Jeddah ( ), also spelled Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; ar, , Jidda, ), is a city in the
Hejaz
The Hejaz (, also ; ar, ٱلْحِجَاز, al-Ḥijāz, lit=the Barrier, ) is a region in the west of Saudi Arabia. It includes the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif, and Baljurashi. It is also known as the "Western Provin ...
region of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the Ara ...
(KSA) and the country's commercial center. Established in the 6th century BC as a fishing village, Jeddah's prominence grew in 647 when the
Caliph
A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...
Osman Osman is the Persian transliteration and derived from the Arabic masculine given name Uthman ( ar, عُثْمان, , link=no ''‘uthmān'') or an English surname. It may refer to:
People
* Osman (name), people with the name
* Osman I (1258–132 ...
made it a major port for
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
trade routes, channelling goods to
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...
, and to serve
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
travelers for
Islamic pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...
. Since those times, Jeddah has served as the gateway for millions of pilgrims who have arrived in Saudi Arabia, traditionally by sea and recently by air. With a population of about 4,697,000 people as of 2021, Jeddah is the largest city in
Makkah Province
The Mecca Province ( ar, مِنْطَقَة مَكَّة '), also known as the Mecca Region, is one of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia. It is the third-largest province by area at and the most populous with a population of 8,557,766 as of 201 ...
, the largest city in
Hejaz
The Hejaz (, also ; ar, ٱلْحِجَاز, al-Ḥijāz, lit=the Barrier, ) is a region in the west of Saudi Arabia. It includes the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif, and Baljurashi. It is also known as the "Western Provin ...
, the
second-largest city in the Saudi Arabia (after the capital
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
), and the
ninth-largest in the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
. It also serves as the administrative centre of the
OIC.
Jeddah Islamic Port
Jeddah Islamic Port is a Saudi Arabian port, located in Jeddah on the Red Sea, at the middle of an international shipping route between the east and west via the Suez Canal. It is the second-largest and second-busiest port in the Arab world (after ...
, on the
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; T ...
, is the thirty-sixth largest seaport in the world and the second-largest and second-busiest seaport in the Middle East (after
Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
's
Port of Jebel Ali
Port of Jebel Ali, also known as Mina Jebel Ali ( ar, ميناء جبل علي), is a deep port located in Jebel Ali, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Jebel Ali is the world's ninth busiest port, the largest man-made harbour, and the biggest and by f ...
).
Jeddah is the principal gateway to Mecca, the
holiest city in Islam, to the east, while
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...
, the second-holiest city, is to the north. Economically, Jeddah is focusing on further developing capital investment in scientific and engineering leadership within Saudi Arabia, and the Middle East. Jeddah was ranked fourth in the
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, Middle East, and '
stan countries region in the Innovation Cities Index in 2009.
Jeddah is one of the Saudi Arabia's primary resort cities and was named a
Beta world city by the
Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network
The Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) is a think tank that studies the relationships between world cities in the context of globalization. It is based in the geography department of Loughborough University in Leicestershire ...
(GaWC). Given the city's close proximity to the Red Sea, fishing and seafood dominate the food culture unlike other parts of the country. In Arabic, the city's motto is "Jeddah Ghair", which translates to "Jeddah is different". The motto has been widely used among both locals as well as foreign visitors. The city is widely perceived as the most liberal city in Saudi Arabia and is a popular tourist destination in the region.
Etymology and spelling
There are at least two etymologies of ''Jeddah'', according to Jeddah Ibn Al-Qudaa'iy, the chief of the Quda'a clan. The more common account has it that the name is derived from ''Jaddah'', the
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
word for "grandmother". According to eastern folk belief, the
Tomb of Eve
A tomb ( grc-gre, τύμβος ''tumbos'') is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be called ''immureme ...
, considered the grandmother of humanity, is located in Jeddah.
The
Maghrebi
Maghrebi Arabic (, Western Arabic; as opposed to Eastern or Mashriqi Arabic) is a vernacular Arabic dialect continuum spoken in the Maghreb region, in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Western Sahara, and Mauritania. It includes Moroccan, Alge ...
traveler
Ibn Battuta
Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Battutah (, ; 24 February 13041368/1369),; fully: ; Arabic: commonly known as Ibn Battuta, was a Berbers, Berber Maghrebi people, Maghrebi scholar and explorer who travelled extensively in the lands of Afro-Eurasia, ...
visited Jeddah during his world trip in around 1330. He wrote the name of the city into his diary as "Jiddah".
The British
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, department of the Government of the United Kingdom. Equivalent to other countries' Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ministries of fore ...
and other branches of the British government formerly used the older spelling of "Jedda", contrary to other English-speaking usages, but in 2007, it changed to the spelling "Jeddah".
T. E. Lawrence
Thomas Edward Lawrence (16 August 1888 – 19 May 1935) was a British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer who became renowned for his role in the Arab Revolt (1916–1918) and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (1915–1918 ...
felt that any transcription of Arabic names into English was arbitrary. In his book, ''Revolt in the Desert'', Jeddah is spelled in three different ways on the first page alone.
On official Saudi maps and documents, the city name is transcribed "Jeddah", which is now the prevailing usage.
History
Pre-Islam
Traces of early activity in the area are testified by some
Thamudic
Thamudic is a name that refers to ancient Arabic Thamudic tribe language found by nineteenth-century scholars for large numbers of inscriptions in Ancient North Arabian (ANA) alphabets which have not yet been properly studied. These texts are foun ...
inscriptions that were excavated in
Wadi Briman
Wadi ( ar, وَادِي, wādī), alternatively ''wād'' ( ar, وَاد), North African Arabic Oued, is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some instances, it may refer to a wet (ephemeral) riverbed that contains water onl ...
(), east of the city, and
Wadi Boweb
Wadi ( ar, وَادِي, wādī), alternatively ''wād'' ( ar, وَاد), Maghrebi Arabic, North African Arabic Oued, is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some instances, it may refer to a wet (ephemerality, ephemeral) S ...
(), northwest of the city. The oldest
Mashrabiya
A ''mashrabiya'' or ''mashrabiyya'' ( ar, مشربية) is an architectural element which is characteristic of traditional architecture in the Islamic world and beyond. It is a type of projecting oriel window enclosed with carved wood latticew ...
found in Jeddah dates back to the
pre-Islamic era.
Some believe that Jeddah had been inhabited before Alexander the Great, who had a naval expedition to the Red Sea, by fishermen in the Red Sea, who considered it a center from which they sailed out into the sea as well as a place for relaxation and well-being. According to the Ministry of Hajj, Jeddah has been settled for more than 2500 years.
Excavations in the
old city have been interpreted as that Jeddah was founded as a fishing hamlet by the Yemeni
Quda'a tribe ( ar, links=no, بني قضاعة), who left central
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
to settle in Makkah after the collapse of Sad (dam)
Marib Dam
The Marib Dam ( ar, سَدّ مَأْرِب ', or ar, سُدّ مَأْرِب ') is a modern dam blocking the ''Wadi'' or Valley of Adhanah (, also ''Dhanah'' ) in the Balaq Hills, located in the Ma'rib Governorate in Yemen. The current dam was ...
in Yemen in 115 BC.
Under the Caliphates
Jeddah first achieved prominence around AD 647, when the third Muslim
Caliph
A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...
,
Uthman Ibn Affan
Uthman ibn Affan ( ar, عثمان بن عفان, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān; – 17 June 656), also spelled by Colloquial Arabic, Turkish and Persian rendering Osman, was a second cousin, son-in-law and notable companion of the Islamic prop ...
, turned it into a port making it the port of Makkah instead of Al Shoaib port southwest of Mecca.
The
Umayyads Umayyads may refer to:
*Umayyad dynasty, a Muslim ruling family of the Caliphate (661–750) and in Spain (756–1031)
*Umayyad Caliphate (661–750)
:*Emirate of Córdoba (756–929)
:*Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ( ar, خ ...
inherited the entire
Rashidun Caliphate
The Rashidun Caliphate ( ar, اَلْخِلَافَةُ ٱلرَّاشِدَةُ, al-Khilāfah ar-Rāšidah) was the first caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was ruled by the first four successive caliphs of Muhammad after his ...
including
Hejaz
The Hejaz (, also ; ar, ٱلْحِجَاز, al-Ḥijāz, lit=the Barrier, ) is a region in the west of Saudi Arabia. It includes the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif, and Baljurashi. It is also known as the "Western Provin ...
and ruled from 661AD to 750AD. In AD 702 Jeddah was briefly occupied by pirates from the
Kingdom of Axum
The Kingdom of Aksum ( gez, መንግሥተ አክሱም, ), also known as the Kingdom of Axum or the Aksumite Empire, was a kingdom centered in Northeast Africa and South Arabia from Classical antiquity to the Middle Ages. Based primarily in wh ...
. However, Jeddah remained a key civilian harbor, serving fishermen and pilgrims travelling by sea for the
Hajj
The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried ...
. It is also believed that
Sharifdom of Mecca, an honorary Viceroy to the holy land, was first appointed in this period of the Islamic Caliphate . Jeddah has been established as the main city of the historic Hijaz province and a historic port for pilgrims arriving by sea to perform their Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca.
