THE RETURN OF THE

KINGDOM OF SHEBA
THULA FORT RESTORATION
Architect: Abdullah Al-Hadrami
Location: Thula, Yemen
Threatened by the disruption that might ensue from the construction of a
road, the Thula community, with the help of The Social Fund for
Development, has undertaken a series of historic preservation projects to
protect cultural assets, including rebuilding the walls of burial grounds and
walls of agricultural terraces, restoring the Bab al Mayah gate, watch
towers, paths and waterways and repairing the cistern that remains in use   to
this day.
Thula is well-known for artefacts from the Sabaean period and its
prototypical massive stone architecture. During the preservation process an
archaeological site was discovered with gates and walls that should provide
further insights into the Sabaeans and their civilization.
The ancient site of Thula Fort in Thula Yemen is undergoing an extensive
preservation effort under the leadership of architect Abdullah Al- Hadrami .
The project, which was recently shortlisted for an Aga Khan Award for
Architecture, will reinforce the expansive site to preserve the heritage of the
Sabaean period, which thrived in the First Century BC. The ruins, which
include a fort, burial grounds, walls of agricultural terraces, the Bab al
Mayah gate and more, will be repaired for future generations to study and
enjoy.