Al-Hawtah

Al-Hawtah is a historical city located in Shabwah Governorate, Yemen. It was founded in 1372 AD by the scholar and jurist Ali Muhammad bin Omar al-Habani al-Khawlani and is also known as Hawtat al-Faqih ‘Ali. The city was built entirely of traditional adobe, and it features distinctive earthen architecture and several historic Islamic mosques, including a rare five-storey triangular mud-brick building. Historically it served as the main urban and commercial centre of eastern Yemen, attracting tribes and caravans from Al-Bayda, Marib, Najran, Bayhan, and Hadramawt to its famous marketplace where grain, livestock, and goods were traded. The settlement was also renowned as a sanctuary of peace, where weapons were prohibited and tribal agreements were concluded under the supervision of scholars and religious leaders.

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