In 750, in the
Abbasid Revolution
The Abbasid Revolution, also called the Movement of the Men of the Black Raiment, was the overthrow of the Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE), the second of the four major Caliphates in early History of Islam, Islamic history, by the third, the A ...
, the
Abbasids
The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ...
successfully took control of almost the whole Umayyad Empire, excluding
Morocco (Maghrib) and
Spain (Al-Andalus). From 876, Jeddah and the surrounding area became the object of wars between the Abbasids and the
Tulunids
The Tulunids (), were a Mamluk dynasty of Turkic origin who were the first independent dynasty to rule Egypt, as well as much of Syria, since the Ptolemaic dynasty. They were independent from 868, when they broke away from the central authority ...
of Egypt, who at one point gained control of the emirates of
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
,
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
,
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
and
Hejaz
The Hejaz (, also ; ar, ٱلْحِجَاز, al-Ḥijāz, lit=the Barrier, ) is a region in the west of Saudi Arabia. It includes the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif, and Baljurashi. It is also known as the "Western Provin ...
. The power struggle between the
Tulunid Governors and the Abbasids over Hejaz lasted for nearly 25 years, until the Tulunids finally withdrew from
Arabia
The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate. ...
in 900 AD.
In 930 AD, the main Hejazi cities of
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...
,
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...
and
Taif
Taif ( ar, , translit=aṭ-Ṭāʾif, lit=The circulated or encircled, ) is a city and governorate in the Makkan Region of Saudi Arabia. Located at an elevation of in the slopes of the Hijaz Mountains, which themselves are part of the Sarat M ...
were heavily sacked by the
Qarmatians
The Qarmatians ( ar, قرامطة, Qarāmiṭa; ) were a militant Isma'ilism, Isma'ili Shia Islam, Shia movement centred in Al-Ahsa Oasis, al-Hasa in Eastern Arabia, where they established a Utopia#Religious utopias, religious-utopian Socialis ...
. It is probable, though not historically confirmed, that Jeddah itself was attacked by Qarmatians.
Soon after, in early 935, the
Ikhshidids
The Ikhshidid dynasty (, ) was a Turkic mamluk dynasty who ruled Egypt and the Levant from 935 to 969. Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid, a Turkic mamluk soldier, was appointed governor by the Abbasid Caliph al-Radi. The dynasty carried the Arabic t ...
, the new power in Egypt, took control of the Hejaz region. There are no historical records that detail the Ikhshidid rule of Hejaz. At this point in time, Jeddah was still unfortified and without walls.
The Fatimids, Ayyubids, and Mamluks
![TabulaRogeriana upside-down](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/TabulaRogeriana_upside-down.jpg)
In 969 AD, the
Fatimids
The Fatimid Caliphate was an Isma'ilism, Ismaili Shia Islam, Shi'a caliphate extant from the tenth to the twelfth centuries AD. Spanning a large area of North Africa, it ranged from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the ea ...
from Algeria took control in Egypt from the
Ikhshidid Governors of Abbasids and expanded their empire to the surrounding regions, including The Hijaz and Jeddah. The Fatimids developed an extensive trade network in both the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
and the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
through the
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; T ...
. Their trade and diplomatic ties extended all the way to China and its
Song Dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
, which eventually determined the economic course of
Tihamah
Tihamah or Tihama ( ar, تِهَامَةُ ') refers to the Red Sea coastal plain of the Arabian Peninsula from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Bab el Mandeb.
Etymology
Tihāmat is the Proto-Semitic language's term for 'sea'. Tiamat (or Tehom, in mas ...
during the
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the periodization, period of European history that lasted from AD 1000 to 1300. The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and were followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended ...
.
After
Saladin
Yusuf ibn Ayyub ibn Shadi () ( – 4 March 1193), commonly known by the epithet Saladin,, ; ku, سهلاحهدین, ; was the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. Hailing from an ethnic Kurdish family, he was the first of both Egypt and ...
's conquest of Jerusalem in 1171, he proclaimed himself sultan of Egypt, after dissolving the
Fatimid Caliphate
The Fatimid Caliphate was an Isma'ilism, Ismaili Shia Islam, Shi'a caliphate extant from the tenth to the twelfth centuries AD. Spanning a large area of North Africa, it ranged from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the ea ...
upon the death of
al-Adid
Abū Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh ibn Yūsuf ( ar, أبو محمد عبد الله بن يوسف; 1151–1171), better known by his regnal name al-ʿĀḍid li-Dīn Allāh ( ar, العاضد لدين الله, , Strengthener of God's Faith), was th ...
, thus establishing the
Ayyubid dynasty
The Ayyubid dynasty ( ar, الأيوبيون '; ) was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultan of Egypt, Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate, Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt. A Sunni ...
. Ayyubid conquests in Hejaz included Jeddah, which joined the
Ayyubid Empire
The Ayyubid dynasty ( ar, الأيوبيون '; ) was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt. A Sunni Muslim of Kurdish origin, Saladin ...
in 1177 during the leadership of
Sharif
Sharīf ( ar, شريف, 'noble', 'highborn'), also spelled shareef or sherif, feminine sharīfa (), plural ashrāf (), shurafāʾ (), or (in the Maghreb) shurfāʾ, is a title used to designate a person descended, or claiming to be descended, fr ...
Ibn Abul-Hashim Al-Thalab (1094–1201). During their relatively short-lived tenure, the Ayyubids ushered in an era of economic prosperity in the lands they ruled and the facilities and patronage provided by the Ayyubids led to a resurgence in intellectual activity in the
Islamic world
The terms Muslim world and Islamic world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is practiced. In ...
. This period was also marked by an Ayyubid process of vigorously strengthening
Sunni Muslim
Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word ''Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagree ...
dominance in the region by constructing numerous ''
madrasas
Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...
'' (Islamic schools) in their major cities. Jeddah attracted Muslim sailors and merchants from
Sindh
Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...
,
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
and
East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa:
Due to the historical ...
, and other distant regions.
In 1254, following events in
Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
and the dissolution of the Ayyubid Empire,
Hejaz
The Hejaz (, also ; ar, ٱلْحِجَاز, al-Ḥijāz, lit=the Barrier, ) is a region in the west of Saudi Arabia. It includes the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif, and Baljurashi. It is also known as the "Western Provin ...
became a part of the
Mamluk Sultanate
The Mamluk Sultanate ( ar, سلطنة المماليك, translit=Salṭanat al-Mamālīk), also known as Mamluk Egypt or the Mamluk Empire, was a state that ruled Egypt, the Levant and the Hejaz (western Arabia) from the mid-13th to early 16th ...
.
The Portuguese explorer
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira (; ; c. 1460s – 24 December 1524), was a Portuguese explorer and the first European to reach India by sea.
His initial voyage to India by way of Cape of Good Hope (1497–1499) was the first to link E ...
, having found his way around the
Cape
A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment which drapes the wearer's back, arms, and chest, and connects at the neck.
History
Capes were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon. Th ...
and obtained pilots from the coast of
Zanzibar
Zanzibar (; ; ) is an insular semi-autonomous province which united with Tanganyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. It is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of many small islands ...
in AD 1497, pushed his way across the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
to the shores of
Malabar
Malabar may refer to the following:
People
* Malabars, people originating from the Malabar region of India
* Malbars or Malabars, people of Tamil origin in Réunion
Places
* Malabar Coast, or Malabar, a region of the southwestern shoreline o ...
and
Calicut
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second la ...
, attacked fleets that carried freight and Muslim pilgrims from India to the
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; T ...
, and struck terror into the surrounding potentates. The Princes of
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
and
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
turned for help to
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
. Sultan
Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghawri
Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghuri ( ar, الأشرف قانصوه الغوري) or Qansuh II al-Ghawri (c. 1441/1446 – 24 August 1516) was the second-to-last of the Mamluk Sultans. One of the last and most powerful of the Burji dynasty, he reigned fr ...
accordingly fitted out a fleet of 50 vessels under the Governor of Jeddah,
Hussein the Kurd (aka. Mirocem). Jeddah was soon fortified with a wall, using forced labor, as a harbor of refuge from the
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
, allowing
Arabia
The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate. ...
and the Red Sea to be protected.
Ottoman Empire
![Portuguese attack on Jiddah 1517](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Portuguese_attack_on_Jiddah_1517.jpg)
In 1517, the
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922).
Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...
conquered the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt and Syria, during the reign of
Selim I
Selim I ( ota, سليم الأول; tr, I. Selim; 10 October 1470 – 22 September 1520), known as Selim the Grim or Selim the Resolute ( tr, links=no, Yavuz Sultan Selim), was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1512 to 1520. Despite last ...
.
["History of Arabia."](_blank)
Britannica.com.
The Ottomans rebuilt the weak walls of Jeddah in 1525 following the defense of the city against the
Lopo Soares de Albergaria's Armada at the
Siege of Jeddah (1517)
The siege of Jeddah was a naval battle that took place in the harbor of Jeddah between a Portuguese expeditionary force under Lopo Soares de Albergaria and Ottoman elements under Selman Reis.Serjeant, R. B. (1974). ''The Portuguese off the ...
