In my first post on the Al-Balad district of Jeddah, I introduced you to the area and you got to see what shopping there is like. Now, I'd like to show you some of the historical buildings and other architecture that make Al-Balad one of the main tourist attractions in Jeddah.
Here is the first set of pictures of the traditional and modern architecture in Al-Balad. Part 2 will have more pictures, with a focus on
Rawashin, a distinct feature of traditional Hijazi architecture in the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia.
But keep an eye out for part 3 and beyond, as we went there once, did more Googling, and realized once wasn't enough.
Enjoy!
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| Our first picture when we arrived in Al-Balad district. Souq on bottom. History on top. |
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| Old and new side by side. |
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| Looking down one of the souq corridors. |
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| Lower left: Restored gateway to the old city. Originally made of coral from the Red Sea. |
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| Looking off into the distance towards the Red Sea. |
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| Beit Al-Balad ("House of Al-Balad"). It served as British legation headquarters in Jeddah from WWI to the 1930's as they shaped political boundaries in this region to their liking. |
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| TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) stayed here in 1917. |
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| Cool clock thingy in front of Beit Al-Balad. |
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| Famous staircase in Beit Al-Balad. |
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| Canons out front. |
Part two coming soon!