Jeddah: Al Balad Building

Jeddah's beginnings can be traced back to 522 BC when it was a small fishing village on the Red Sea.  Soon it flourished as a main stop along the trade routes.  Once Islam took hold in the area, it became even more important because of its location as the gateway to two of Islam's most holiest sites, Mecca and Medina.

Many of the older buildings in Al Balad, the oldest section of Jeddah, were built of local materials which included crushed coral from the Red Sea.  Crushed coral is not exactly the sturdiest of building materials and as a result, many of Jeddah's old buildings are crumbling.