The Governorate of Amran is situated between the Governorates of Sana'a, Hajjah, Sa'ada and Al-Jouf.  The Governorate Center is the City of Amran which is 50 km to the north of the City of Sana'a.  It has a varied terrain from flat grounds to mountains to valleys.  The Governorate is rich in antiquities and includes a number of historical, ancient and tourist cities and sites, including:

Amran City:

   The City of Amran is situated at the top of the Al-Boun Grounds, 50 km. north of the Capital City.  The city is one of the important cities that are set along the historical trade route known as As'ad's trail.  It is presently situated on the modern asphalt highway that links the Capital City with Sa'ada in the north, and on the intersection of the road leading northeast to the City of Hajjah and the Sana'a – Sa'ada Road.  The Old City of 'Amran is circulated by a mud clay wall, with most of its parts still standing.  It used to have two gates, a Western Gate, which was called the Higher Gate, and the Eastern Gate, which was called the Lower Gate.  The landmarks of the old market of the city can still be seen.  There are also a number of Himyarite stone inscriptions at the entrance of the city and at the fronts of some of the houses, which is testimony to the city's importance in Yemen's ancient history.  Amran is also characterized by its straw reinforced mud clay architecture.  The area around Amran City is noted for its cultivation of cereal crops and vegetables, and is surrounded by several historical places and archeological sites.  The Governorate is also noted for its handicrafts, especially leather wares and wool products.  There is a weekly Sunday market held in the City of Amran.

The Town of Raidah:                                                   

The Town of Raidah lies 23 km to the north of the City of 'Amran along the paved road leading to Sa'ada.  It is sometimes called "Raidat Al-Boun".  It is an ancient town, which is referred to by Al-Hamdani, Yemen's noted historian, who pointed out that the Palace of Taltham was in the town, and it is the town referred to in the Quran by the verse, which states, a place that has  : "… an impaired well and a built palace", the remains of which are only scattered stones.  A Tuesday Market is regularly held in Raida.

Dhofar Dhibein:                                                               

The area of Dhofar Dhibien is situated about 20-km northeast of Raidah.  Its name is derived from the historical fort that is situated northeast of Dhibien, which includes a number of ancient Yemeni and Islamic antiquities, which include water reservoirs, forts and castles, in addition to the most important historical site, which is the Mosque and Minaret of the Imam Abdullah Ibn Hamza, which was set up as a "Hijrah", or place of learning at the start of the 13th Century.  The Mosque also has his tomb.  The Dhibein Mosque is considered one of the significant historical Islamic relics because of its archeological splendor and the artistic engravings on the walls and columns, especially the engravings on the minaret which are disc-like in form that contain engravings in the form of entwined snakes facing each other mouth to mouth.

Na'it Area:                                                            

Lying about 25 km east of Dhiebien, Na'it is also an important historical site that sits atop a mountain, which is rich in antiquities, engravings and ruins of the old Himyarite Palaces and temples, which go back to the  Era of the kings and peoples of the First Century AD to the Third Century AD.  The relics, engravings and the remains of the huge rock columns are indicative of the importance which Na'it played in Yemen's ancient history.  This can be seen from the inscribed stone tablets, which are clearly seen in the fronts of the house of the village.  A reservoir can also be found, which used to supply the habitat with water.

The village has attracted the attention of several archeological expeditions, which came to look at the relics of this village.

Shiharah Suspended Bridge:                                             

Shiharah is an inhabited twin mountain, which is located in the Al-Ahnoum Area of Hashid, Southeast of the City of 'Amran.  The "suspended" Bridge of Shiharah connects the two mountains, Shiharah Al-Qaish and Shiharah Al-Amir.  Before the bridge was constructed, the people of the two mounts had difficulty to reach other, and it would take many hours of descending and ascending the rocky terrain to go from one side of the mountain to the other.  The Suspended Bridge is considered an archeological wonder, with its construction going back to the Seventeenth Century AD. 

The City of Shiharah is regarded as a unique architectural splendor, which is a special feature of the city, the houses of which are primarily constructed of stone.  Shiharah is also one of the famous refuges of learning which was highly regarded ever since the establishment of the Zeidi State in the 9th Century AD.  Shiharah was an important launching site for the resistance against Ottoman occupation through both Turkish invasions, heavily fortified and equipped with its own water reservoirs.  It is now regarded as one of the important tourist attractions in Yemen.  The road to Shiharah starts off east from                                                                         Houth about 45 km away by unpaved road.  There is a Sunday Market that is held midway between Houth and Shiharah in Al-Qabi'y, aptly called the Area of the Sunday Market.

The Area of Khamir:                                            

The City of Khamir is situated 22-km north of Raidah along the Sana'a Sa'ada Road, and is also an important place of antiquities.  It is the birthplace of the Himyarite King Attuba'a Al-Yamani (As'ad Al-Kamil), the most famous of the Himyarite kings, to whom go back many of the cultural remains.  The houses in Khamir are tall and built mostly of stone and they have their own distinctively beautiful style.  A Sunday Market takes place in the City every week.

As'ad Tubba'a says of Khamir, "Khamir is my birthplace", (in its two Masnad script inscriptions, "…when the light of the crescent shines")

The City of Houth:                                                           

The City of Houth is situated 124 km north of Sana'a on the Sana'a – Sa'ada Road.  Houth is a city that is also famous for its historical antiquities, and a city that is well-known as a citadel of learning, which produced many of Yemen's famous scholars and jurists.  It is also the domicile of the famous Yemeni King Nashwan Bin Sa'eed Al-Himyari.  It is considered one of the famous Hijar's, or refuges for learning and a source of origin of Yemen's intellectual and religious thought.  Mohammed Ibn Yahya Bahran, says of the City of Houth:

We stayed in Houth, some days and nights,

By God, is Houth an honored place!

A refuge of learning, where its people took the lead,

While it succeeded in delighting the eye of smiling beholders

 UP