The capital is Saada, located 243 Km north of Sanaa’on the borders with Saudi Arabia.

It has different relieves, high mountains in the north and west as kholan, Baqim and Razih mountains (2800m above sea level) this chain is linked with Jama’ a mountains, the highest peak in Razih area. It is Horom mounts then followed by Al Nathir mounts, Sahar mounts and Saina’ mount in the west . It contains Al Sama’ caste built by Imam Ahmad Hamidudin, adjacent to Al Senarah castle in the west side and Hamdan bin Zeid mounts such as Brash mountains (which are 2000-2800 M high above sea level), these mountains are separated by the valley Wadi Saqin, Wadi Damad, Wadi Alaf, Wadi Nathour, Wadi Badr, Wadi Al abdiyin (at Al Khaneq passage, it is the location of the old Himiar dam known as Al Khaneq dam which remained in use until the 9th century.

Sa’ ada is one of the fertile plains in Yemen where fruits cultivation is much observed, black grapes in particular, peach, apricots, figs etc. it is a high plain (1800 M) above sea level, adjacent from north and west to Jarnaa and Ghamr mountains, from south Sahar mountains and from East Hamdan mountains. East Sa’ ada area is distinguished by high mountains and internal Sahara crossed by many valleys leading to desert.

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Climate:                                                         

Sa’ ada governorate climate in general is moderate in Summer, temperature range in Summer between 10-26Co and cold in winter between 16 Co to zero during night hours and early morning.

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Residential activity:                                         

Most population of Sa’ada governorate work in cultivation and live stock breeding, others work in trade and handicrafts.

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Craft products:                                                     

Sa’ada governorate is known with high quality iron which is

spreading in different areas of the governorate , some population extract it from the mountains and manufacture their tools and needs due to the quality iron produced, not with standing presence of types of the imported iron, Saadi spearheads were well known in the past period, Saadah is famous also with plowing tools processing and tanning, due to available Alqard trees used in tanning industry, it is known also with production of many hand: Crafts such as leather industries, jewelry, silver in particular, since it is considered the most important center in silver work until now, it is also know with household utensils industry made of palm leaves and pottery, it is distinguished in this side with manufacture of stone plates and utensils which are extracted from certain rocks available in Razih governorate, every house contains such stone utensils (Al-Haradh) as Saadi pan.

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Customs, traditions and folklore:                                 ……

Saada governorate is distinguished with different colours of arts and folkloric dance and the music associated to such dance, the people in some parts of the governorate are unique in some phenomena such as putting fixing crowns of flowers around their heads dangling to their shoulders in certain cases.

These customs are not existing in other areas of Yemen, and are still used up to date 

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Markets:                                                                         

There are many weekly markets held in different places of the governorate , but the most important one Altalh market which is 20 Km north Saada the market gains special significance, it is like a commercial show where many local and foreign goods and commodity are shown.

Archeological, Historic and Tourist Areas:

Relieves in Saada vary as well as the patterns of life, there are

mountainous areas, cities, plains and semi grazy areas, according 37

to this map natural, human, cultural and historic used successively since prehistory up to now, which can be briefed as follows

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Sa'da city:                                                                           

The administrative centre of the governorate a historic city 243 Km north of Sana’a, it is 2261 m high above sea level, it was called in the past (Juma). It is said that there was a palace in that area, an exhausted man passed by, then he relaxed there and Said :he ascended, he ascended i.e. “Saada”, then Saada was called so, it has been mentioned in old Yemeni carves, the old Saada city is located at the foot of Thalmas and its unconquered castle.

Saada today is located in the east of Saada foot, it is a traditional city with old spiritual and constructional from, it has a distinguished construction Similar to old Sanaa’, while there is another pattern of construction, by using clay mixed with straw “Zapour” which is constructed on stages with different hights in belts forms.

Saada best features is its unconquered castle built of clay “Zapour”, which is considered the most important tourist feature in Yemen, it is 3326 m long in Zig zag form and 8 M high from exterior and 6 M high from interior, interrupted by 52 towers, the wall has 5 gates Yemen gate , Najran gate , AL-Mansoura gate , Ja’ran gate , AL Salam gate . It contains 16 stairs from the interior, the wall had been built in the 16th century and still in good form, Al-Hadi mosque had been built in the 9th century which is considered among the oldest and most beautiful mosques in Yemen, it encompasses tombs and domes, the most significant is Al-Imam Al Hadi Yehia bin Al-Hussein, the founder of Al Zeidi state in the 3rd Hijra century (9th century).

Saada City is famous with Al Hadi Mosque, in addition to a number of mosques as Islamic schools, which made the city a scientific centre. Al-Hadi mosque is still containing expensive manuscripts and books.

The Islamic cemeteries located near the city wall are of Saada most important features, it is considered a distinguished

cemetery with stones carved on graves containing the name of the burned dead and date of death and some of his good acts and some of calls for blessings and Quranic verses, many poets are also written on graves.

Sadah city is a model of the Islamic Arab cities if medium size, where all conditions are provided as in other types of such cities.

Some beautiful villages are spreading around Saada are common in distinguished architecture of Saada area, surrounded with grapes, pomegranate gardens come Ak-Talah, Abdin, Rahban.

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Governorate Castles:

Saada governorate was a crossing to the trading caravans across the different historic ages, as Laban and Teib caravans in the period before Christ or the commercial caravans coming across Asaad Road or Ashab Alfeil Road before Islam, or the caravans across the chain of the Hill cities and pilgrims Road in the period of Islam.

The issue of constructing a number of castles to secure the Way of commercial caravans became essential, many castles had been constructed in different areas of the governorate , some are located near Saada as Al-Sinara castle, Al Sama’ castle, Thaimas castle, Alabla castle, Razih castle (Hizm) 60 Km north west Saada, but “Um Laila” castle located 55 Km north west Saada is the oldest and most important at (Baqim) area.

Urn Laila site is considered of the most important historic and archeological sites in Saada, for the reference carves, water reservoirs, grain silos and defense constructions as towers and scenes, Urn Laila site over looks beautiful scenes and surprising at all directions, the site has one way only.

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The rocky drawings areas:                                                       

Saada governorate is considered of the areas rich with arts which are referred to the picking, collection and hunting societies represented in drawings on rocks spread in the mountain areas and on the walls of a large number of caves which represent the

pictures of ibex, hunting dogs, cows, snake heads and other plants and geometrical shapes, the main drawing sites are located in Al Khazain area which is 15 Km north west Saada and in Urn Laila mount, and in Musalhaqat area which is 20 Km north wesr Saada.

Al Khazain “rocky cemeteries”

Al Khazain are located north west side of Saada, 15 Km from it, in the form of rocky cemeteries engraved in rock with square doors leading to rooms, each room about 20 m2, it is similar to the rocky cemeteries existing in other areas of Yemen as Shibam Kokban, Dhafar Al malik and Wadi Dahr and Shibam Al-Ghiras, Al Khazain contain also reservoirs for keeping water engraved in form of well 8 m deep and 4 m wide.

In addition to the above there are many tourist places in Saada governorate as:

Hidan, Baqim, Wadi Nashour, Razeh, Saqin, Wa’ila, Sahar, Gharaz, Al-Baqa.

In north Saada, Baqa’ border, one of the north borders of Yemen, linking Yemen with the neighboring countries through Saudi Arabia.

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