. The new stone wall included six
watchtower
A watchtower or watch tower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to ...
s and six
city gate
A city gate is a gate which is, or was, set within a city wall. It is a type of fortified gateway.
Uses
City gates were traditionally built to provide a point of controlled access to and departure from a walled city for people, vehicles, goods ...
s. They were constructed to defend against the Portuguese attack. Of the six gates, the Gate of Mecca was the eastern gate and the Gate of
Al-Magharibah, facing the port, was the western gate. The Gate of Sharif faced south. The other gates were the Gate of Al-Bunt, Gate of Al-Sham (also called Gate of Al-Sharaf), and Gate of
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...
, facing north. The Turks also built
The Qishla of Jeddah, a small castle for the city soldiers. In the 19th century, these seven gates were minimized into four giant gates with four towers. These giant gates were the Gate of Sham to the north, the Gate of Mecca to the east, the Gate of Sharif to the south, and the Gate of Al-Magharibah on the seaside.
Jeddah became a direct Ottoman
Eyalet
Eyalets ( Ottoman Turkish: ایالت, , English: State), also known as beylerbeyliks or pashaliks, were a primary administrative division of the Ottoman Empire.
From 1453 to the beginning of the nineteenth century the Ottoman local government ...
, while the remaining
Hejaz
The Hejaz (, also ; ar, ٱلْحِجَاز, al-Ḥijāz, lit=the Barrier, ) is a region in the west of Saudi Arabia. It includes the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif, and Baljurashi. It is also known as the "Western Provin ...
under Sharif Barakat II became a Vassal state to the Ottoman Empire 8 years after the Siege of Jeddah in 1517.
Parts of the city wall still survive today in the
old city. Even though the Portuguese were successfully repelled from the city, fleets in the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
were at their mercy. This was evidenced by the
Battle of Diu
The Battle of Diu was a naval battle fought on 3 February 1509 in the Arabian Sea, in the port of Diu, India, between the Portuguese Empire and a joint fleet of the Sultan of Gujarat, the Mamlûk Burji Sultanate of Egypt, and the Zamorin ...
. The Portuguese soldiers' cemetery can still be found within the
old city today and is referred to as the site of the
Christian Graves.
Ahmed Al-Jazzar
Ahmad Pasha al-Jazzar ( ar, أحمد باشا الجزّار; ota, جزّار أحمد پاشا; ca. 1720–30s7 May 1804) was the Acre-based Ottoman governor of Sidon Eyalet from 1776 until his death in 1804 and the simultaneous governor of D ...
, the Ottoman military man mainly known for his role in the
Siege of Acre Siege of Acre may refer to:
* Siege of Acre (1104), following the First Crusade
*Siege of Acre (1189–1191), during the Third Crusade
* Siege of Acre (1263), Baibars laid siege to the Crusader city, but abandoned it to attack Nazareth.
*Siege of A ...
, spent the earlier part of his career at Jeddah. In Jeddah in 1750, he killed some seventy rioting nomads in retaliation for the killing of his commander, Abdullah Beg, earning him the nickname "Jezzar" (butcher).
On 15 June 1858, rioting in the city, believed to have been instigated by a former police chief in reaction to British policy in the
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; T ...
, led to the massacre of 25 Christians, including the British and French consuls, members of their families, and wealthy Greek merchants. The British frigate , anchored at port, bombarded the city for two days in retaliation.
First Saudi State and Ottoman–Saudi War
In 1802,
Nejdi forces conquered both Mecca and Jeddah from the Ottomans. When Sharif
Ghalib Efendi
Ghālib ibn Musā‘id ibn Sa‘īd ( ar, غالب بن مساعد بن سعيد) was a sharif who served as Sharif and Emir of Mecca from 1788 to 1813.
Succession to the Emirate
Ghalib was the son of the Emir of Mecca Musa'id ibn Sa'id (r. 1752- ...
informed
Sultan
Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
Mahmud II
Mahmud II ( ota, محمود ثانى, Maḥmûd-u s̠ânî, tr, II. Mahmud; 20 July 1785 – 1 July 1839) was the 30th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839.
His reign is recognized for the extensive administrative, ...
of this, the Sultan ordered his
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
ian viceroy
Muhammad Ali Pasha
Muhammad Ali Pasha al-Mas'ud ibn Agha, also known as Muhammad Ali of Egypt and the Sudan ( sq, Mehmet Ali Pasha, ar, محمد علي باشا, ; ota, محمد علی پاشا المسعود بن آغا; ; 4 March 1769 – 2 August 1849), was ...
to retake the city. Muhammad Ali successfully regained the city in the
Battle of Jeddah in 1813.
World War I and the Hashemite Kingdom
![Painting of Mohammed Abu Zenada](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Painting_of_Mohammed_Abu_Zenada.jpg)
During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Sharif
Hussein bin Ali declared a revolt against the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, seeking independence from the Ottoman Turks and the creation of a single unified
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
state spanning from
Aleppo
)), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black".
, motto =
, image_map =
, mapsize =
, map_caption =
, image_map1 =
...
in
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
to
Aden
Aden ( ar, عدن ' Yemeni: ) is a city, and since 2015, the temporary capital of Yemen, near the eastern approach to the Red Sea (the Gulf of Aden), some east of the strait Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000 people. ...
in
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
.
King Hussein declared the
Kingdom of Hejaz
The Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz ( ar, المملكة الحجازية الهاشمية, ''Al-Mamlakah al-Ḥijāziyyah Al-Hāshimiyyah'') was a state in the Hejaz region in the Middle East that included the western portion of the Arabian Penins ...
. Later, Hussein was involved in a war with
Ibn Saud
Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud ( ar, عبد العزيز بن عبد الرحمن آل سعود, ʿAbd al ʿAzīz bin ʿAbd ar Raḥman Āl Suʿūd; 15 January 1875Ibn Saud's birth year has been a source of debate. It is generally accepted ...
, who was the Sultan of
Nejd
Najd ( ar, نَجْدٌ, ), or the Nejd, forms the geographic center of Saudi Arabia, accounting for about a third of the country's modern population and, since the Emirate of Diriyah, acting as the base for all unification campaigns by the H ...
. Hussein abdicated following the fall of
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...
, in December 1924, and his son
Ali bin Hussein became the new king.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
![IbnSaudInJeddah](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/IbnSaudInJeddah.jpg)
A few months later,
Ibn Saud
Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud ( ar, عبد العزيز بن عبد الرحمن آل سعود, ʿAbd al ʿAzīz bin ʿAbd ar Raḥman Āl Suʿūd; 15 January 1875Ibn Saud's birth year has been a source of debate. It is generally accepted ...
, whose clan originated in the central
Nejd
Najd ( ar, نَجْدٌ, ), or the Nejd, forms the geographic center of Saudi Arabia, accounting for about a third of the country's modern population and, since the Emirate of Diriyah, acting as the base for all unification campaigns by the H ...
province, conquered
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...
and Jeddah via an agreement with Jeddans following the
Second Battle of Jeddah. He deposed
Ali bin Hussein, who fled to
Baghdad
Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
, eventually settling in
Amman
Amman (; ar, عَمَّان, ' ; Ammonite language, Ammonite: 𐤓𐤁𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤍 ''Rabat ʻAmān'') is the capital and largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of 4,061,150 a ...
,
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
, where his descendants became part of its
Hashemite
The Hashemites ( ar, الهاشميون, al-Hāshimīyūn), also House of Hashim, are the royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Hejaz (1916–1925), Syria (1920), and Iraq (1921 ...
royalty.
As a result, Jeddah came under the sway of the
Al-Saud dynasty in December 1925. In 1926, Ibn Saud added the title King of Hejaz to his position of Sultan of Nejd. Today, Jeddah has lost its historical role in peninsular politics after Jeddah fell within the new province of
Makkah
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow va ...
, whose provincial capital is the city of
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...
.
From 1928 to 1932, the new Khuzam Palace was built as the new residence of King Abdul Aziz in Jeddah. The palace lies south of the old walled city and was constructed under the supervision of the engineer
Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden
Muhammad Binladin ( ar, محمد بن لادن, translit=Muḥammad Binlādin; – 3 September 1967) was a Saudi tycoon who founded the Saudi Binladin Group. He worked primarily in the construction industry and became the wealthiest non-royal S ...
. After 1963, the palace was used as a royal guest house; since 1995, it has housed the Regional Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography.
The remaining walls and gates of the old city were demolished in 1947. A fire in 1982 destroyed some ancient buildings in the old town center, called
Al-Balad
Al-Balad ( ar, البلد, "The City"), is the 90th Surah or chapter of the Qur'an. It is composed of 20 '' ayat'' (verses).
Summary
*1-7 Man, though created in misery, yet boasts of his riches
*8-16 Captives to be freed and the poor and orpha ...
, but much is still preserved. A house-by-house survey of the old districts was made in 1979, showing that some 1000 traditional buildings still existed, though the number of structures with great historic value was far less. In 1990, a Jeddah Historical Area Preservation Department was founded.
