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SDRPY Implements Restoration of Historic Seiyun Palace in Hadhramaut

Seiyun Palace is a unique architectural masterpiece that gracefully embodies the authenticity of Yemeni architectural design - SPA
Seiyun Palace is a unique architectural masterpiece that gracefully embodies the authenticity of Yemeni architectural design - SPA
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SDRPY Implements Restoration of Historic Seiyun Palace in Hadhramaut

Seiyun Palace is a unique architectural masterpiece that gracefully embodies the authenticity of Yemeni architectural design - SPA
Seiyun Palace is a unique architectural masterpiece that gracefully embodies the authenticity of Yemeni architectural design - SPA

After years of deterioration that threatened its survival as a historical symbol, Seiyun Palace in Hadhramaut, eastern Yemen, is regaining its original splendor through comprehensive restoration work led by the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) to breathe new life into this prominent cultural landmark.

Seiyun Palace is a unique architectural masterpiece that gracefully embodies the authenticity of Yemeni architectural design. It has earned a distinguished symbolic status, previously chosen to feature on Yemen’s national currency in recognition of its historical, cultural, and aesthetic value, SPA reported.

Originally constructed as a fortified stronghold to protect the city of Seiyun, the palace underwent several transformations over time and eventually became the official residence of the sultans of the Kathiri state, who once ruled Wadi Hadhramaut.

Despite its historical significance, the palace has not been spared the ravages of time and natural elements. It suffered severe damage, reaching a critical point in 2022 when a large section of its outer wall collapsed, sparking widespread concern over the future of the monument. This incident prompted the local community and authorities to call for its restoration to preserve its identity and beauty.

In response to a request from the Yemeni government and in support of its efforts to protect heritage sites, SDRPY launched a comprehensive project to restore Seiyun Palace. The project is funded by the program and implemented by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in cooperation 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.

The restoration work included repairing the damaged outer wall and the mudbrick structures that form the palace’s core. Special attention was given to restoring the wooden ceilings, carved doors, and windows that reflect the craftsmanship of Yemeni artisans.

The project also focused on preserving the palace’s distinctive architectural identity by rehabilitating its traditional decorations and wall inscriptions. Local teams of engineers and technicians were trained in routine restoration techniques to ensure long-term maintenance.

The project represents a step toward enhancing development in Hadhramaut and supporting Yemen’s historical and cultural heritage. The palace is now better equipped to welcome large numbers of visitors year-round and to host various cultural events and occasions, making it an important cultural and tourism landmark.

The Seiyun Palace restoration project is part of a broader package of 264 projects and development initiatives implemented by SDRPY across various regions of the country. These initiatives span key sectors such as education, health, transportation, energy, water, agriculture, fisheries, institutional capacity building, and integrated development programs.

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Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum Says Discovers New Rembrandt

Poeple look at Rembrandt's famed Night Watch, which is back on display in what researchers say in its original size, with missing parts temporarily restored in an exhibition aided by artificial intelligence, at Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands June 23, 2021. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo
Poeple look at Rembrandt's famed Night Watch, which is back on display in what researchers say in its original size, with missing parts temporarily restored in an exhibition aided by artificial intelligence, at Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands June 23, 2021. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo
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Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum Says Discovers New Rembrandt

Poeple look at Rembrandt's famed Night Watch, which is back on display in what researchers say in its original size, with missing parts temporarily restored in an exhibition aided by artificial intelligence, at Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands June 23, 2021. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo
Poeple look at Rembrandt's famed Night Watch, which is back on display in what researchers say in its original size, with missing parts temporarily restored in an exhibition aided by artificial intelligence, at Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands June 23, 2021. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam said Monday it had uncovered a new painting by Rembrandt, using advanced scanning technology and stylistic analysis to confirm it was crafted by the Dutch master.

The whereabouts of the 1633 work, entitled "Vision of Zacharias in the Temple" was unknown for 65 years but was recently handed over to the museum for testing.

"Materials analysis, stylistic and thematic similarities, alterations made by Rembrandt, and the overall quality of the painting all support the conclusion that this painting is a genuine work by Rembrandt van Rijn," the museum said in a statement.

Culture

UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in Tehran Damaged in Strikes

Plumes of smoke rise after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo)
Plumes of smoke rise after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo)
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UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in Tehran Damaged in Strikes

Plumes of smoke rise after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo)
Plumes of smoke rise after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo)

Iran's UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in Tehran has been damaged in US and Israeli strikes, local media reported Monday.

"Following the joint US-Israeli attack on Arag square in southern Tehran on Sunday evening, parts of the Golestan Palace... were damaged," the ISNA news agency reported, adding that windows, doors, and mirrors were hit by reverberations from blasts.

