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SDRPY Funds Sayun Palace Restoration to Safeguard Yemen's Heritage

SDRPY works to preserve heritage and restore historic buildings - SPA
SDRPY works to preserve heritage and restore historic buildings - SPA
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SDRPY Funds Sayun Palace Restoration to Safeguard Yemen's Heritage

SDRPY works to preserve heritage and restore historic buildings - SPA
SDRPY works to preserve heritage and restore historic buildings - SPA

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) has funded the restoration of Sayun Palace, a historic landmark in Hadhramaut.

Over 500 years old, this monumental mud-brick palace is one of the largest of its kind in the world, featuring seven floors and 45 rooms, SPA reported.
The restoration project was carried out by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Yemen's General Organization of Antiquities and Museums, with logistical and technical support from Yemen's Social Fund for Development.

It underscores Saudi Arabia's pioneering role in preserving the history and heritage of Arab and Islamic countries and its commitment to safeguarding Yemen's tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
SDRPY works to preserve heritage and restore historic buildings. It leads strategic initiatives that foster sustainable development, drive growth, and create positive economic impacts in Yemen.
In partnership with the Yemeni Ministry of Culture and the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah), SDRPY supports the preservation of Yemeni heritage by digitizing documents and manuscripts at Al-Ahqaf Library in Tarim, Hadhramaut. It also focuses on building local capacity to protect these invaluable historical records.

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A Rare Peek at the Hidden Waterworks behind Rome’s Trevi Fountain

A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)
A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)
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A Rare Peek at the Hidden Waterworks behind Rome’s Trevi Fountain

A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)
A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)

The Trevi Fountain, arguably the world’s most famous, has graced screens for decades, from Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” to Netflix’s “Emily in Paris.” Each year, millions of visitors push through Rome's narrow streets to gaze at the towering Titan god flanked by falls cascading into a turquoise pool.

Yet, they never get to venture behind Oceanus’ back to see what produces the sublime play of water in the baroque masterpiece.

Wooden doors on an adjacent street lead to the maneuvering chambers that control the fountain's water supply, coming from the Aqua Virgo — an ancient Roman aqueduct 16 kilometers (10 miles) away. Two electric pumps recycle 126 liters (33 gallons) of water per second while Rome’s water management company, ACEA, carefully monitors the flow around the clock.

This precise amount is crucial for the movement of water through the statues; a little more or less, and it wouldn’t work, said Davide D’Alonzo, ACEA’s manager for the area.

The modern maneuvering chamber features metal tanks and lighted panels. In the original, arched chamber, water audibly rushes through a thick pipe and there is a functional, 18th-century hydrometer to gauge the fountain’s water level.

A large, rudimentary spreadsheet on the wall displays the names of rich Roman families whose homes received water from the chamber long ago; when they fell behind on their payments, their supply was cut off.

The chamber's grated windows grant views out over the fountain and its many visitors — all of whom are oblivious to its hidden waterworks. They toss coins over their shoulders into the water, a hopeful gesture based on a legend that it guarantees their return to the eternal city.