Qabil Street. That long festive road we used to visit on the eve of Eid when Ramadan came to a close. Decorated with lights and colorful piles of foil-wrapped nougat, the street was the only part of Historic Jeddah I knew in my childhood. It seemed to magically appear only when it was time to buy our Eid candy. The bustle was always lively, and we had to hold our parents' hands as we reveled in the excitement. My father would stop at carts selling balila (chickpeas) with its cumin-flavored pickle mix and he would sing the balila song: "Balila, balila, ballaloki…"
It was only in my early twenties, when I moved from Riyadh to Jeddah, that I was introduced to the entirety of Historic Jeddah as a heritage site. I didn’t have the vocabulary at the time to describe it as such, but I recognized the heritage in my bones. This was a place our grandparents and their grandparents called home. It housed a simple and warm way of life that a part of us pines for today. You could smell it in the familiar spice of the parade of apothecaries lining the alleyways – things our grandmothers cooked up in their own crowded kitchens.
One fine December afternoon in Jeddah, I was introduced to the history of these houses. The nostalgia ran deep in the coral-stone walls of the 650 houses clustered together in a one-mile radius. Against a mellow blue sky, they leaned in a gentle slant, as though they were eavesdropping on one another, anxious for gossip. Many were connected by bridges so families could visit each other without stepping outside. The rawasheen – hanging woodwork windows – clustered along the facades in spontaneous designs, capturing my attention with their impeccable craftsmanship and lavish detail, in mahogany, royal green, teal, or Mediterranean blue. Historic Jeddah is a common name given to a historic district that once was not historic. Dubbed the Gateway to The Holy City, it welcomed pilgrims from around the world who arrived in Jeddah by sea and passed through Historic Jeddah on their way to Makkah for hajj. It was also a main stop for merchandise coming through the Indian Ocean trade route: spices, perfumes, fabrics, and precious metals. Historic Jeddah was built by generations of Jeddah’s oldest mercantile families and has accumulated a wealth of traditions that define this fading way of life. Spending time inside one of these houses, bathed in light streaming through a roshan, you sense the presence of elders who preserved the old ways. A part of you remembers a time when neighbors visited each other, and a tight-knit community thrived. Today, these families live in the more modern parts of Jeddah, miles apart. Many traditions still exist, but the sense of closeness is fading. Growing up in Riyadh, taking the full tour and moving through the old town for the first time felt like stepping into a portal to a familiar past. These were people I knew – the Jamjooms, the Batterjees, the Baeshens. This was where they lived, echoing with conversations and pulsating with stories of people dear to us.
I returned year after year to admire Historic Jeddah, making it a tradition in my life. Many houses had fallen into disrepair by the late 20th and early 21st centuries, with some caught in tragic fires. This is why the Ministry of Culture has made it its mission to revive the heritage of Historic Jeddah and preserve its enduring story. A grand regeneration project is transforming the historic district into a cultural and entrepreneurial hub. Houses are being restored to protect them from erosion, and social and cultural spaces have been created to invite younger generations to connect with the past while creating the future. Most importantly, the ministry’s Historic Jeddah restoration program aims to support the locals, helping them thrive with a robust base of businesses and become part of vital changes in the Kingdom.
In just a few years, Historic Jeddah has come alive like never before. I witness these efforts with relief, knowing this timeless place is being honored. I’m one of many fond of the Jeddah Historic District. Even though my family never had a house in Historic Jeddah – they were in Makkah – I feel my lineage is tied to the place. Many in Jeddah have reasons to feel connected to Historic Jeddah, whether their families lived in these houses or not. For me, it all started with Eid candy.
