The effect of Urban Primacy on the Historical Cities in Yemen: An applied study on the Historical City of Zabid

 Historical cities are an urban area, a cultural heritage with a historical dimension. Its distinctive lifestyle and cohesive urban texture, it's also important axis of development especially in the field of tourism development. Although importance of historical cities, they are facing many urban problems, perhaps the most prominent of which is the urban primacy of the major and large cities, and its impact on the growth of the historic cities, which has led to the deterioration of its condition and urban texture, neglecting of local community and low economic benefits expected, which has lost its historical value and attractiveness as a cultural center. This study discusses the characteristics of urban primacyon historical cities. It also aims to develop a development strategy for reconsider of historical cities. The research explains how to face the decline of urban degradation, maintaining its identity and authenticity of historical cities, and activating the role of these cities in the tourist and cultural aspects by applying the study on Historical City of Zabid in Yemen, which has been one of the world heritage sites since 1993. This research is based on analytical descriptive approach through two main frameworks: descriptive framework that monitor the historical features, characteristics, urban transformation on the study area. And analytical framework that offers an urban strategy to cope with the decline and representation of the environment in the historic cities and make them an attractive area for living, tourism and various development activities.