Close

#Videocrux - Yemeni town named cultural capital Yemeni town named cultural capital
The town of Tarim, in Yemen's Hadhramaut Valley, has been designated "the capital of Islamic culture" for 2010. AFPTV went for a tour of the historic city, a jewel of Islamic architecture which is also renowned as the ancestral home of the bin Laden family.
Hadhramaut Valley named Islamic Capital of Culture
In southern Yemen, in the ancient Hadhramaut Valley, lies the city of Tarim. A historic settlement on the caravan routes of the Arabian Peninsula, it's said to be home to a greater concentration of the prophet Mohammed's descendants than anywhere else on earth. And it could soon be bumped into the international spotlight -- having been named Islamic Capital of Culture 2010.
Tarim famous for it's mosques and palaces
t was here that Yemeni architecture reached its greatest expression. The town's huge collection of mosques includes renowned structures like this famous mud minaret, the tallest in Yemen.
Palaces and mosques made up of only mud
Most of the town's palaces are also built from mud. It's a delicate material, but one which doesn't weather well. Officials hope the town's new status will allow them to better protect its heritage.
City also been known as Laden's family homeland
It's hoped this could be the start of a decent tourist industry round here. But with Tarim now better known as the homeland of the bin Laden family, the town's thousand-year cultural tradition may have to fight to make itself known.

• Videos
• Comments

Patent Pending | Copyright © 2007-2009 Videocrux Inc. All rights reserved.