HERITAGE RECORD · 192

Old Walled City of Shibam

城墙环绕的希巴姆古城

The official record, selection criteria and sourced cultural context.

World Heritage record

Surrounded by a fortified wall, the 16th-century city of Shibam is one of the oldest and best examples of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction. Its impressive tower-like structures rise out of the cliff and have given the city the nickname of ‘the Manhattan of the desert’.

Open the official UNESCO record ↗

Wikidata reference

QIDQ192518 ↗

Inception1600

Administrative areaQ4117552

WikipediaShibam ↗

Chinese Wikipedia希巴姆 ↗

Imported locally from Wikidata; it does not replace the UNESCO record or editorial copy.

Selection criteria

This property was inscribed under the following World Heritage Convention criteria.

(iii)A unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or civilisation.

(iv)An outstanding example of a building, ensemble or landscape illustrating a significant stage in human history.

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