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When heavy machinery moved into the historic earthen palace in Tarim and began tearing down its spectacular design, billows of debris surrounded the landmark, attracting a large crowd.

Haddad Musaied received a message from a friend encouraging him to see the destruction. “Being a journalist, you have a responsibility to halt what is happening,” the contact stated.

Once reaching the scene in the Aydid district, the reporter could only record with his device the collapse of the formerly marvellous structure, which had survived natural disasters and even conflict over the years. “It was heartbreaking to see the city’s heritage and cultural wealth being quietly destroyed,” Musaied says.

The journalist uploaded his images on social media. His film reveals about a portion of the magnificent palace in debris, exposing the interiors, including detailed roofs, painted columns and wooden openings.

“Different countries might have protected it, even if it was only 30 years old,” he says.

Unique Design Heritage Facing Threat

The home was one of 30 earthen mansions in Tarim, drawing many tourists. It was constructed between the global conflicts by wealthy members of the prominent family, traders who earned their fortune in Southeast Asia during the turn of the centuries.

The owner blamed the national government for failing to fund maintenance and said that neighbors had expressed concerns about the condition of the building and potential damage to nearby residences if it were to collapse. “I hold responsible the government for not assisting us in maintaining the palace,” al-Kaf states.

Artistic Significance and Abandonment

The local buildings are unique, mud-brick and colorful, and notable for blending Yemeni Hadrami design with overseas elements, according to a cultural advocate of the a preservation group. “Craftsmen, decorators, carvers, painters, carpenters and other artisans devoted their skills to the creation of splendid residences,” he says.

If these buildings fall, the city’s history will be lost, as they are the area’s final surviving landmarks

The city is also recognized as the bastion of Sufi Islam in Yemen and a historical centre for preachers who spread Islam across the East, Africa and India. In recognition of its valuable cultural legacy, it was named the capital of Muslim culture in the year 2010, initiating a brief campaign by the national government to refresh and restore some sites.

Recently, for its cultural importance, the city was listed to the nation’s world heritage tentative list, a precursor to consideration for the world heritage list.

Consequences of War and Decay

Like other historical sites across the nation, the mansions of Tarim have suffered from more than a decade of armed conflict, leaving them deserted and unmaintained. The prominent palace is the most prominent, but not the only to be demolished; a number have already been replaced with modern concrete buildings.

Hamtut palace, standing prominently in one of the city’s crowded districts, with arched verandas, decorated pillars and a balanced facade, is also owned by the same family. On the verge of failure, with erosion apparent in the structure, the land around it has been marked with land delineation stones, suggesting portions have been sold, increasing concerns for its future.

Conflict shut down another landmark, a further mud-brick site showing clear damage of years of disrepair and weathering. It had been converted as a lodging, but part of its exterior have collapsed, substituted by a rusted, sagging wire fence; its swimming pool is broken and empty.

Official Reaction and Challenges

A representative of the General Authority for Antiquities and Museums, acknowledges the situation, stating that most of the city’s mud-brick palaces are in a “run-down state” and at risk of failure.

He explains that his office, like other underfunded government departments, has no funds to buy, lease or repair the palaces. Their primary role, he says, is to communicate information about the properties to higher authorities and advocate for their conservation. “Our institution, like other government bodies struggling with limited resources, are working hard to save what can still be preserved – by providing updates to the concerned authorities and anyone who might assist,” he says.