IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015
IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015
Historic Preservation Spring Training Program
THE CASE STUDY FOR THE HISTORICAL CITY OF JEDDAH
March 21-27, 2015, Jeddah, KSA
Introduction:
Although the coastal settlement of Jeddah dates backs to pre-Islamic times, the foundation of this city as the
port of the holy city of Makkah and as a commercial capital was laid by the caliph Uthman (r.a.a) in 646 A.D.
/ 26 A.H.).
The city was surrounded by walls and there were four gates - north, east, south and west directions. Until
the middle of 1947, some part of the city wall was intact. The walls have long since disappeared and there is
no evidence of old walls now. The famous gates have been replicated in various places around the city, and
one of the gates is located in the historic Jeddah in Al-Balad.
Al Balad is a very interesting and lively area, highlighted by a variety of historic, religious, commercial and
residential buildings that form an extremely rich urban pattern, clearly different and easily recognizable from
the modern parts of the city. It is made of different parts and of quite different buildings; because of their
history, architectural qualities, typologies, building materials, decorative pattern, homogeneity and the
social and cultural qualities of their public spaces. These buildings are certainly of outstanding value from the
point of view of history as well as art.
This part of Jeddah represents an especially interesting example of the Islamic urban and architectural
creativity. It bears a significant testimony to a very specific cultural tradition and to a living civilization. It is
an amazing example of an Arabic historic district on the Red Sea, unique in terms of size, architectural
quality and building materials. Most of the buildings are built with locally produced coral stone and has
wonderful carved wooden mashrubiyas (Bay windows) and beautifully carved traditional windows.
Historical monuments are very important because they served as reminders of the past and from where we
learn a lot about bygone culture. In fact there are many types of historical buildings in Jeddah. That includes:






Religious buildings - mosques
Houses of famous personalities
Buildings housing Govt. houses and Consulates
Schools and Charity houses
Trust / waqf
Historic Land marks
IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015
1. Mosques:
There are many old and famous mosques in old Balad area. Examples of a few of the mosques have been
given as following:
i. Al-Shaf’i mosque: This mosque is located near Makkah gate It is one of the oldest mosques with
beautiful architecture. According to the tradition it was originally built in the period of Caliph Umar ibn
al-Khattab (raa) 634-644 A.D., According to a carved plaque on the mosque dated to 1532/ 940 AD, an
Indian merchant by the name of Khoja Mohammed Ali arrived from India, bringing materials from
Yemen and built the mosque. This mosque is very famous for its minaret.
ii. Masjide al—Mimar: located on sharey Qabil. According to the history it was built by Mustafa mimar and
named after him. It is also one of the oldest mosques in Jeddah. It has a tall minaret with conical shape.
iii. Mosque of Usman bin Affan or masjide Al-Albanus (ebony mosque): It is a very small mosque with a
short and robust minaret. According to Abdul QuddusAl-Ansari it may be assigned to 9-10th Hijri/ 15/
16 AH.
iv. Mosque of Abu Anbah: This mosque was a built by a man from the Maghrib who stayed in this mosque.
He was nick named Abu Anaba.
2. Old Consulate Buildings:
Area of the consulates at Al-Balad district was known as ‘the town of the consuls’. Most of the consuls were
located in the Al-Shami quarter. In Jeddah , France and great Britain were given the first privilege to open
their consulates in 1825, followed by other countries including Dutch, Italy, Belgium, Persia and Russia by
1890. These embassies and consulates were housed in various houses. For example American embassy was
in Beit al Butterji and Dutch embassy was in Beit Zenal.
3. Schools/ religious houses, charity houses etc:
There were many schools, lodging centers and charity houses in Al-Balad. For example:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Rabat al-khanji Kabir and Saghir: Rabat was a kind of free inn where persons were lodged without
paying money; especially it was used by the pilgrims of Hajj and Umra.
Rabat Banajah –Hadhramouth charity house.
Rabat Al- Maghrabi - Moroccan charity house. It was one of the oldest charity houses in Jeddah.
Beit Hanbali: It was the house for Hanbali followers, one of the four sects in Islam. Mostly it was used
for the religious studies.
