Jibla
A Hill Town In Yemen'S Wet Green South, The 11th Century Capital Of Queen Arwa Bint Ahmad Of The Sulayhid Dynasty, With The Queen Arwa Mosque And Stone Tower Houses. A Quiet Detour On The Road Between Taiz And Sana'A. Under The War'S Front Lines At Various Points · Jibla, Ibb
Jibla is a small hill town in the wet green highlands of Ibb governorate, about 8 km from Ibb city and roughly 190 km south of Sana'a. In the 11th century it was the capital of Queen Arwa bint Ahmad of the Sulayhid dynasty, one of the few women to rule Yemen in her own right, who governed from here for decades and is still remembered with pride. Her mosque, the Queen Arwa Mosque, stands in the town, and around it climb stone tower houses on ridges between terraces of grain, coffee and qat. Rain falls here for much of the year, so the hills are green and misty when much of the rest of Yemen is brown and dry. Jibla is a quiet detour on the Taiz to Sana'a road, best for someone already in the region, in a safer future. Most governments advise against all travel to Yemen, and the area has been near front lines at times. Access and roads are unknown and changing, so read your own government's advice first.
Jibla, a hill town in the green highlands of Ibb about 8 km from Ibb city and 190 km south of Sana'a, Jibla, Ibb, Yemen
The town is lived-in and has no fixed hours. Walking the lanes and looking at the tower houses from the street is FREE and possible in daylight. The Queen Arwa Mosque is a working mosque: non-Muslim visitors are often not admitted inside, it is closed to visitors during prayer, and times are not known, so ask a local before approaching. Private houses are CLOSED unless a family invites you. The market is busiest in the morning, and shops close for the midday rest and on Friday morning. Rain and mist can make the lanes slippery and hide the views. Confirm the day's access and security with a local contact first.