The modern city has expanded wildly beyond its old boundaries. The built-up area expanded mainly to the north along the Red Sea coastline, reaching the new airport during the 1990s and since edging its way around it toward the Ob'hur Creek, some from the old city center.
Geography
![Jeddah map](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Jeddah_map.png)
Jeddah is located in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea
coastal plain
A coastal plain is flat, low-lying land adjacent to a sea coast. A fall line commonly marks the border between a coastal plain and a piedmont area. Some of the largest coastal plains are in Alaska and the southeastern United States. The Gulf Coa ...
(called
Tihamah
Tihamah or Tihama ( ar, تِهَامَةُ ') refers to the Red Sea coastal plain of the Arabian Peninsula from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Bab el Mandeb.
Etymology
Tihāmat is the Proto-Semitic language's term for 'sea'. Tiamat (or Tehom, in mas ...
). Jeddah lies in the Hijazi Tihama () region which is in the lower
Hijaz mountains
The Hijaz Mountains ( ar, جِبَال ٱلْحِجَاز, Jibāl al-Ḥijāz ()) or "Hejaz Range" is a mountain range located in the Hejazi region of western Saudi Arabia. The range runs north and south along the eastern coast of the Red Sea, a ...
. Historically, politically and culturally, Jeddah was a major city of
Hejaz Vilayet, the
Kingdom of Hejaz
The Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz ( ar, المملكة الحجازية الهاشمية, ''Al-Mamlakah al-Ḥijāziyyah Al-Hāshimiyyah'') was a state in the Hejaz region in the Middle East that included the western portion of the Arabian Penins ...
and other regional political entities according to Hijazi history books. It is the 100th largest city in the world by land area.
Climate
Jeddah features an
arid climate
The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk''), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...
(''BWh'') under
Koppen's climate classification, with a tropical temperature range. Unlike other Saudi Arabian cities, Jeddah retains its warm temperature in winter, which can range from at dawn to in the afternoon. Summer temperatures are extremely hot, often breaking the mark in the afternoon and dropping to in the evening. Summers are also quite steamy, with dew points often exceeding , particularly in September. Rainfall in Jeddah is generally sparse, and usually occurs in small amounts in November and December. Heavy thunderstorms are common in winter. The thunderstorm of December 2008 was the largest in recent memory, with rain reaching around . The lowest temperature ever recorded in Jeddah was on February 10, 1993.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Jeddah was on June 22, 2010,
which is the highest temperature to have ever been recorded in Saudi Arabia.
Dust storm
A dust storm, also called a sandstorm, is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Fine particles are transporte ...
s happen in summer and sometimes in winter, coming from the
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate ...
's deserts or from
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
. Occasionally, the dust storms accompany thunderstorms.
Economy
![Jeddah Mall of Arabia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Jeddah_Mall_of_Arabia.jpg)
Jeddah has long been a port city. Even before being designated the port city for Mecca, Jeddah was a trading hub for the region. In the 19th century, goods such as mother-of-pearl, tortoise shells, frankincense, and spices were routinely exported from the city. Apart from this, many imports into the city were destined for further transit to the Suez, Africa, or Europe. Many goods passing through Jeddah could not even be found in the city or even in Arabia.
All of the capitals of the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
and North Africa are within two hours flying distance of Jeddah, making it the second commercial center of the Middle East after Dubai.
Also, Jeddah's industrial district is the fourth largest industrial city in Saudi Arabia after
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
,
Jubail
Jubail ( ar, الجبيل, ''Al Jubayl'') is a city in the Eastern province on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia, with a total population of 684,531 as of 2021. It is home to the largest industrial city in the world. It is also home to th ...
and
Yanbu
Yanbu ( ar, ينبع, lit=Spring, translit=Yanbu'), also known simply as Yambu or Yenbo, is a city in the Al Madinah Province of western Saudi Arabia. It is approximately 300 kilometers northwest of Jeddah (at ). The population is 222,360 (2 ...
.
King Abdullah Street
![King_Abdullah_Street,_Jeddah](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/King_Abdullah_Street%2C_Jeddah.jpg)
King Abdullah Street is one of the most important streets in Jeddah and runs from King Fahd Road by the waterfront in the west of Jeddah to the eastern end of the city. It is famous for hosting numerous corporate offices and commercial developments. It will be near the HSR Entrance in Jeddah central train station which connects Jeddah with Makkah, AL-Madinah, and King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). And it also has the tallest flagpole in the world at a height of 170 m (558 ft). This road also faced a catastrophe in 2011 when it was submerged with rainwater.
Tahliyah Street
![Jeddah galleria](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Jeddah_galleria.jpg)
Tahaliyah Street is an important fashion and shopping street in central Jeddah. It contains many upscale departments and high fashion brands stores as well as boutiques. It has been renamed "Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Aziz Road" by the government, but this official name is not widely used. It also has many
fine dining
Fine may refer to:
Characters
* Sylvia Fine (''The Nanny''), Fran's mother on ''The Nanny''
* Officer Fine, a character in ''Tales from the Crypt'', played by Vincent Spano
Legal terms
* Fine (penalty), money to be paid as punishment for an offe ...
options.
Madinah Road
Madinah
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...
Road is a historically significant street in Jeddah. It links the Southern districts with the North and contains the Main offices of several companies and showrooms. The northern end of the road links to the
King Abdul Aziz Int'l Airport, which is a contributing factor to heavy traffic on this road at most times during the day.
Culture
Religious significance
![A Lady from Jeddah 1873](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/A_Lady_from_Jeddah_1873.JPG)
Most citizens are
Sunni Muslims
Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...
. The government, courts, and civil and criminal laws enforce a moral code established by Shari'ah. A very small minority of Saudi citizens are
Shia Muslims
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most n ...
, and there is also a large foreign workforce.
The city has over 1,300
mosque
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
s. The law does not allow other religions' buildings, books, icons, and expressions of faith. However, private religious observance not involving Muslims nor offending public order and morality is tolerated.
Since the 7th century, Jeddah has hosted millions of Muslim pilgrims from all over the world on their way to
Hajj
The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried ...
. This merge with pilgrims has a major impact on the society, religion, and economy of Jeddah.
Cuisine
![The_Hijazi_Saleeg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/The_Hijazi_Saleeg.jpg)
Jeddah's multi-ethnic citizenry has influenced Jeddah's traditional cuisine.
Some dishes are native to the Hejaz, like
Saleeg
Saleeg ( ar, سليق ) is a white-rice dish, cooked with broth (chicken or other meat) and milk. It originates in Hejaz region in the west of Saudi Arabia, where it is commonly regarded as a national dish of the region. The dish is very popular ...
and Mabshūr () is a white-rice dish, cooked in broth, often made with chicken instead of lamb meat. Jeddah cuisine is popular as well and dishes like, Foul, Shorabah Hareira (Hareira soup), Mugalgal, Madhbi (chicken grilled on stone), Madfun (literally meaning "buried"), Magloobah, Kibdah, Manzalah (usually eaten at
Eid ul-Fitr
, nickname = Festival of Breaking the Fast, Lesser Eid, Sweet Eid, Sugar Feast
, observedby = Muslims
, type = Islamic
, longtype = Islamic
, significance = Commemoration to mark the end of fasting in Ramadan
, dat ...
), Magliya (a local version of
falafel
Falafel (; ar, فلافل, ) is a deep-fried ball or patty-shaped fritter in Middle Eastern cuisine (especially in Levantine and Egyptian cuisines) made from ground chickpeas, broad beans, or both. Nowadays, falafel is often served in a p ...
) and Saiyadyia which can be acquired in many traditional restaurants around the city, such as Althamrat, Abo-Zaid, Al-Quarmooshi, Ayaz, and Hejaziyat.
Some were imported from other Saudi regions like
Kabsa
), ''makbūs/machbūs'' ( ar, مكبوس/مچبوس)
, country = Saudi Arabia
, region = Arabian Peninsula
, creator =
, course = Meal
, served =
, main_ingredient = Rice (usually long-grain, ...
from Najd, Arīka () and Ma'sūb () from the southern Saudi region. Other Dishes were imported from other cultures through Saudis of different origins, like
Mantu, Yaghmush () and
Ruz Bukhāri () from Central Asia, Börek, Burēk and Tsoureki, Šurēk and Kabab almīru () from Turkey and the Balkans, Mandi (food), Mandi from Yemen, Murtabak, Mutabbag () from Yemen-Malaysia, Biryāni and Kābli () rice dishes from South Asia.
The most popular local fast-food chain, begun in 1974, is Albaik, with branches in Jeddah and the neighboring cities of Makkah, Madinah and Yanbu. Their main dish is broasted (broiled and roasted) chicken, commonly known by Jeddawis as "Broast", and a variety of seafood.The popular fast food chain recently opened branches in Riyadh. Dammam, Buraidah, Bahrain, and Dubai in the UAE.