Beit Al-Shaf’i: It was the house for Al-Shaf’i sects of Islam. It is located in front of the Shaf’i mosque and
was used for the religious study.
4. Trust / Wakhfs houses:
i.
ii.
iii.
Dara Amar Al- Anqawi (Wakhf masjide Al-Shaf’i)
Beit al-Rusha- yadah – House of a rich businessman from Sudan, engaged in shipping goods.
Wakh Naseef etc.
IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015
5. Houses occupied by Govt./ Govt. representatives including Omadah Houses
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
Beit al-Lami (police/ shurtah al-Balad sabqa)
Beit /Baldiya office for the historic Balad district
Beit Sanem al-dahar
Beit al-Saeemi (under Govt.)
Beit bakhariba (house for omadah)
Beit Al-wasiyat (Beit al-Omadah)
6. Historic Land Mark
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Tower (remains from old Jeddah wall)
Bab Sharif
Bab Jadeed: Built in 1930s by the Saudi ruler at the same place where old gate of Jeddah city wall
existed before.
Bab al Bunt: It is the most famous historic land mark of the city, located on the sea coast, where, in the
old days, the registration of the pilgrimage coming through the ship was carried out.
7. Famous Family Houses
i.
Beit Naseef : The most famous house of Al- Balad is the Beit Naseef. The house was built for Omar
Naseef Effendi, who was the governor of Jeddah. Naseef was belonging to a very respected and
distinguished merchant family. The construction of this house began in 1872 and was finished by 1881.
Besides the family background it also has symbolic political importance. This house was used by the
King Abdulaziz bin Saud as a Royal guest house after the expansion of his Kingdom in the Makkah
region.
ii. Beit Zakir - This house was belonging to the mother of Mohammed Zakir who was a famous najjar
(carpenter by profession). In the old Balad due to a large of wooden work, like doors, windows,
mashrabiyas etc. carpenters were always in great demand. A carpenter’s house in old Balad district
itself suggests that he was probably a master carpenter (muallim) who was able to build a house in such
prestigious locality of that time.
iii. Beit Qabil- The owner was engaged in trading.
iv. Beit Jumjoom – This family is very famous due to their contribution in many fields ranging from trade
and commerce to science and medicine.
v. Beit Aljokhudar - The owner was a rich trader.
vi. vi. Beit Basura- The owner was engaged in trading.
IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015
8. Building with special urban value based on urban morphology
Most of the buildings under this category were belonging to the influential personalities and are located on
the trail route and comparatively built with good quality of building materials and have comparatively good
architecture. These buildings are located:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
At the centre of Al-Balad
Located around the trail routes.
Located around the perimeter of the district (edges)
Building with cultural landmark.
These building include:




Hotel / restaurants
Hospital / Dispencery
Garden/ Hadeeqa
Well/spring/ qanat
IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015
IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015
The program is comprised of four sections including:
Section 1
Survey Methodology of Historic Buildings from External and Internal part and Database
Three types of Survey methodology to be discussed with examples as following. It may also include latest
innovation in Survey methodology.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Traditional survey method with technical amenities which include survey with hand devices, total
station etc.
Survey with iPad application,
Thermal (Infrared) imaging survey
Laser survey.
Database preparations and methodology
IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015
Laser survey
IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015
Section 2
Conservation methodology of Historic Coastal architecture
Case study:
i. Beit Zenal
ii. Bab al Bunt (future Hajj museum),
iii. Ain al-Qausiya
This would include the architectural, structural and other general problems of the buildings, consisting of the
diagnostic study and conservation process.
The problems may include building foundation, walls, plaster, facades, cracks, inner paths, beams, roof,
stairs, ceiling, decorative problems, wooden link, mashrabiyas (bay windows), beams, solution for the
moisture control and salt extraction from the walls and ceiling. This would also include electrical and
mechanical problems in the buildings.
Also type and ratio of cementing materials (Hydraulic lime, sand, brick powder etc.) in mortars and plaster,
suitable for different types of coral buildings will be discussed.
Different types of test methods for old buildings and building materials would be also discussed.
