16th century (wikipedia). [More] [Less]