Open-air art
![Hope for the right path](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Hope_for_the_right_path.jpg)
During the oil boom in the late 1970s and 1980s, there was a focused civic effort led by the then city's mayor Mohamed Said Farsi to bring art to Jeddah's Public space, public areas. As a result, Jeddah contains a large number of modern open-air sculptures and works of art, typically situated in roundabouts, making the city one of the largest open-air art galleries in the world. Sculptures include works by Jean/Hans Arp, César Baldaccini, Alexander Calder, Henry Moore, Joan Miró, Hubert Minnebo and Victor Vasarely. They often depict traditional Saudi items such as coffee pots, incense burners, palm trees, etc. The fact that Islamic tradition prohibits the depiction of living creatures, notably the human form, has made for some very creative, as well as bizarre, modern art. These include a giant geometry set, a giant bicycle, and a huge block of concrete with several cars protruding from it at odd angles and a monumental sculpture by Aref Rayess called "Swords of God (Soyuf Allah)". At the interchange between Al-Madinah Road, King Abdulaziz Road, and Prince Abullah Al-Faisal Road, there are large sculptures of camels that are the center of a very dangerous roundabout. The camel bodies are not full; they are broken up to prevent it portraying living creatures, which is against Wahhabi belief.
Museums and collections
There are about a dozen museums or collections in Jeddah, with varied educational aims and professionalism. These include the Jeddah Regional Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography run by the Deputy Ministry of Antiquities and Museums, the Jeddah Municipal Museum, the Nasseef House, the Humane Heritage Museum, the private Abdul Rauf Hasan Khalil Museum and the private Arts Heritage Museum.
Events and festivals
Red Sea International Film Festival
Jeddah has been selected as a place for the annual Red Sea International Film Festival that will be held in 2020.
Jeddah International Book Fair
Jeddah hosts an annual international book fair called Jeddah International Book Fair, Jeddah international book fair.
It is the second largest book fair in Saudi Arabia, and it was first held in 2015. The book fair is held annually in early December.
Jeddah Season
Jeddah Season is a part of the Saudi government's Saudi Seasons initiatives that aims at launching a high-level tourism activities in Saudi Arabia. The first version of the season has been held in June–July 2019.
Around 150 activities and events have been organized in five destinations in Jeddah.
As Saudi Seasons 2019 aims at shedding the light on the diverse Saudi culture and heritage. Jeddah was chosen because it is one of the most culturally-rich Saudi cities with a history that spans over 3,000 years.
Most of Jeddah Season's events and activities have been held at King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah's historical area, Al-Hamra Corniche, and the Jeddah Waterfront.
Jeddah Season aim to make Jeddah the most preferred tourist destination in the world and the best season of Saudi Seasons.
Media
Jeddah is served by four major Arabic-language newspapers, ''Asharq Al-Awsat'', ''Al Madina Press, Al Madina'', ''Okaz'', and ''Al-Bilad (Saudi newspaper), Al Bilad'', as well as two major English-language newspapers, the ''Saudi Gazette'' and ''Arab News''. ''Okaz'' and ''Al-Madina'' are the primary newspapers of Jeddah and some other Saudi cities, with over a million readers; their focus is mainly local.
Internet blogs specifically informative of the locality are abundant in Jeddah, catering mostly to the widespread expatriate population. Of these are constituted websites that have garnered international acclaim for informativeness, such as Jeddah Blog, the recipient of the Bronze Expat Blog Award in 2012 and the Gold Award in 2013 and is among Feedspot's Top 100 Middle East blogs. Other amateur websites catering to specific topics in the region exist as well.
Jeddah represents the largest radio and television market in Saudi Arabia. Television stations serving the city area include Saudi TV1, Saudi T.V. Channel II, Saudi TV2, Saudi TV Sports, Al Ekhbariya, the Arab Radio and Television Network, ART channels network and hundreds of cable, satellite, and other specialty television providers.
The Jeddah TV Tower is a high television tower with an observation deck.
Accent
The Jeddah region's distinctive speech pattern is called the Hejazi Arabic, Hejazi dialect; it is among the most recognizable accents within the Arabic language.
Cityscape
Old Jeddah
![Jeddah historic (3278312442)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Jeddah_historic_%283278312442%29.jpg)
The Old City known as
Al-Balad
Al-Balad ( ar, البلد, "The City"), is the 90th Surah or chapter of the Qur'an. It is composed of 20 '' ayat'' (verses).
Summary
*1-7 Man, though created in misery, yet boasts of his riches
*8-16 Captives to be freed and the poor and orpha ...
with its traditional multistory buildings and merchant houses, that often still belong to the families that inhabited them before the oil-era, has lost ground to more modern developments. Nonetheless, the Old City contributes to Hejazi's cultural identity. Since it has been granted UNESCO World Heritage status, in 2014, several traditional buildings have been restored and made open to the public. In 2019, the Saudi crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman, Muhammad bin Salman, has issued a royal decree that orders Ministry of Culture (Saudi Arabia), The Ministry of Culture to restore 50 historical buildings in Jeddah. Several historic mosques from different eras are located in al-Balad, as well as one of oldest museums in the city, called Bayt Naseef or Naseef house, displaying local furniture and interior design of the past 150 years, approximately.
Resorts and hotels
The city has many popular resorts, including Durrat Al-Arus, Al-Nawras Mövenpick resort at the Red Sea Corniche, Crystal Resort
Radisson Blu The Signature Al Murjan Beach Resort, Al Nakheel Village, Sands, and Sheraton Abhur. Many are renowned for their preserved Red Sea marine life and offshore coral reefs.
Consulates
One of two Consul (representative), consulates of the United States of America in Saudi Arabia is located in Jeddah, along with the consulates for 67 other countries such as Afghanistan, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, France, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Philippines, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Italy, Russia and China, Mainland China. Some of the other consulates present include, countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League states.
Historical Jeddah
![F41A7208](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/F41A7208.jpg)
Historical Jeddah is situated on the eastern shore of the
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; T ...
. From the 7th century AD, it was established as a major port for Indian Ocean trade routes, channeling goods to Mecca. It was also the gateway for Muslim pilgrims to Mecca who arrived by sea. These twin roles saw the city develop into a thriving multicultural center, characterized by a distinctive architectural tradition, including tower houses built in the late 19th century by the city's mercantile elites, and combining Red Sea coastal coral building traditions with influences and crafts from along the trade routes.
Within a defensive wall that was built during Ottoman rule, the old city of Jeddah, Al-Balad, was divided into districts, or ''Haras'', where business and trade centered around traditional ''souks'', or market places, and ''khans'', covered markets that were generally connected to shops.
Harrat Al-Mathloum (District of the Wronged)
Located in the North East, this district was named after Abdulkarim Al-Barzangi, a Hijazi rebel who was crucified by the Ottomans, some of its landmarks are:
* Dar Al-Qabil
* Dar Al-Ba'ashin
* Dar Al-Sheikh
* Al-Shafi'i Mosque The oldest mosque in town, its minaret was built in the 13th century, and its pillars date back to Ottoman rule.
* Mosque of Uthman bin Affan Also called the Ebony Mosque because of its two ebony pillars, it was mentioned in the writings of
Ibn Battuta
Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Battutah (, ; 24 February 13041368/1369),; fully: ; Arabic: commonly known as Ibn Battuta, was a Berbers, Berber Maghrebi people, Maghrebi scholar and explorer who travelled extensively in the lands of Afro-Eurasia, ...
and Ibn Jubayr.
* Al-Mia'mar Mosque An old mosque built in the 17th century.
* Souq Al-Jama One of the oldest markets in town.
Harrat Al-Sham (The Levantine District)
Located in the north and named after its orientation, some of its landmarks are:
* Dar Al-Sadat
* Dar Al-Serti
* Dar Al-Zahid
* Dar Al-Banajah
* Al-Basha Mosque
Built by Bakr Basha, the governor of Jeddah in 1735.
Harrat Al-Yemen (The Yemeni District)
![Beit Bajanaid](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Beit_Bajanaid.jpg)
Located in the south and is also named after its orientation, its landmarks include:
* Beit Nasseef By far the most famous site in the old town, it was built in 1881 for Omar Nassif Efendi, governor of Jeddah at the time, and served as the royal residence of Ibn Saud, King Abdulaziz after conquering the city.
* Dar Al-Jamjoom
* Dar Al-Sha'araoui
* Dar Al-Abdulsamad
* Dar Al-Kayal
* Beit Al-Matbouli
* Beit Al-Joghadar
Harrat Al-Bahar (The Seafront District)
Located in the southwest, some of its landmarks are:
* Dar Al-Nas
* Dar Al-Radwan
* Dar Al-Nimr
Main sights
Abdul Raouf Khalil Museum
Founded by Sheikh Abdul Raouf Khalil in 1996, this museum not only presents the rich Islamic cultural heritage of the city but also its pre-Islamic history that goes back to 2500 years; it traces the various civilizations that inhabited the region. Located in the downtown district, it boasts of large collection of items and artifacts belonging to the Ottoman Turks and the fishermen tribes who were the first inhabitants of the region.
King Fahd's Fountain
![King Fahd's Fountain](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/King_Fahd%27s_Fountain.jpg)
King Fahd's Fountain was built in the 1980s, can be seen from a great distance and, at , is the highest water jet in the world according to the Guinness World Records.
