JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA – The Ministry of Culture, represented by the Jeddah Historic District Program, has announced the completion of work in the project to restore ramshackle buildings in the district under the generous donation of US$13 million (SAR50 million) from the Kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The project came within the context of the Crown Prince’s keenness to preserve and rehabilitate historical sites to achieve the Saudi Vision 2030 goals, which seek to reflect the Arab and Islamic depth of the Kingdom.
The project aimed to highlight the heritage landmarks that Jeddah District is abundant in as a site containing over 600 heritage buildings, 36 historical mosques, and five main markets.
This district also has ancient corridors and squares and sites with important historical connotations, such as the ancient Waterfront, which was a main route for pilgrims, and will be rebuilt to tell visitors the great story of the Hajj since the dawn of Islam.
The Crown Prince who is also the Prime Minister has directed the implementation of the project to strengthen and rescue historic Jeddah buildings by five specialized Saudi companies.
These companies carried out the work and conducted studies under the supervision of technicians with experience in historical buildings.
The implementation was carried out according to the unique design and distinctive urban structure of the Historic Jeddah District and its unique architectural elements, as some buildings contain archaeological landmarks dating back 500 years.
