Province
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AL-Balad Jeddah
"It was indeed a remarkable town. The streets were alleys, wood roofed in the main bazaar, but elsewhere open to the sky in the little gap between the tops of the lofty white-walled houses." T.E. Lawrence |
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These white-walled houses were built four or five stories high, of coral rag tied with square beams and decorated by wide bow-windows running from ground to roof in grey wooden panels. There was no glass in Jidda, but a profusion of good lattices, and some very delicate shallow chiselling on the panels of window casings. The doors were heavy two-leaved slabs of teak-wood, deeply carved, often with wickets in them; and they had rich hinges and ring-knockers of hammered iron. There was much moulded or cut plastering, and on the older houses fine stone heads and jambs to the windows looking on the inner courts.
For much of its existence the city consisted of the one square kilometer area within the city walls, the area known as the historic quarter or Al-Balad today.
Al-Balad is divided into four main neighborhoods:
Harat Alsham (The Sham Neighborhood), facing north;
Harat Al-Yaman (The Yemeni Neighborhood), facing south;
Harat Mazloum (The Aggrieved Neighborhood), facing east;
and Harat Al-Bahr (The Sea Neighborhood).
The name 'Harat Mazloum' comes from a man who was sent to his death in 1131H (1719) without having been proven guilty of the crime he was accused of. The story says that after the execution, the man's blood formed the words, 'Not Guilty' in the sand. The incident became the feature of the neighborhood and the name stuck.
The Al-Balad area is a warren of alleys with names that reflect their function such as The Alley of Perfumers, where traditional attars and perfumes were sold. One of the alleys that is unfortunately no longer there is Hug Me Alley. This passage was snake shaped and so narrow that only one person at a time could pass through it. If two people were to walk through, they would have to move so close as if they were holding each other.
The architecture of the historic quarter is characterised by the merchants' houses of the 19th century. The traditional tall buildings of old Jeddah are tall and graceful, constructed of coral, limestone and decorated intricately with beautiful Indian or Javan teak facades which ventilate the houses as well as shade the narrow streets.
An extensive renovation programme, run by the Historical Area Preservation Department, was set up in 1990 and aims to protect the city's architecture and heritage. The department now employs a staff of over fifty people and organizes digs, tours and local research.
Naseef House
The house has 15 rooms on seven floors and was erected about 150 years ago. It was made famous when King Abdulaziz lived there. It was built by Omar Afandi Naseef using a particularly well-respected man called Al-Ashara - a name that means the ten men. The architect got this name because he did such a good job that it was as if ten people had been working with him.
It was here that Abdul Aziz spent his first night in Jeddah after he led his victorious army into the capital of the western province in 1925.
The tree in the square outside the front door is now the oldest and was once the only tree in Jeddah.
On the ground floor there is a well that collects rainwater. Stairs wide enough to march camels up bringing food supplies, lead up to the kitchen on the top floor; on the roof above is the highest room, the open-sided Al-Teramah which was used as a dining and smoking area and caught the cool breezes high above the streets. The original owners of the house also used to sleep on the roof on a namousia, a bed covered with a sheer fabric to prevent mosquito bites.
The open roof-top terrace has a beautiful view of the city.
Admission: SR20
Hours: 5pm-9pm
Tel: +966-(0)2-647 2280
Fax: +966-(0)2-627 2191
Sharbatly House
The house was restored in the 1400's H (1980's) but in the intervening 25 years, it has once again began to slip into disrepair. It is, however a beautiful example of the architecture (Maydan al-Bayal St).
The Municipality Museum is opposite the National Commercial Bank headquarters in the old city. It's the only remaining building of several which comprised the British Legation in Jeddah during World War I.
TE Lawrence stayed here in 1917. The old photographs at the far end of the entrance hall include an aerial sequence showing Jeddah's dramatic growth over the last 60 years.
Admission is free but a permit from the Jeddah Municipality is required. Once the permit has been granted, it is still necessary to make an appointment with the curator of the museum.
Hours: 7.30am-1.30pm (Sat-Wed)
Tel: +966-(0)2-669 5556 or +966-(0)2-660-7671
Tel: +966-(0)2-642 4822 or +966-(0)2-636 4271
Khuzam Palace
This was completed in 1351H (1932) for King Abdul Aziz and was also the home for King Saud. The palace forms a model for the style of Jeddah buildings of the second half of 14th century H, with its big buildings, wide rooms, high ceilings, yards and beautiful gardens. The palace was where the first agreement to excavate for petrol in the kingdom was signed.
Since 1402H it has been used as a regional heritage center in Jeddah, following renovations by the Museums Department. The magnificent Diwan has been converted into a museum of archaeology and ethnology.
The site includes the Khuzam International Swimming Pool, a park, a restaurant, the King Saud mosque, a nursery, Islamic bank, Eid mosque and Queen Effat College.
Mosques
Due to Jeddah's proximity to the two sacred cities Makkah and Madinah many mosques were ordered to be built by the second of the Rashidun Caliphs, Omar bin Al-Khattab. Al-Shafee Mosque (Masjid Alshafii) is the oldest and is built of teak brought from Sudan. Although the building has been modified over the centuries, the minaret of the mosque is around 900 years old and the mosque itself has contained a school for 500 years. The green dome and white minaret with brown trim, along with the wooden balcony near the summit, are typical Hejzai flourishes.
Other mosques that still stand are Othman bin Affan's Mosque, Akkash Mosque, Alhanafi Mosque, Almaghrabi Mosque and Albasha Mosque.
Om Al Salam Castle
On Jeddah to Makkah road, this historic castle dates from Abbasi times. The site covers some 2,000m and is in need of protection from local vandals. |
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