[Photograph of King Fahd Fountain](_blank)
at treklens.com The fountain was donated to the City of Jeddah by the late Fahd of Saudi Arabia, King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, after whom it was named.
Al-Rahmah Mosque
![Al-Rahmah Mosque 7](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Al-Rahmah_Mosque_7.jpg)
Sometimes referred to as the floating mosque because of it being built above water, this fascinating mix of the old architecture and the new was built in 1985. It is a popular spot among tourists and natives looking to lounge by the seaside.
Al-Jawhara Stadium
Is a new stadium launched in 2014, located north of Jeddah, is used mostly for football, reaching a full capacity of 62,241 spectators. It is the largest stadium in Jeddah, and the second-largest in Saudi Arabia.
King Saud Mosque
The largest mosque in the city. Built in 1987, it displays beautiful Islamic architecture and was built by Egyptian architect Abdel Wahed El Wakil.
NCB Tower
Built-in 1983 and believed to be the highest tower in Saudi Arabia during the 1980s, with a height of over , the National Commercial Bank was Saudi Arabia's first bank.
IDB Tower
The Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development financing institution. It was founded by the first conference of Finance Ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC, now the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation), convened 18 December 1973. The bank officially began its activities on 20 October 1975.
Jeddah Municipality Tower
This is the headquarters of the metropolitan area of Jeddah. The municipality's new building is going to be not only Jeddah's tallest but is also going to dethrone the Burj Khalifa.
This proposed tower, formerly known as the Kingdom Tower, is being built in Jeddah by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal and will stand tall. Upon its completion, it will be the tallest skyscraper in the world. The building has been scaled down from its initial proposal, since the ground proved unsuitable for a building that tall, to a height of at least (the exact height is being kept private while in development, similar to the Burj Khalifa),
which, at about one kilometer (), would still make it by far the List of tallest buildings and structures in the world, tallest building or structure in the world to date, standing at least taller than the Burj Khalifa in
Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
. Construction began in April 2013 and there was steady progress, but in January 2018, building owner JEC halted structural concrete work with the tower about one-third completed due to labor issues with a contractor following the 2017–19 Saudi Arabian purge. JEC had said they planned to restart construction in 2020.
King Road Tower
King Road Tower is a commercial and office building, the external walls of which are used to show commercials. The building also has a helipad on its roof. King Road Tower has the largest Light-emitting diode, LED display in the world on its walls.
Al Jawharah Tower
Al Jawharah Tower is a residential high-rise under construction. It became the third-tallest structure in Jeddah when completed in 2014.
Jeddah Flagpole
![Jeddah Fahne](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Jeddah_Fahne.JPG)
The King Abdullah Square on the intersection of Andalus Road with King Abdullah Road had the world's tallest flagpole. It is high and the Saudi flag atop it weighs . On the 84th Saudi Arabia National Day, September 23, 2014, the flagpole hoisted a huge Saudi flag before a crowd of thousands. The flagpole succeeded Dushanbe Flagpole as the tallest flagpole in the world until 26 December 2021, when the Cairo Flagpole in Cairo, Egypt was erected at a height of 201.952 m (662.57 ft).
Entrance of Mecca
Bab Makkah, also known as Makkah Gate, is a limestone coral gateway that leads into the historic Al-Balad district of Jeddah.
The Mecca Gate, named the "Quran Gate", is located 60 km outside Jeddah on the Mecca, Makkah Mukkarram road of the Jeddah - Mecca Highway. It is the entrance to
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...
and the birthplace of Muhammad. The gate signifies the boundary of the Haram (site), Haram area of the city of Mecca, where non-Muslims are prohibited to enter. The gate was designed in 1979 by Egyptian architect Samir Elabd for the architectural firm IDEA Center. The structure is that of a book, representing the Quran, sitting on a ''Rehal (book rest), rehal'', or book stand.
[IDEA Center Projects](_blank)
– Makkah Gate
Jeddah waterfront
The new waterfront was inaugurated in November 2017, by Makkah Governor, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.
[Makkah governor opens Jeddah's new waterfront](_blank)
– Arab news![Entry-Gate-of-Mecca-on-Jaddah-Makkah-Highway 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Entry-Gate-of-Mecca-on-Jaddah-Makkah-Highway_2.jpg)
It spans an area of on the Red Sea. It has many facilities including swimming beaches, huts, floating marina dock, washrooms, restaurants, parks, dancing fountains, playgrounds, and access to wifi.
[New Jeddah Waterfront open for visitors](_blank)
– Gulf News
This project of developing JW (Jeddah Waterfront) has been awarded as Jeddah Innovation Award of the year 1439H in the field of government innovation, by the province of Jeddah.
Education
Schools, colleges and universities
![KAUST laboratory buildings and town mosque](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/KAUST_laboratory_buildings_and_town_mosque.jpg)
, Jeddah had 849 Public school (government-funded), public and private schools for male students and another 1,179 public and private schools for female students. The medium of instruction in both public and private schools is typically Arabic, with emphasis on English language, English as a second language. However, some private schools administered by foreign entities conduct classes in English. These include 10+ Indian schools following the Central Board of Secondary Education, CBSE board of education system, several Pakistani and Bangladeshi schools as well. , Jeddah also had four Philippine international schools, with two more scheduled to open shortly afterward.
[Salud, Francis R.]
2 More Filipino Schools to Open in Jeddah
Archive
. ''Arab News''. Thursday 7 March 2005. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
Jeddah's universities and colleges include the following:
* King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences
* King Abdulaziz University
* King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
* University of Jeddah
* Arab Open University
* Dar Al-Hekma College
* Effat University
* University of Business and Technology (UBT)
* Teacher's College
* Jeddah College of Technology
* Jeddah Private College
* College of Health Care
* College of Telecom & Electronics
* College of Community
* Private College of Business
* Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies
* Batterjee Medical College
* Prince Sultan College of Tourism
* Prince Sultan Aviation Academy
* International Islamic Fiqh Academy, Jeddah, Islamic Fiqh Academy
* Jeddah Institute for Speech and Hearing
* Saudi German Institute for Nursing
![PISJ Uniform](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/PISJ_Uniform.jpg)
Jeddah is also home to several primary, intermediate and secondary schools such as:
* Jeddah Knowledge International School
* American International School of Jeddah
* Italian international school
* Jeddah International School
* Zahrat Al-Sahraa International school (ZSIS)
* Cedar International School
* British International School of Jeddah (Continental, BISJ)
* École Française Internationale de Djeddah
* German International School Jeddah
* Al-Thager Model School
* International Indian School Jeddah (IISJ)
* Pakistan International School Jeddah (PISJ)
* Talal International School Jeddah (TISJ)
* DPS Jeddah Al-Falah International School
* International Philippine School in Jeddah
* Jeddah Japanese School
* Korean International School of Jeddah (KISJ; 젯다한국국제학교)
* Al-Waha International School
* Beladi International School Jeddah
* Yusr International School
* Al-Afaq International School
* Manarat Jeddah Schools
* Gharnatah International School
* New Al Wurood International School Jeddah [NAWIS]
* Bangladesh International School Jeddah (BISESJ)
* Bader International School
* Nobles International School (NIS)
* Dauha Al Uloom International School (DAUISJ)
* Al-Fath Schools
* Al-Aqsa Private Schools
* Dar Al-Fikr Schools (DAF)
* Al-Fanar School Jeddah
* Dar Al-Thikr Schools
* Hala International School (HIS)
* Jeddah International Turkish School (JITS)
* Jeddah Prep and Grammar School (JPGS)
* Al Hamraa Girls' School
* Building Blocks (private school)
* Dar Jana International School (DJIS)
* Al Mawarid International School Jeddah [AMIS]
* Pioneer International School
* Duaa International School Jeddah (DISJ)
* Jeddah Private School (JPS)
* Nhaond School
* Number 18 High School
* Number 25 Secondary School
* Tuletelah High School
* Bangladesh International School And College (Bangla Section) Jeddah (BISCJ)
* Al-Afkar International School
* Waad Academy School
* Al Kon International School
Libraries
The central library at King Abdulaziz University (main branch) is a five-story building that has a large collection of Arabic and English language books, rare books, and documents as well as access to several online databases. It is open for public access and allows the borrowing of books after requesting a library card. Saturdays are dedicated to female visitors.
King Abdul Aziz Public Library is a philanthropic institution that was founded and supported by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, chairman of its board of directors. Established in 1985, the library was officially opened by the King on 27 February 1987. It emphasizes Islamic and Arabic heritage and history of the Kingdom. The library is divided into three branches (men's, women's, and children's).
The limited number of libraries is criticized by the public. As a result, King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has approved the King Abdullah Project for the Development of Public Libraries, and approximately SAR150 million is budgeted to be spent.
In April 2014, Prince Mishaal Ibn Abdullah Abdulaziz opened a new public library in Jeddah by Makkah Governor, under the name of King Fahd Public Library.
King Fahd Public Library was built over an area of within the main Campus of King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Jeddah. it includes a diverse collection of books and reference material classified into three sections to meet the needs and wants of a wide range of readership. Spaces have been set apart for youths, children and women.
