A small coastal village said to have been the birthplace of algebra in the Middle Ages, when it contained no less than 230 colleges.
It was founded in 820 AD by Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ziyah, father of the Ziyadid dynasty. He also founded an Islamic university there, under the auspices of a prominent religious expert from Baghdad. This, together with a group of Quranic schools and mosques, made Zabid an important centre for learning, attracting scholars from many neighbouring countries.
Today, Zabid contains no less than 86 mosques, many of which have impressive architecture. Another important building is the Nasr Palace, a citadel built at the end of the 19th century and which is now a government building.