SANA'A, Jan. 10 (Saba) -The ubiquitous stained-glass “Qamariya” windows – the “windows of the moon”, but at night it becomes a stunning, luminous wonder.
The Qamariya windows come out at night, of course. They are virtually always used as transom windows – a small decorative window above a main window. Their rainbow colors of stained glass are built in what seems an infinite variety of shapes and patterns.
The windows are hand-made by craftsmen who learned the trade in traditional apprenticeships.
The old quarter of the ancient city of Sana’a is a marvelous architectural monument.
First-time visitors to old Sana’a marvel silently at the sight of the “Qamariya” windows , built by hand and decorated with geometric designs and patterns.
The effect is so unique in the world that it is hard to describe.
It is no surprise that old Sana’a became one of the first United National World Heritage Sites in 1986.
Mona.M