Assessing and documenting the Al-Qahira Castle in Taiz

Perched on a rocky outcrop 1,500 meters above the city of Taiz, the Al-Qahira Castle is considered one of the most important historical monuments of this ancient city in Yemen. Its architecture is complex, consisting of domes, arches, fortification towers, fountains, corridors and gardens. Built as a military garrison in 1060 CE, it went on to become a residence for the Caliphs of the Ayyubid period and subsequently for Turkish military commanders. More recently, castle was severely damaged by intense shelling (collapsed walls, cracks in the facades, doors and windows destroyed). After carrying out damage assessment to establish the most urgent stabilization measures, repair works concentrated on the reconstruction of collapsed walls and the reinforcement of threatened sections – especially those that overlook neighboring inhabited areas. The project became a training site for 30 young professionals to learn about the documenting and consolidating of architecture. Now, the castle is open for cultural activities and events to contribute to community welfare.