Raghama. It was from here that King Abdul Aziz started building the foundations of the modern Saudi Arabia. — Archives JEDDAH – Jeddah is full of ancient historical and archeological treasures. Many ancient and contemporary globetrotters have spent time in the city and many traditional books have mentioned the gateway to the Two Holy Mosques. Its markets, walls, alleys, mosques and cemeteries still preserve their ancient glow. Al-Jazirah Arabic daily recently took a look at the heritage of Jeddah, which is a source of pride for its people. Popular destination Jeddah, which has become a commercial gateway for international trade, is also the city where international pilgrims arrive. Around five million visitors arrive at King Abdul Aziz International Airport every year to perform Umrah or Haj or enjoy a vacation. King Abdul Aziz Cultural Center The Abraq Al-Raghama site has gained a wide reputation because it is connected with a key moment in the Kingdom's history. It was at this site that King Abdul Aziz settled when he entered Jeddah with his army to unify the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Fortunately, Jeddah was annexed to the Kingdom without getting into a war. It was at Abraq Al-Raghama that King Abdul Aziz started building the foundations of the modern Saudi Arabia. Jeddah Wall The Jeddah Wall was built by Hussain Al-Kurdi, a Mamluk prince, as a fortress on the shore of the Red Sea to protect the city from the Portuguese. He also built castles, towers and canons to prevent warships from launching raids on the city, and a trench surrounding the wall, which was built with two doors, one opening toward Makkah and the other to the Red Sea. The wall was constructed with six doors: Makkah Door, Madina Door, Shareef Door, Jadid Door, Al-Bant Door and Al-Magharibah Door; Siba Door was built at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1947, the Jeddah Wall was removed for urban development. Inside the area, Jeddah was divided into several old residents called alleys. These districts were named after geographical sites inside the city or after the events that took place there. The most famous districts are: Al-Madhloom (the Oppressed) Alley, Sham Alley, Yemen Alley, Sea Alley, Karantina Alley and One Million Child Alley, which was named because of a large number of kids there. Old houses Jeddah dwellers built their houses out of stone taken from Arba'een Lake and modified by manually operated machines. The stone was used with clay and local wood from Fatmah Valley or imported from India. Old houses look like modern concrete buildings with wood used for external walls. The most famous old buildings are: Al-Naseef House and Al-Jamjoom House, in Yemen Alley; Al-Ba'ishin House, Al-Qabel House and Shafi'i Mosque, in Al-Madhloom Alley; and Al-Banajah House and Al-Zahid House, in Sham Alley. Some of these buildings stand tall at more than 30 meters and some are still in good condition despite all the years that have gone by. Famous mosques Shafi'i Mosque located at Al-Madhloom Alley is the most famous place of worship in the city. Its minaret, which has a unique, square shape, was said to have been built in the seventh Hijri century (1300 C.E.). The mosque has been renovated so people could perform prayer inside. Other famous mosques include Othman Bin Affan Mosque, Al-Basha Mosque, Ekash Mosque, Al-Mai'mar Mosque, Al-Rahma Mosque and King Saud Mosque. Historic cemeteries Umna Hawa Cemetery is located in the downtown area and it is believed that our Mother Eve was buried there. Another famous burial ground, Sheikh Hamid Bin Nafi Cemetery, is located on the old Makkah-Jeddah Highway. Jeddah markets Alwi Market, Bedouin Market, Qabel Market and Al-Nada Market are famous sites where shops sell traditional handcrafted goods. These markets, located in the Historical Area, are its vital economic artery. Visitors' observations Ibn Jubair, a famous globetrotter from the 11th and 12th centuries, recalls his stay in Jeddah: “I stayed at a house built of stone and clay, which had rooms on the roof where you can stay at night and get fresh air.” Ibn Al-Mujawir Al-Shebani, another famous traveler, drew the first map of Jeddah when he visited the city about 700 years ago. He described Jeddah as “a city crowded with pilgrims.” Ibn Batutta visited Jeddah some 800 years ago and described it as “an old city located on the Red Sea coast.” Luis Burkhart, the famous Swiss globetrotter, said in his book, Travels Around Arabian Peninsula, “When I arrived to Jeddah in 1814, I decided to write a book about its markets, people, houses and lifestyles. Jeddah has big hotels where foreign traders coming for business can stay.”
