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Jeddah’s Historic Markets: A Treasure Trove of Culture and Heritage

Jeddah city boasts a rich history and heritage. It is known for its ancient buildings that feature a unique architecture.

Moreover, it is home to several traditional markets (souqs) and khans. A khan, also called Qaysariya, refers to the market that consists of a group of shops that open and close onto each other. The most famous khans in Jeddah include Khan Al-Hunud, Khan Al-Qasbah, Khan Al-Dalalin, and Khan Al-Attarin.

Jeddah’s Historic Markets: A Treasure Trove of Culture and Heritage

Jeddah people adorn their houses with lights and warmly welcome visitors with folklore songs, reflecting the old city’s heritage and authenticity with their generosity and hospitality.

The King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah) has documented the history of Jeddah city, including its buildings, alleys, markets and windows, especially those that make up the architecture of the Jeddah Historic District, or Al-Balad.

This cultural and heritage richness has transformed Jeddah into an open museum. As a result, the Jeddah Historic District has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.

Jeddah’s Historic Markets: A Treasure Trove of Culture and Heritage

Jeddah’s Historic Markets: A Treasure Trove of Culture and Heritage

The Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has supported a restoration project of 56 historic buildings in Jeddah Historic District, with a personal donation of SAR 50mn. The Crown Prince also directed the implementation of a project to preserve and rehabilitate the district’s historic sites, under the Jeddah Historic District Program.

The Jeddah Historic District Program has made a lot of efforts to revive the district and transform it into a global heritage destination in line with the Saudi Vision 2030. To this end, the Program has embarked on several projects to develop the district. These projects include Historic Buildings Restoration Project, Historic Jeddah Waterfront Development Project, Culture Square Project, Archaeology and Excavation Project, and Historic Markets Project.

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