Gallery
Description
Property Name: Al-Balad – The Historical City of Jeddah
Inventory No: 966-2-5
Date of infill of the inventory form: 2010-05-20
Country (State party): Saudi Arabia
Province: Makkah
Town: Jeddah
Geographic coordinates: 21° 29′ 2″ N
39° 11′ 15″ E
Historic Period: Early Islamic (until 660)
Year of Construction:
Style: Early Islamic
Original Use: Settlement
Current Use: Settlement
Architect: Unknown
Significance
Remnants of the tower that was once a part of the wall built around the city in the Mamluki period can be seen today in Jeddah. Ancient quarters, such as Al Mazloum (The Oppressed), located by the eastern part of the wall exist till today. Other landmarks include the House of the Gabil Family and Al-Shafei Mosque and market. The mosque’s minaret is eight centuries old. There is also a Yemeni Quarter, named so as it faces the country of Yemen. There you can find the famous House of Nassif, which reflects an ancient historical era in the evolution of Hejazi architectural art.
The Historical City of Jeddah has universal significance not only as the traditional gateway to the Holy City of Makkah, but also as the best remaining example of a traditional Red Sea coastal city. This outstanding cityscape is characterized by a unique architectural style reflecting the economic and cultural exchange between Asia, Africa and Arabia over many centuries and is acclaimed throughout the Islamic world and beyond.
An old area in the city center of Jeddah famous throughout the Kingdom, known as historical Jeddah or the center of the country, and its area of about 1 km2, and includes a group of traditional heritage buildings that are characterized by Rawashin and narrow alleys between them, the most famous of which are Nassif House, the Jeddah Museum, the old markets, and the Bayaa Square. The buildings of the heritage architectural and urban style in the city of Jeddah, as well as a number of ancient mosques that are still in good condition, and the area is supervised by the Municipality of Jeddah, and can be qualified for multiple tourism activities.
Selection Criteria
iv. to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history
v. to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change
vi. to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance
State of Preservation
The Historical City of Jeddah is an urban environment composed of buildings belonging to different historic periods. Apart from the recent post-1947 constructions, the bulk of the traditional urban fabric, with its dense pattern of relatively tall houses, dates mainly from the 19th century, even though it is likely that at least the foundations of many houses might be older (though probably almost no residential building pre-dates the beginning of the Ottoman period in the 16th century).
Not only The Historical City of Jeddah traditional houses are built with limestone and coral blocks that cannot withstand heavy loads, but the present situation of the old city, where traditional houses are or subdivided into small units rented to poor tenants, or, on the contrary, lie empty and abandoned by their legitimate owners, imply that these constructions have not been properly maintained and repaired since the beginning of the development of modern Jeddah.
Furthermore, the housing stock is often in poor static conditions and partial or complete collapses, caused by the shallow foundations of the houses and the instability of the soil, are frequent. Yet, some 350 old houses are still standing – including many tower houses with their imposing façades and wooden balconies – challenging the harsh Read Sea weather and the passage of time. Their survival is mostly due to the skills of the masons that were able to create solid walls thanks to the traditional technique of wooden embedded beams regularizing the repartition of loads within the thick walls. This building technique, typical of the Red Sea architecture, significantly increases the resistance to earthquakes.
References
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