JEDDAH: The historic Balad district of Jeddah is vividly alive in the memories of many people who have, over the years, visited the Red Sea coastal city on their way to Makkah and Madinah.
Many of these old visitors remember their stay at the various hotels — some of which are more than 150 years old and still operate — in the city’s old quarter, which has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Khonda, a renowned Japanese calligrapher who lived in Jeddah for three years in the 1970s, said he felt he had returned home when he visited the city recently. “When I looked at the houses, I remembered the hotel I stayed in more than 30 years ago. It was called Quraish Hotel. I asked my escort about it and he said he knew the location,” he said.
“We crossed a number of zigzagging alleys until we reached our destination. We found the hotel deserted and unoccupied. However, the building was still there and it reminded me of Jeddah of the 1970s,” he said.
Among the hotels that still exist and operate in this historic area is Funduq Al-Baiah (Allegiance Hotel), which has been refurbished. The hotel is at the entrance to the famous Al-Baiah Square. Bahauddin and Arafat hotels are also among the oldest functioning in the Balad area. They are particularly popular among Saudis who come to Jeddah from other parts of the Kingdom.
The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) recently announced that it was establishing a special firm to invest in old state-owned buildings. It said 55 historic buildings — including castles and palaces — could be invested in for tourism purposes.
The Council of Ministers recently approved an SCTA proposal to purchase historic buildings owned by citizens. The SCTA is also considering a decision to grant refurbishment loans from the Credit Bank to private owners of old buildings that could be developed into tourism sites.
Old Jeddah is in need of preservation. Many of its distinct old buildings are crumbling, and the Kingdom is scrambling to preserve one of the remaining vestiges of Arab history.
