I visited this very historical place around 2004. It is said that this was the palace of Queen Balqis (Queen of Sheba in the story of Prophet Solomon As). At that time I was assigned to do work located around the city of Maarib. The journey takes around 6 hours from the capital of Yemen, Sanaa. Hopefully I can visit this place again.
I visited him on Eid al-Adha three years ago. And i hope to be back there another time again 🥺
It's was really my best experience 😍
And of course, it's the best place i have ever been ⚘👏
Temple of Barran (معبد بران) is a Sabaean temple near Ma'rib, Yemen; also known as "Throne of Bilqis" (عرش بلقيس). The Arash Bilqis, which dates back to the 10th century BCE, harbors evidence that Queen Bilqis once actually lived. Despite being thousands of years old, the main part of the building is still standing and continues to shed light on the deep history of Yemen.
What is known today as the Bilquis Throne, is mentioned in ancient Sabaean inscriptions at Barran Temple the home of the Goddess Almaqa' (Moon), the inscriptions also mention Dhat Hameem (Sun) and Athter (Blossom). Located some 600 meters west of the Awam Temple, it is associated with the Queen Bilqis, Queen of Sheba, mentioned in Bible and Quran. Although researchers disagree about the homeland of Malikat Bilqis, while claiming that she was Egyptian, Ethiopian, or even Syrian, strong evidence suggests her presence in Yemen where archeologists found statues of women in the Barran Temple.
The temple (illustration), located in the city of Marib, 170 km east of Sana’a, partly excavated by Wendell Phillips' expedition of 1951–1952. Marib is mentioned in holy books as the capital of the kingdom of Saba, the birthplace of a 3,000-year-old civilization that left behind significant ancient ruins. The most famous of these is the throne of Queen Bilquis. The temple is divided into several architectural units, including the ‘courtyard’ along with its annexes, and the great brick fence and its extensions.
Located on the western side of the Safer – Marib road, the Barran Temple was renowned for its five magnificent columns which are more than twelve meters high. In the years 1988, new archaeological excavations revealed remains of an equally impressive sixth column hidden under the sand. The results of the German expedition show that the Temple went through two historical stages, the first stage extending from the 2nd Millennium BCE to the beginning of the 1st Millennium BCE, and the second stage starting from 850 BCE to the end of the Sabean dynasty.
The main features of the structure are the six columns and the sacred well in the middle of the courtyard. Previously only five columns were known to exist, until 1988 excavations, when remains of another pillar were discovered. Behind the six columns there is a broad platform, which historians believe was the main location for the throne of Queen Bilquis. The temple has a unique harmony where in the majestic main entrance and the courtyard unite together to face off against a steep staircase with a magnificent display of architectural virtuosity that hints at the greatness of its builders.
In 2000, the German Institute of Archaeology began a huge renovation project on the temple that was completed in 2007. Professor of History and Civilization at Sana’a University, Abdullah Abu al-Ghaith, said that the temple is considered to be the largest temple in Yemen before Islam, and it was a temple for worshipping the moon, the main god of the Sabaeans. "Despite the temple being looted many times since the 4th century CE after Yemenis embraced monotheistic religion, its discoveries confirm the huge size of the temple, and it should be 8th place among the Seven Wonders of the World,"
In the original story, Bilqis (biblical Sheba), after whom the temple bears its fame, brings a caravan of valuable gifts for King Solomon. This tale has undergone extensive Jewish, Islamic, and Ethiopian elaborations, and has become the subject of one of the most widespread and fertile cycles of legends in the Orient.
According to some researchers, the walls of the temple were covered by bronze plates that contained writings and diverse motifs. However, these writings were removed and only the bronze nails on the walls remain. A full archive of all events experienced by the Sabaean state since the first millennium B.C., which made researchers realize that the temple was also a documentation center for the Sabean state
