Discover the gateway to the holy cities

Jeddah - Bride of the Red Sea

Every year, millions of Muslim pilgrims pass through the port city of Jeddah in western Saudi Arabia. The second-largest city in the kingdom, after Riyadh, it is the main gateway to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

Jeddah is home to 3 million people. This bustling port is, in addition to being an active centre of industry and commerce, an important tourist centre with an 80km cornice on the coastline of the Red Sea.

The city originated as a small fishing village more than 2,500 years ago. Its name means 'grandmother', after a legend that Eve, the mother of all humanity, was buried there. In the 7th century, Jeddah became the main port of entry for pilgrims to the Holy City, a role it continues to play today. In the 16th century, the Portuguese realised the importance of the town's location for trade and commerce and built a ring of city walls made of coral limestone, with strong defensive gates, three of which still remain.

Today, the original old town with its narrow streets and city walls has expanded 1,000-fold. The cornice is lined with luxury residences and hotels, amusement parks and seaside leisure facilities.

In terms of sightseeing, the five-storey Naseef House, dating from about the 1850s, is a must. The lone tree in front of the house was allegedly once the sole tree in the city, and is certainly the oldest here today. After capturing the city in 1925, King Abdul Aziz resided in Naseef House while his palace was under construction. Since 1964, the house has been preserved as a museum, with furnished rooms and displays on the lower floors. The shallow staircase that serves all floors was built to accommodate fully loaded camels that would transport water to the tanks on the roof.

Another noteworthy site is Sharbatly House, the only remaining building of the British legation during the first world war. It is said T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) stayed here during a visit in 1917. Both Naseef House and Sharbatly House are now museums.