Qu’aiti Palaces & Architecture

Al Shehr, second capital of the Qu’aiti State. A medieval town once surrounded by a fine wall with watch-towers on its 3 landward sides. Important port and distribution centre for Eastern Hadhramaut. Notice old fort of Husn bin Ayyash (Al Masbah) completely rebuilt under the supervision of Awadh bin Omar Al-Qu’aiti and Abdullah bin Omar Al-Qu’aiti from 1860-1870, at great expense, but left unfinished. The strength of its walls had been tested with cannon-balls.

Husn bin Ayyash, Al Shehr.

Qu’aiti residence in Fuwwa near Al Mukalla. Photographer: John Harding, 1960.

The Western Gateway, Al Mukalla. Known as Marble Arch by the British, it was blown up by the National Liberation Front (Marxist Government) in November 1967. It was built during the reign of Sultan Awadh bin Omar Al-Qu’aiti under the supervision of his heir and Viceroy Sultan Ghalib Al-Qu’aiti I. Photographer: John Carter, 1965.

Al Shehr, 1942. Showing the Qu’aiti castle “Husn bin Ayyash” and the Qu’aiti Gendarmerie “Gendarmah” in locally woven “futahs” and multi-coloured “emamas” before their transformation into the Qu’aiti Armed Constabulary (QAC).

Al Mukalla, 1930s. The seafront, Al Shahrah Al Raeesee, showing part of the congregational mosque built by Sultan Omar bin Awadh Al-Qu’aiti in 1920s. Notice the Qu’aiti Sultans’ palace in the background.

Aerial view of Al Mukalla, former capital of the Qu’aiti State. Important port for fish exports, especially shark fins and tails to Singapore. To the right of the picture, notice Masjid Al-Ghalibi built by Sultan Ghalib bin Awadh Al-Qu’aiti I. Notice Husn Al-Naqeeb, the large multi-storied palace in Al Bilad district facing the cemetery, currently used as a school. It was the former residence of the Al-Kasadi family, later used as a residence by members of the Al-Qu’aiti family. Notice Masjid Omar to the extreme left of the picture. Photographer: Harold Ingrams, 1929.

Al Mukalla, partly built along a narrow strip at the foot of Jabal Qaara and partly on terraces of the lower slopes. Notice extensive cemetery “Maqbarat Yaqub”. Aerial photograph taken by Group Capt. JA Field, 1937 (Courtesy: Friends of Hadhramaut).

Saif Gulshan Palace, Hyderabad Deccan. Built circa 1910 by Sultan Saleh bin Ghalib Al-Qu’aiti and endowed to Sultan Ghalib Al-Qu’aiti II upon his birth in 1948. When Nizam VII, Mir Osman Ali Khan, was invited to a house-warming party, he suggested naming it “Gulshan” (garden) as it had a large garden. Sultan Ghalib bin Awadh Al-Qu’aiti I died there in 1921. Notice the vaguely visible monogramme in Arabic of Sultan Saleh Al-Qu’aiti on the pediment.

“Saif Nawaz Jung” in stucco relief on the pediment of Saif Gulshan Palace, built circa 1910 by Sultan Saleh bin Ghalib Al-Qu’aiti.

Al Mukalla, showing fishing vessles, “hoorees” and “booms” moored in the harbour. Notice arcaded market to the extreme right of the picture known as Sikkat Yaqub, named after the graveyard behind it called Maqbarat Yaqub (Yaqub bin Yousuf Bawazeer). Facing Sikkat Yaqub is the large four-storied house of the Al-Amoudi family. Notice Al-Rawdhah Mosque to the extreme left. Opposite the Qiblah wall can be found the fish souk and the blacksmiths’ forges. Aden Public Relations Department Photograph, 1960s.

Einat, “a city of Sayyids”, once one of the largest and most famous towns in Eastern Wadi Hadhramaut from which many families emigrated to Java and Surabaya. The largest cemetery is dominated by 9 domed tombs “Qubba” of the family of Sheikh Abu Bakr Bin Salim in the pure Hadhrami style of Architecture. All visitors pass through this town on the way to the “ziyara” at Qabr Nabi Allah Hud. Einat is the seat of the “mansab” of this clan.

Shibam. The complex of the two Al-Qu’aiti palaces known as Husn Al-Najdi (facing north) and Al-Husn Al-Bahri (facing south) built in the 1860s under the supervision of Abdullah bin Omar Al-Qu’aiti and Awadh bin Omar Al-Qu’aiti. The town had been taken over by Omar bin Awadh Al-Qu’aiti in 1859. Photograph of water-colour by Paul Latham-Jackson, 1972.

Al Mukalla roundabout referred to as Al-Jabiya or fountain built by the Qu’aiti Sultans, then removed in the 1940s and replaced by an electric generator during the reign of Sultan Saleh bin Ghalib Al-Qu’aiti. The octagonal edifice in the picture houses the generator. National Studio Photograph, Al Mukalla, 1950s.

Al Shehr, late 19th Century. The western gateway known as Siddat-al-Khawr built by the Qu’aiti Sultans along with the port’s surrounding wall.

Palace built in 1890s in Ghail Ba Wazir by Munassar bin Abdullah Al-Qu’aiti, named Husn Al-Azhar. Later, this building was the major seat of learning for the whole of Hadhramaut, transcending from an intermediate school with boarding to a teacher training college, known as Al Madrash Al Wusta during the reign of Sultan Saleh bin Ghalib Al-Qu’aiti. This “Madrasah” along with a large garden, a “birkah” and other buildings was known as “Mujamma’ Al-Salehiyyah”. Photograph: Studio Al-Junoob, Al Mukalla, 1960.

Qasr Al-Moeen, the Al-Qu’aiti palace in Al Mukalla, 1950. Built on the Arabian Sea, showing an architectural fusion of Indo-Victorian and Saracenic styles, by Sultan Omar bin Awadh Al-Qu’aiti and expanded by his successor Sultan Saleh bin Ghalib Al-Qu’aiti. This remained the main Al-Qu’aiti residence until 1967. A section of it now houses the National Museum. This principal palace of the Al-Qu’aiti Sultans was built in the western part of the city known as Barra Al-Sidda.

Al Shehr. Showing Palace of Dar Nasir, built originally by Nasir bin Bureik and expanded greatly and rebuilt by the Al-Qu’aiti family as their royal residence. The palace is still standing in spite of its ruinous state. Al Shehr was the capital of the Qu’aiti State until 1915.

The tomb of the patriarch of the Sayyids in Al-Husaiyyisah, Wadi Hadhramaut, Ahmad bin Isa “Al-Muhajir”, a native of Iraq who arrived in Hadhramaut in 931 AD.