The city made of mud dubbed ‘the Manhattan of the Desert’

Towering high into the Yemeni desert, this city has skyscrapers made of a rather unusual material.

Dubbed the ‘Manhattan of the Desert’, Shibam is just one of Yemen’s mud brick-based skyscraper cities dotting the country.

Yemen’s style of skyscraper is unique, being made of mud bricks, which are constantly maintained to help defend against the elements.

The cities of Zabid, Sana’a and Shibam have all been recognised as Unesco World Heritage sites for the amazing architecture.

The tradition of multi-storey mud brick buildings dates back to the 8th or 9th century, but it’s impossible to know when they were first built because of how often they’re touched up.

The walls for these stunning mud skyscrapers measure six feet thick at the bottom, with some of the top floors having much thinner walls.

Each floor traditionally has one or two rooms, and each building ranges between two to eleven storeys high. Pretty impressive, considering the materials involved.

Many of the lower levels of these mud buildings don’t have windows, as they were traditionally used as animal shelters – and sometimes, shop fronts or working spaces.

But if you look up further, you’ll see highly decorated window fronts, often with stained-glass or privacy screens called mashrabiya, according to the BBC.

And that white detailing around the exterior? That’s white lime, which is used to contrast the darker-coloured bricks.

Despite being centuries old, the skyscrapers are still used to live and work and even have fun, on the rooftop terraces and cafes.

Not a fan of old skyscrapers? A new development in Saudi Arabia plans to open a ‘megacity’ named Neom, set to cost £800 billion.

The project aims to build a solar-powered glass city slap bang in the middle of the desert.

Also known as The Line, it aims to create a 75-mile long futuristic city that prioritises pedestrians and green spaces while minimising environmental impact.

Once completed, it is set to feature towering skyscrapers, an artificial mountain and ski resort, an octagonal floating port, a dedicated swimming lane for commuters as well as a sophisticated AI and robots network designed to serve its uber-rich residents.

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