There are some historical sites around the world that will inspire you. There are times you will be awed by the astounding magnitude or intricacy of ancient structures. There are places you visit that may even deliver you to such a state of shock that you will be moved to tears. In the southern Yemeni city of Aden, the Cisterns of Tawila will do none of these. But considering that the tanks date back as far as 2,000 years. They are tremendous architectural feat in the advancement of mankind. The Aden Tanks (as the are usually referred to) are a bit of a mystery.
Little is actually known of their origins. The first documented siting of the tanks dates back to the 7th century. But considering they were in full swing by then would suggest that they were quite a bit older. The original 53 tanks (only 13 are visible now) served a dual purpose. Their primary use was that of a complex water storage system. Aden province sees very little rain, so the tanks were vital in supporting the growth of Aden city. As an added bonus the tanks were excellent flood control. Flash flood are not uncommon in the event of rain, so having a bit of disaster prevention was also useful. However, subsequent dynasties left the cisterns to rot. And between 1,300s and the 1,800s they fell into disrepair. The colonial British gave a shot at restoring them, but found them of little use. The tanks have remain untouched (except for cleaning the park) since 1967.
The area of Tawila (for which the tanks are named) is easy walking distance from the centre of Aden known as the Crater. A brown sign in one of the squares (just south of the Aden Gulf Hotel) points the way. The entrance is obvious was you reach the end of the road a few hundred metres from the square. Entrance is 100 YER leaving little excuse not to visit. Opening hours are from around 8 to around 6 (depending on prayer times). They will close for a few hours in the midday of Fridays. There are no buses that come here, but taxis are super cheap.
Although not the most exciting site in Yemen, the Aden Tanks are an excellent demonstration of human ingenuity in the face of necessity. But the location is lovely, hemmed into towering cliff faces. Try to visit during prayer time as the echoing call-to-prayer adds an air of truly exotic travel.
3 comments:
hi joe,
ive found ur blog via lonely planet. and i was amazed with the kind of life you're into now.
i also found that living in other countries is my dream. but i dont hv guts like u do.
i wonder, how do fund all your travelling?and what is actually you trying to find while on the road?
u r such an idol. take care :)
- eel
I have no car. No house. No wife. No kids. All my money goes to travel. I rarely fly, typically choosing overland routes as opposed to paying for planes. I'll live and work in country "Y" and before starting work in country "Z" i'll visit all the points in between. It's a lifestyle, not a hobby.
When you enter the tanks, you go under the canopy of a very large tree. It's trunk is made up of one hundred or more fat vine stocks. They go down around a rectangular obelisk but never reach the ground. The canopy is about 1/4 acre and the tree has no roots. All nourishment is obtained from the leaves. All water evaporation occurs only under the canopy making it several degrees cooler than ambient. I brought some seeds with me (brown spheres about 1 inch across (about 2.5 cm)bad boy, I lost them.
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