Sports
![Jawhara Stadium](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Jawhara_Stadium.jpg)
Jeddah is the home of the two largest well-known football clubs teams, Al-Ittihad Club (Jeddah), Al-Ittihad Club and Al-Ahli Saudi FC. Both teams play their league matches at King Abdullah Stadium, which is located northern part of Jeddah near King Abdelaziz Airport.
The city is home to the 2015 Saudi Arabian basketball Champion Al-Ittihad Jeddah (basketball), Al-Ittihad Jeddah, which plays its home games in the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Basketball Arena.
On 5 November 2020, it was announced that Jeddah will host the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, round of the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is a street circuit, winding through the Jeddah Corniche along the Red Sea, north of the main part of the city. The race debuted on 5 December 2021, and is scheduled to be held in the city until 2025.
Transport
Airport
![King Abdulaziz International Airport - North Terminal 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/King_Abdulaziz_International_Airport_-_North_Terminal_1.jpg)
Jeddah is served by King Abdulaziz International Airport. The airport has four passenger terminals. One is the Hajj Terminal, a special outdoor terminal covered by large white tents, which was constructed to handle the more than two million pilgrims who pass through the airport during the
Hajj
The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried ...
season. The Southern Terminal is used by Saudia and Flynas (both based in Saudi Arabia), while the Northern Terminal serves foreign airlines. A plan for the extension of the airport is being developed. The Royal Terminal is a special terminal reserved for VIPs, foreign kings and presidents, and the Saudi royal family. A portion of the airport, King Abdullah Air Base, was used by Coalition of the Gulf War, Coalition B-52 Stratofortress, B-52 heavy bombers during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
Before King Abdulaziz Airport opened in 1981, Kandara Airport served Jeddah. It was at Kandara, a neighborhood very near the town center. However, the old Jeddah airport experienced heavy congestions, especially during Hajj seasons. After the airport became defunct, the area was redeveloped for housing.
Seaport
![Jeddah-seaport-saudiarabia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Jeddah-seaport-saudiarabia.PNG)
The Jeddah Seaport is the List of busiest container ports, 32nd busiest seaport in the world . It handles the majority of Saudi Arabia's commercial movement.
In 2017 Jeddah seaport handled 4,309,765 TEUs and in the year 2018 handled 4,215,248 TEUs.
Jeddah is part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast to the Upper Adriatic region with its rail connections to Central and Eastern Europe.
Road and rail
![Talgo 350 SRO](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Talgo_350_SRO.jpg)
Highway 40 (Saudi Arabia), Highway 40, which begins in Jeddah, connects the city to
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...
,
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
and Dammam on the east coast. Jeddah does not have any rapid transit system, but the Haramain High Speed Rail Project provides a connection to
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...
and
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...
.
There is a contracted plan to build an extensive light metro system known as the Jeddah Metro, throughout the city,
originally by 2020. Jeddah's main highways run parallel to each other.
Issues and challenges
The city is challenged by pollution, weak Sewage, sewage systems, a weak storm drain system that led to massive floodings, heavy traffic, epidemics, and water shortages.
Pollution and environment
Air pollution is a problem for Jeddah, particularly on hot summer days. The city has experienced bush fires, landfill fires, and pollution from the two industrial zones in the north and the south of the metropolitan area. A water treatment factory and the Jeddah Seaport, seaport also contribute to water pollution. Much of the seafront, however, is considered to be safe and clean. Ramboll has acted as Environmental Consultant on the Jeddah Environmental Impact Assessment as well as the Jeddah Environmental Social Masterplan.
Terrorism
On 6 December 2004, a group of five men associated with the terrorist group Al-Qaeda (Al-Qaeda Organization in the Arabian Peninsula) conducted a mid-day attack on the U.S. Consulate, which killed five Consulate workers. The group was led by Fayez ibn Awwad Al-Jeheni, a former member of the Saudi religious police. Two other assailants were subsequently identified by the Saudi authorities as residents of Jeddah's Al-Jamia suburb and other slums on Saudi Arabia's increasingly urbanized west coast. Buildings were attacked, hostages taken and used as human shields, and the U.S. and non-U.S. staff were under siege, although the chancery/consular section building itself was never penetrated.
Closed-circuit video feeds documented that the Saudi security personnel assigned to protect the facility fled when the vehicle holding the terrorists pulled up to the front gate and ran past the Delta barrier. Inside the compound, however, an armed Saudi security guard employed by the embassy shot and killed one terrorist before being fatally shot himself.
The attackers spread and ignited a flammable liquid on the front of the chancery building, and opened fire on the front doors, both of which actions did not have any penetrating effect. The Consulate's U.S. Marines released tear gas in front of the chancery building, but the terrorists had already left that location. More than an hour later, Saudi special forces made it through traffic and, along with others from their unit who arrived in a helicopter, fought to retake the compound. Two of the terrorists were killed in the final fight, with another dying later in hospital and the final militant being captured alive. Four Saudi special forces and a further 10 hostages were wounded in the crossfire.
The five Foreign Service National employees who died during the terrorist attack were Ali Yaslem Bin Talib, Imad e-Deen Musa Ali, Romeo de la Rosa, Mohammed Baheer Uddin, and Jaufar Sadik. The casualties came from Yemen, Sudan, Philippines, India and Sri Lanka.
The attack underscores the ongoing vulnerabilities of Westerners to threats, terrorist actions, and the environs. In a communiqué posted in online publications such as ''Sawt al-Jihad'' (Voice of Jihad) and ''Mu'askar al-Battar'' (Al-Battar Training Camp), Al-Qaeda hinted at the symbolic nature of the U.S. Consulate attack, stating: "Know that the Mujahideen are determined to continue on their path, and they will not be weakened by what has happened to them."
Terrorist activities have persisted from 2004 to the present day. In 2004 there was an unsuccessful shooting attack on a U.S. Marine visiting the Saudi American Bank and an attempt to simultaneously explode car bombs at Saudi American Bank and Saudi British Bank branches in Jeddah on the anniversary of the 2001 "9-11" terrorist attacks on the U.S. On 26 August 2012, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry announced that terrorists were arrested in Jeddah who had been preparing explosives for attacks within the kingdom.
In 2022, the Houthis launched a missile attack to an Aramco facility near the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah circuit, where the Formula One 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was held.
Traffic
Roads and highways within and exiting the city are frequently clogged with traffic. Mass transit is rare and planning is nascent; most Jeddawi adults have at least one car. Motorcycles are rare on the roads, further impacting the traffic patterns. Days immediately preceding and following the holy days are particularly noisome and cost hundreds of thousands of man-hours because of traffic jams. The Saudi Gazette reports that there is a plan in the works to tackle the traffic issue. A reported 3 billion Saudi Riyals will be put into constructing flyovers and underpasses in an effort to expedite traffic. The plan is scheduled to take about five years from its start to finish.
Sewage
Prior to the construction of a waste treatment plant, Jeddah's wastewater was disposed of by either discharge into the sea or via absorption into deep underground pits. As the city grew, a proper waste management plant was created and the built-up part of the city was connected with a sewer system by the 1970s. However, even with the ever-increasing population, the original sewer system has hardly been expanded. The original plant cannot cope with the amount of waste inundating it daily. As a result, some untreated sewage is discharged directly into the sea and the entire northern part of the city remains completely unconnected to the sewage system, instead of relying on septic tanks. This has been responsible for a large number of sewage tankers.
In late 2011, a storm drainage system was built in the south Jeddah area (similar to that of the Los Angeles storm drain) to reduce the risk of floods.
Floods
![Jeddah Flood - King Abdullah Street](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Jeddah_Flood_-_King_Abdullah_Street.jpg)
On 25 November 2009, heavy floods affected the city and other areas of
Makkah Province
The Mecca Province ( ar, مِنْطَقَة مَكَّة '), also known as the Mecca Region, is one of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia. It is the third-largest province by area at and the most populous with a population of 8,557,766 as of 201 ...
.
The floods were described by civil defence officials as the worst in 27 years.
, 77 people were reported to have been killed,
and more than 350 were missing.
Some roads were under a meter (three feet) of water on 26 November, and many of the victims were believed to have drowned in their cars. At least 3,000 vehicles were swept away or damaged.
The death toll was expected to rise as flood waters receded, allowing rescuers to reach stranded vehicles.
![2011 Jeddah floods - 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/2011_Jeddah_floods_-_1.jpg)
On 26 January 2011, again, heavy floods affected the city and other areas of
Makkah Province
The Mecca Province ( ar, مِنْطَقَة مَكَّة '), also known as the Mecca Region, is one of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia. It is the third-largest province by area at and the most populous with a population of 8,557,766 as of 201 ...
. The cumulative rainfall exceeded the recorded in four hours during the 25 November 2009 flash floods. Streets including Palestine Street, Madinah Road, and Wali Al-Ahad Street were either flooded or jammed with traffic. Cars were seen floating in some places. Meanwhile, eyewitnesses told local newspaper ''Arab News'' that East Jeddah was swamped and floodwater was rushing west towards the Red Sea, turning streets into rivers once again.
