To the outside world, Yemen is an obscure distant land where Al Qaeda terrorists hang out and men sit around chewing khat, but to its own residents and others familiar with the Middle East, the land harbors a treasure trove of historic artefacts (and so much more). Not only does Yemen have one of the largest collection of multi-storey clay towers, otherwise known as Manhattan of the desert, but it also boasts an impressive collection of stone buildings that date back to the 1st millennium BCE. This includes the Thula Fort in Sana’a, which is one of 20 nominees for the 2013 Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

Read More: Thula Fort Restoration in Yemen Nominated for 2013 Aga Khan Award for Architecture

See also: Aga Khan Award for Architecture Shortlist Announced