“Historic Jeddah” .. a theater open to the past
Majed Alhattab- In the center of Jeddah resides an ancient historical tale, which has remained lofty and steadfast over the centuries in the face of the changes of time, which made its features not seem strange to its visitors, in Historic Jeddah. With the naked eye, the visitor sees the original history without distortion, and smells in its ways the ancient Arab identity with a mixture of the vigor of the present, which formed the beating heart of Jeddah, until it enriched its visitors with the fragrance and style of the past that extended in its alleys and old homes. In the roots of history. Historical sources mention that the city of Jeddah dates to before Islam, and as for what follows it, it witnessed a great change in the composition of the city, when Caliph Othman bin Affan - may God be pleased with him - made it during his reign as a port of Makkah Al-Mukarramah, which gave it an Arab and Islamic position and dimension. Downtown in Jeddah boasts old houses designed in a unique urban style, with exceptional care and beauty, to seduce and draw attention to it. One of the most famous of these old houses is the Nassif House, which is characterized by a style that is deeply rooted in history and heritage and is one of the most important distinctive monuments in Historic Jeddah. The houses at that time were also characterized by a distinctive geometric pattern, which was mixed with splendor in the design, such as the House of Al Jamjoom and the House of Al Baeshen. The ancient inhabitants of historic Jeddah gave names to the neighborhoods according to their geographical location, which they still maintain to this day. For example, “Haret Al-Sham,” which is in the northern part of the wall, in the direction of Bilad al-Sham. Historic Jeddah has received the attention and keenness of the Saudi state, and today it has become an open museum for visitors and tourists, in which events and activities are held. The heritage treasures stored in the city center are also promoted by attracting visitors and investors. The interest in it is evident in the Crown Prince’s directive to support a restoration project. 56 buildings that are dilapidated, with an amount of 50 million riyals. The ancient city is awaiting many projects and developments, and as an extension of the state's interest, efforts culminated in the adoption of "Historic Jeddah" in 2014 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.