On 17 November 2015, heavy floods affected the city. Streets affected by the flood include Palestine Street, Madinah Road, and many others. Cars were seen burning, and many trees fell as a result of the violent flood. 3 deaths were also reported. 2 of the fatalities (including a child) were hit by lightning while crossing a street.
On 21 November 2017, heavy floods affected the city once more and Jeddah Islamic Port stopped operations for about 3 hours. Jeddah police received 11,000 phone calls on 911 from people enquiring about alternative roads and weather conditions. There were 250 reports of electrocution. Five people were electrocuted, two died.
On 24 November 2022, heavy floods affected mainly in Jeddah. Jeddah was heavily damaged from the flood and cause more than thousands of cars to be damaged by the flood and caused power outage to most of the city and the flood was approximately 1-2 meters high. Which caused flights delayed and school closed and 2 people killed.
Districts
Metropolitan Jeddah comprises 137 districts (transliterated from Arabic):
# Al-Murjan (The Coral)
# Al-Basateen (The Orchards)
# Al-Mohamadiya (Of Mohammed)
# Ash-Shati (The Beach)
# An-Nahda (The Renaissance)
# An-Naeem (The Bliss)
# An-Nuzha (The Excursion)
# Az-Zahraa (from Fatima Az-Zahraa)
# As-Salamah (The Safety)
# Al-Bawadi
# Ar-Rabwa (The Hill)
# Al-Safa
# Al-Khalidiya (Of Khalid)
# Ar-Rawdha (The Medow)
# Al-Faysaliya (Of Faisal)
# Al-Andalus (Andalucia)
# Al-Aziziya (Of Aziz "Abdulaziz")
# Ar-Rihab (The Vast Expanse)
# Al-Hamraa (The Red or Alhambra)
# Mosharafa
# Ar-Ruwais
# Ash-Sharafiya (Of The Shareef)
# Bani Malik
# Al-Woroud (The Flowers)
# An-Naseem (The Breeze)
# Al-Baghdadiya Ash-Sharqiya (Of East Baghdad)
# Al-Amariya (Of Ammar)
# Al-Hindawiya
# As-Saheifa
# Al-Kandra
# As-Sulaimaniya (Of Sulaiman/Solomon)
# Al-Thaalba (The Foxes)
# As-Sabeel (The Path)
# Al-Qurayat
# Gholail
# An-Nozla Al-Yamaniya
# Al-Nozla Ash-Sharqiya
# Al-Taghr (The Stoma)
# Al-Jamaa (The University; due to its proximity to King Abdulaziz University)
# Madayin Al-Fahad (The Cities of Fahad)
# Ar-Rawabi
# Al-Wazeeriya (The Ministerial)
# Petromin
# Al-Mahjar (The Stone Pit)
# Prince Abdel Majeed
# Obhour Al-Janobiya (South of the Obhur Bay)
# Al-Marwa
# AL-Fayhaa
# King Abdul Al-Aziz University
# Al-Baghdadiya Al-Gharbiya (Of West Baghdad)
# Al-Balad (The City)
# Al-Ajwad
# Al-Manar
# As-Samer
# Abruq Ar-Roghama
# Madinat As-Sultan
# Um Hablain
# Al-Hamdaniya
# Al-Salhiya
# Mokhatat Al-Aziziya
# Mokhatat Shamal Al-Matar
# Mokhatat Ar-Riyadh
# Mokhatat Al-Huda
# Braiman
# Al-Salam
# Al-Mostawdaat
# Al-Montazahat
# Kilo 14
# Al-Harazat
# Um As-Salam
# Mokhtat Zahrat Ash-Shamal
# Al-Majid
# Gowieza
# Al-Gozain
# Al-Kuwait
# Al-Mahrogat
# Al-Masfa
# Al-Matar Al-Gadeem (old airport)
# Al-Bokhariya
# An-Nour
# Bab Shareif
# Bab Makkah
# Bahra
# Al-Amir Fawaz
# Wadi Fatma
# Obhour Shamaliya
# At-Tarhil (deportation)
# Al-Iskan Al-janoubi
# At-Tawfeeq
# Al-Goaid
# Al-Jawhara
# Al-Jamoum
# Al-Khumra
# Ad-Difaa Al-Jawi (Air Defense)
# Ad-Dageeg
# Ar-Robou
# Ar-Rabie
# Ar-Rehaily
# As-Salmiya
# As-Sanabil
# As-Sinaiya (Bawadi)
# Industrial City (Mahjar)
# Al-Adl
# Al-Olayia
# Al-Faihaa
# Al-Karanteena
# Al-Ajaweed
# Al-Ahmadiya
# Al-Mosadiya
# East Al-Khat As-Sarei
# Kilo 10
# King Faisal Navy Base
# Kilo 7
# Kilo 45
# King Faisal Guard City
# Kilo 11
# Thowal
# Kilo 13
# Al-Makarona
# Al-Layth
# Al-Gonfoda
# Rabegh
# Kilo 8
# Kilo 5
# Kilo 2
# Al-Mokhwa
# National Guard Residence
# As-Showag
# Air Defense Residence
# Al-Morsalat
# Ash-Shoola
# Al-Corniche
# Al-Waha
# Mokhatat Al-Haramain
# Kholais
# Al-Rhmanya
# Wadi al batin
# AL MADINAH
# JUDAYYIADAT ARAR
# AS SALWA
# al huda
Twin towns – sister cities
Jeddah is Sister city, twinned with:
* Adana, Turkey
* Alexandria, Egypt
* Almaty, Kazakhstan
*
Amman
Amman (; ar, عَمَّان, ' ; Ammonite language, Ammonite: 𐤓𐤁𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤍 ''Rabat ʻAmān'') is the capital and largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of 4,061,150 a ...
, Jordan
* Baku, Azerbaijan
* Chittagong, Bangladesh
*
Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
, United Arab Emirates
* Istanbul, Turkey
* Jakarta, Indonesia
* Karachi, Pakistan
* Kuching, Malaysia
* Marbella, Spain
* Mary, Turkmenistan, Mary, Turkmenistan
* Oran, Algeria
* Osh, Kyrgyzstan
* Plovdiv, Bulgaria
* Surabaya, Indonesia
* Taipei, Taiwan
* Tunis, Tunisia
See also
* Abha
* Timeline of Jeddah#Bibliography, Bibliography of the history of Jeddah
* Khobar
* List of cities and towns in Saudi Arabia
Citations
General and cited sources
* Didier, Charles. ''Séjour Chez Le Grand-Cherif De La Mekke''. Librairie De L. Hachette et, Rue Pierre.
* Didier, Charles. ''Rehla Ela Al-Hejaz: A Trip to Hejaz''. Translated from ''Séjour Chez Le Grand-Cherif De La Mekke'' into Arabic. Paris, 1854. .
* Facey, William & Grant, Gillian. ''Saudi Arabia by the First Photographers''.
* Farsi, Hani M.S. (Mohamed Said). ''Jeddah: city of art: the sculptures and monuments.'' London: Stacey International, 1991. .
* ''From Bullard to Mr Chamberlain''. Jeddah, 1925 Feb. (No.# secrets) - Archived Post.
* Froster, Captain G. S. ''A trip Across the Peninsula - Rehla Abr Al-Jazeera''. Mombai, India, 1866.
* El-Hage, Badr. ''Saudi Arabia: caught in time 1861-1939''. Published by Garnet, Reading, 1997. .
* Al-Harbi, Dalal. ''King Abdulaziz and his Strategies to deal with events: Events of Jeddah''. King Abdulaziz National Library, 2003. .
* Keane, John F. ''Six months in the Hejaz: journeys to Makkah and Madinah 1877-1989''. Manchester: Barzan Publishing, 2006. .
* Al-Khaldi, Ibrahim. ''The Bedouin Photographer'' - ''Al-Mosawwir Al-Badawi''. Kuwait, 2004.
* Maneval, Stefan. 2019
New Islamic Urbanism: The Architecture of Public and Private Space in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia London: UCL Press. .
* Al-Rehani. ''Nejd and Its Followers''.
* Tarabulsi, Mohammed Yosuf. ''Jeddah: A Story of a City''. Riyadh: King Fahd National Library, 2006. .
* Al-Turki, Thuraya. ''Jeddah: Um Al-Rakha wal Sheddah''. Published by Dar Al-Shrooq.
External links
Municipality of JeddahOfficial municipality website
Principality of JeddahOfficial Jeddah principality website
City of JeddahOfficial website
About JeddahInformational website about Jeddah
Jeddah JobsJobs in Jeddah
Jeddah City Guide
Sculptures of JeddahWebsite detailing the Sculptures in Jeddah
الدليل السعودي - دليل جدةJeddah Saudi Arabia
موسم جدةJeddah Season
{{Authority control
Jeddah,
Populated coastal places in Saudi Arabia
Populated places established in the 6th century BC
Populated places in Mecca Province
Port cities in the Arabian Peninsula
Port cities and towns in Saudi Arabia
Port cities and towns of the Red Sea
Underwater diving sites in Saudi Arabia
World Heritage Sites in Saudi Arabia