Seiyun Palace
Location within Yemen
General information
Town or city	Seiyun
Country	Yemen
Coordinates	15°58′N 48°47′E / 15.967°N 48.783°E / 15.967; 48.783

Seiyun Palace was the royal residence of the sultan of Kathiri, located in the town of Seiyun in the Hadhramaut region, in eastern Yemen. It is one of the world’s largest mud-brick structures.

It was completed in the 1920s when the central Hadhramaut province was part of the British protectorate of Aden.^[1] At present it is a museum. It opened its doors to the public in 1984. It was closed at the start of the Yemeni Civil War when Al-Qaeda entered Hadramawt.

Because of the ongoing conflict, it is at 'risk of collapse', left vulnerable by years of neglect and rain damage, including from the 2020 Yemen flood that killed dozens of people.^[2]

It is featured on Yemen's 1,000-riyal banknote, the highest denomination.^[3]

The museum showcases items excavated in the province, including tombstones that date back to the Stone Age and the dawn of civilisation in Yemen. There are also Bronze Age statues, pottery and ancient manuscripts from the pre-Islamic period. However, its most prized possessions are stashed away, for fear that one of Yemen's warring groups targets them.

The palace resembles a giant sandcastle with turrets at its corners. It is seven stories high and overlooks the town.

Media related to Kathiri Palace at Wikimedia Commons

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World Heritage Sites	Listed Historic Town of Zabid Old City of Sanaa Old Walled City of Shibam Socotra Archipelago Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba Tentative list Archaeological Site of Marib Historic City of Saada The Historic City of Thula The Madrasa Amiriya of Rada Jibla and its surroundings Jabal Haraz Jabal Bura Balhaf/Burum coastal area The Hawf Area Sharma/Jethmun coastal area
Archaeological sites Al Hajjarah Awwam Baraqish Baynun Cisterns of Tawila Haram Kaminahu Ma'rib Marib Dam Maṣna'at Māriya Nahom Nashan Nashaq Sanaa Shabwa Shaharah Shibam Sirwah Timna Zabid Zafar Museums House of Folklore National Museum of Yemen Yemen Military Museum Palaces Castles Aljabowbi Castle Cairo Castle Dar al-Bashair Dar al-Hajar Dar al-Shukr Dar as-Sa'd Fort Al-Ghwayzi Ghumdan Palace Palace of Queen Arwa Qu'aiti Sultan Palace Citadel of Rada'a Seiyun Palace Sheba Palace Places of worship Aidrus Mosque Al-Asha'ir Mosque Al-Bakiriyya Mosque Al-Hadi Mosque Al-Mahdi Mosque Al-Muhdhar Mosque Al-Qalis Church Al Shohada Mosque Al Tawheed Mosque Alansar Mosque Albolaily Mosque Alemaan Mosque Ashrafiya Mosque Barran Temple Great Mosque of Sanaa Grand Synagogue of Aden Hanthel Mosque Jennad Mosque Mudhaffar Mosque Qubbat Bayt Az-Zum Mosque Queen Arwa Mosque Saleh Mosque St. Francis of Assisi Church St. Mary Help of Christians Church Talha Mosque Temple of Awwam Protected area Bura Community Protected Area Dhamar Montane Plains Mahjur Traditional Reserve Jabal Bura Valley Forest National Park Ras Isa Marine Park Socotra Island Protected Area Zuqur Islands Marine National Park Others Amiriya Madrasa Yemen Gate Big Ben Aden Sanaa Turkish Memorial Cemetery Shaharah Bridge Sira Fortress