Landmarks

thumb|[[Ashrafiya Mosque]]

thumb|[[Mudhaffar Mosque]]

thumb|The Mua'tabiya Mosque

The city has many old quarters, with houses that are typically built with brown bricks, and mosques that are usually whitewashed. The most famous mosques in the city are the Ashrafiya, the Mua'tabiya Mosque, and the Mudhaffar Mosque. Other landmarks include Cairo Citadel, which looms above the city from the south, and the governor's palace, which rests on top of a mountain spur above the city centre. Taiz is also home to one of the best-known mountains in Yemen, Jabal Saber, almost above sea level), which affords panoramic views over the city.

Economy

Historically, the mountainous city of Taiz was known for coffee production. The Mocha coffee produced in Taiz was considered some of the finest in the region in the early 20th century. Today, coffee remains a major part of the economy but mango, pomegranate, citrus, banana, papai, vegetables, cereals, onions, and qat are also grown in the surrounding landscapes. Taiz is also known for its cheese. It is produced in rural areas like Araf, Awshaqh, Akhuz, Bargah, Barah, Jumah, Mukyas, Suayra, Kamb and Hajda and sold in Bab al-Kabeer and Bab Musa markets. Industries in the city of Taiz include cotton-weaving, tanning and jewelry production.

However, since the outbreak of the civil war in 2015, Taiz's economy has been devastated by the fighting and the city's siege by Houthi rebels. Many goods are in short supply, and must be smuggled in across steep mountain roads to avoid sniper fire. With the closing of this airport due to the civil war, the only way into and out of the city is via cars or small buses that goes through a longer and less serviced roads than the normal roads before the war. However, There was an agreement recently towards open roads in Taiz that will save time and effort for people to go in and out the city.

Zoo

Like Sanaa Zoo, this zoo held fauna caught in the wild, such as the Arabian leopard, as well as exotic animals such as African lions and gazelles. Due to the civil war, however, many of the animals held at the zoo have become sick or died due to lack of food.

Notable people

  • Tawakkol Karman, Yemeni Nobel Laureate, journalist, politician and human rights activist
  • Amat Al Alim Alsoswa, journalist and Yemen's first female ambassador
  • Reham al-Badr, human rights activist
  • Abdel Karim al-Khaiwani, politician and human rights activist
  • Bushra al-Maqtari, writer and activist
  • Ali al-Muqri, novelist
  • Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, Yemeni prime minister
  • Arwa Othman, Yemeni writer, journalist, human rights activist and former Minister of Culture
  • Hisham Sharaf, Yemeni minister of foreign affairs
  • Zayd Mutee' Dammaj, writer
  • Sabri Al-Haiki, painter, critic and poet
  • Adam Saif, actor
  • Dr. Abdulghani Ali Ahmed public figure, Minister of the Treasury after the revelation 1962.

See also

  • Sarawat Mountains
  • Haraz Mountains
  • Ahmed Fadl Al-Qomandan

References