Beit Zenal
IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015
Bab al Bunt (future Hajj museum)
Ain al-Qausiya
IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015
Section 3
Build up of Database for the Historical monuments
It will have all kinds of building data including manual and Laser photography, manual and laser survey of
buildings from outer and inner sides and data from other sources and to be converted into Arc GIS program.
Section 4
Manual for Restoration and rehabilitation
i.
Restoration Manual is a compilation of different technical process for the restoration of buildings which
includes static and preservation problems and its solution in a most technical manner.
ii.
Rehabilitation of buildings.
The desired level of structural performance for the historical buildings is typically very high and it is not
limited only to the crack size and other visible damages or unpleasant large deformation features in
buildings.
During this lecture different methodology with different possible techniques for
Rehabilitation of historical buildings would be discussed including seismic risk.
IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015
Participants:
Lecturers: Dr. Osamah al Gohary (Al-Turath KSA), Dr. Amedeo Schiattarella (Tecturae Italy), Arch. Claudio
Presta (Tecturae Italy), ENG. Maurizio Falzea (Tecturae Italy), Arch. Francesco Marchetti (Tecturae Italy),
Arch. Giovanni Bulian (Tecturae Italy), Arch. Arianna Uzzeo (Tecturae Italy), Dr. Sameh Abdel Salam (AlTurath KSA) , Dr. Anis (Al-Turath KSA), Dr. Imad Outah Bashi (KSU), Dr. Amir Pasic(IRCICA Turkey), and
architects/planners from the Municipality of Jeddah Engr. Sami Nowar and (NHBC) members.
Participants: Students and junior professionals from KSA Universities.
Distinguished lecturers guests at the begging of the session of the program:
Dr. Adnan Adas (KAU), Dr, Hisham Murtada (KAU), Dr. Sami Ingawi (Consultant), Dr. Yusaf Neyazi (KAU)
Dr. Abdullah Bokhari (Consultant), Dr. Mashari Al-Naim (NHBC) in SCTA/KSA.
Distinguished guests at the final session of the program:
HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Founder and president of Al-Turath Charity Foundation Dr. Hani
Abu Ras Mayor of Jeddah, Dr. Halit Eren, Director General of IRCICA;
IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015
TIMETABLE
Jeddah March 19-26, 2015
Islamic Urban Heritage Program 2015
Spring Training Program: the Case Study for Historical City of Jeddah, KSA
March 21-26, 2015
Registrations and introduction to the program
Saturday, March 21
Registration
Introductions: Dr.O. El-Gohari; Dr. A. Pasic
08-10
10-12
Site visit to Historic Jeddah
14-16
Site visit to Historic Jeddah
17- 19
19:30Lecture by distinguished speaker
Historic buildings identification and survey
Session 1
Morning lecture: Historic city - preservation components
Identification methods and survey
Sunday, March 22
08-10
10-12
Historic Jeddah –case study 01
14-16
Historic Jeddah –case study 01
17-19
19:30Lecture by distinguished speaker
Deterioration in historic buildingSession 2
Monday, March 23
Morning lecture: Restoration of individual buildings
Causes of deterioration in historic building
08-10
10-12
Historic Jeddah –case study 02
14-16
Historic Jeddah –case study 02
17- 19
19:30Lecture by distinguished speaker
Session 3
Identification of historic roots and use of laser survey
Tuesday, March 24
Laser Survey - practice
Laser Survey - practice
08-10
10-12
Historic Jeddah –case study 03
14-16
Historic Jeddah –case study 03
17-19
19:30Lecture by distinguished speaker
Session 4
Data Base
Wednesday, March 25
Data analysis and tabulation
Introduction to GIS
08-10
10-12
Using GIS in historic building Info system and Identification and storing
14-15
Historic Jeddah Case study04
15-19
19:30Lecture by distinguished speaker
Manual for Restoration and Preservation
Session 5
Thursday, March 26
Introductions tothe manual
Practical use of the manual on site
08-10
10-12
Discussions
Presentation of results by participants
14-16
17-19
CLOSING CEREMONY
19- 21
IRCICA & Al-TURATH
ISLAMIC URBAN HERITAGE PROGRAM 2015