Iran's Mehr news agency carried a similar report.

Culture

Before Dawn, Ancient Drum Rite Wakes Istanbul Faithful to Fast

Turkish drummer Hakan Ozbingol plays drum and sings traditional songs in the streets of Istanbul, to wake Muslims up for the suhour, the Ramadan meal eaten at night, on February 24, 2026. (AFP)
Turkish drummer Hakan Ozbingol plays drum and sings traditional songs in the streets of Istanbul, to wake Muslims up for the suhour, the Ramadan meal eaten at night, on February 24, 2026. (AFP)
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Before Dawn, Ancient Drum Rite Wakes Istanbul Faithful to Fast

Turkish drummer Hakan Ozbingol plays drum and sings traditional songs in the streets of Istanbul, to wake Muslims up for the suhour, the Ramadan meal eaten at night, on February 24, 2026. (AFP)
Turkish drummer Hakan Ozbingol plays drum and sings traditional songs in the streets of Istanbul, to wake Muslims up for the suhour, the Ramadan meal eaten at night, on February 24, 2026. (AFP)

It's 3:30 am and lights are slowly coming on in the homes lining a narrow Istanbul street as people are woken up by the rhythmic thump of a drum.

Emerging onto a balcony, Sibel Savas and her grandson look down as the drummer -- or davulcu in Turkish -- wanders through the Ayvansaray neighborhood, his drumbeat waking the faithful for a last meal before the daily Ramadan fast begins at sunrise.

For the past 55 years, Hakan Ozbingol has got up at 3:00 am every day during Ramadan to play his davul, a large double-headed drum carried with a strap and played while walking through the streets.

He inherited the role from his father, with whom he started venturing out when he was 10.

Although their nightly sortie is purely voluntary, local residents traditionally give a tip at the end of the month, says Ozbingol, who is now 65.

If once this amounted to enough to buy the children a nice gift, these days it's barely enough "to buy them clothes or to cover the bills", he sighs, as people struggle to cope with Türkiye's bitter economic crisis.

But for him, it's not a job but more of a sacred duty.

"As long as it's to do with Allah, this drum will never fall silent. We're doing Allah's work, it's our duty," he said hoarsely, trudging with bent back through the winding streets.

- Ottoman roots -

According to Harun Korkmaz, a music historian at Istanbul University, the Ramadan drum rite "dates back to the end of the 19th century" when the Ottoman military bands, or mehters, performed several times a day, setting the pace of daily life.

"The davulcu are continuing this tradition," he told AFP of a tradition that began in Istanbul and spread to the rest of the country.

As well as drumming, "real" davulcu will also chant "mani", or short rhythmic poems, under people's windows to flatter a sleepy audience, Ozbingol explained.

"In Türkiye, there are few davulcus who know how to sing mani. It's not enough to pick up the drum and bang on it while walking around," he said, proudly tapping his temple to show where he keeps this knowledge.

The tradition began in the Fatih district near Istanbul's historic peninsula, and most of today's Ramadan drummers come from Türkiye's Roma community, who today number around 2.7 million, research figures show.

As the davulcu walks the street where washing lines vie for space with Turkish flags draped from the high facades of the buildings, he is warmly greeted by a pensioner called Zafer, who is also a musician.

"If the Roma weren't here there would be nothing. They are the musicians and Istanbul's Ramadan drummers," the 71-year-old told AFP.

- 'A tradition that must not die' -

Still holding her grandson, Sibal Savas says she has no alarm clock and relies on the early-morning drum rite to wake her up.

"This tradition is important to us this. It comes from our ancestors," she told AFP.

In a nearby street, another drummer, 58-year-old Yurdaer, is trying to play a little more quietly as he passes the home of an elderly neighbor who has heart problems.

Across Istanbul, Türkiye's largest city, there are a total of 3,000 davulcu who go out nightly to wake the faithful in 961 neighborhoods, explains Selami Aykut, who heads an organization representing the megacity's local mayors.

Since the pandemic, when the nightly rite was briefly halted, the authorities doubled the number of accredited drummers.

"We have increased the number we work with in order to better pass on our Ottoman traditions to young people, so that they can feel the excitement of Ramadan," Aykut told AFP.

With street vendors hawking traditional foods increasingly scarce across the city's streets, their services replaced by supermarkets, the davulcu is one rare tradition not at risk of disappearing due to his unique role at Ramadan.

"There are no more people selling boza (a fermented cereal-based drink), no more yoghurt sellers, nor other street vendors -- they've almost all disappeared," said Ozbingol.

"Only the davulcu are left," he murmurs, wandering off up the street.