World-class rock climbers are required for access to this settlement from one side. Yemen’s Haid Al-Jazil is perched on a large rock with vertical sides in a dusty valley and appears to be a town from a fantasy movie.
The 350-foot-tall boulder is surrounded by geology reminiscent of the Grand Canyon, which heightens the drama of the setting. The environment is one of the harshest in the world – Yemen doesn’t have any permanent rivers. They instead rely on wadis, seasonal water-filled canals.
These amazing images demonstrate how Haid Al-Jazil is situated directly over one such feature. Shepherds and their goat flocks walk the valley floor when it rains.
The mud bricks used to construct the homes in Haid Al-Jazil are prone to washing away. It would explain why the buildings are situated far from the wadi. Such accommodations have been reported to be constructed by Yemenis that are 11 floors tall, or roughly 100 feet. There are several such homes in the nation that are 500 years old.
