SkyWatch - Jeddah Al Balad Street Scene

Madinah Road in a newer area of Al Balad in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

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Jeddah Old Roshan in Al Balad

The beautiful old "roshan" window coverings of Al Balad in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Jeddah Cool Architecture

I love the lines of this building in old downtown Jeddah. The sun caught the light in a beautiful way as we were driving by in a moving vehicle. I was pretty pleased with how this photo came out.  The photo below is of the same building very early in the morning,  The car I was in was going too fast to get a clearer shot, but I wanted to show how the building is lit with blue lights.

Saudi Arabia Gold Shops

When people come to visit Saudi Arabia, one of the most popular gifts purchased is gold. The pureness of the gold here is of a much higher karat content than in many places around the world. It is commonly available in up to 24 karat and is more yellow in color.

Gold here is sold by weight. The styling doesn't really matter.  Much of the styling is rather over the top and gaudy, if you ask me.  

Our World - Traditional Arts School

The Jameel House of Traditional Arts was started in 2015 in the old part of Jeddah called Al Balad with the purpose of keeping the oldest artisan skills alive and preserving the cultural heritage of the region.   The courses and classes focus on, among other things, geometry designs (the main element of Islamic design),  coloring motifs, natural dyes, methods and materials, woodworking, ceramics, gypsum carving, veneer, mangur, and other artistic skills and crafts. 

Students can sign up for the one year course which encompasses every skill the facility offers, or they can sign up for individual classes which focus on one skill at a time.  Modern technology is applied in coordination with ancient techniques to help students learn these skills in order to create beautiful works of art based on classic designs and traditions.   

The Jameel House website

Location - in the heart of Al Balad, behind Al-Ma'amar Mosque off Al-Dahab Street. 

For more information - EMAIL - jhtaj@artjameel.org

Follow On Instagram - @Renye.art

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Jeddah Sculptures in Al Balad

Across the street from the Queen's Building in Al Balad is a town square with two sculptures featured prominently.  The first one is made of marble and is a representation of an old watering well that provided water to the residents. 

Unfortunately I noticed that this sculpture is now missing several key elements - the water spickets and the cups, which can be seen in this post that I made several years ago. 

The other sculpture in the same area is giant sized replica of a rose water dispenser, called "marash." This vessel would be filled with rose water which would then be sprinkled around the house to make it smell good. 

You can see another really gorgeous photo taken by my friend Abdullah Yahya of this sculpture that I posted a while back if you CLICK HERE. 

Jeddah Scenes from Al Balad

Al Balad is such a fascinating and interesting place. It's the oldest section of the city of Jeddah, which was originally a sleepy fishing village when it was settled over 1400 years ago. Today Jeddah is a thriving business center in the Middle East and the gateway to the holiest cities of Islam, Mecca and Medina.  

An eclectic mix of the super old and the ultra modern, some areas of Al Balad (which translates to "the city") often feel like one is stepping back in time.