Sami Nawar's imposing family home stands, leaning slightly, in the heart of the Al-Balad district. The 300-year-old building, typical of old Jeddah architecture with its Red Sea coral walls and intricately carved wooden balconies, has been completely restored. "I lived here for the first 13 years of my life, in a close-knit community that brought together people from the port, the great merchant families and pilgrims from all over the world," said the 60-year-old. Nostalgic for his childhood, the Saudi engineer has devoted his life to the city's preservation, which once adjoined the ancient port of Hejaz, serving as the gateway to the Mecca pilgrimage and a stop on the Silk Road.
For the past 36 years, Nawar has been working to prevent Al-Balad's houses from being destroyed, having fallen into disrepair when their owners left. With the kingdom's economic boom following the discovery of oil in 1938, families moved into newly constructed modern neighborhoods nearby and to the north, where the metropolis of 5.3 million inhabitants had spread. They rented out their homes at low prices to merchants in the old city's souks and to migrant workers from Asia and Africa.
Al-Balad's Unesco World Heritage listing in 2014 saved the historic city from ruin. A plan to "revitalize Old Jeddah," steered by the culture ministry, was introduced in 2018 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, nicknamed "MBS." The 37-year-old heir has made heritage and tourism development a priority in his Vision 2030 plan to modernize the kingdom.
But in Jeddah, as in Al-Ula, the Nabataean necropolis in the northwest of the country, MBS's major projects are creating muted concerns. Residents and observers fear that Al-Balad will be transformed into a showcase for wealthy Saudis and foreign tourists. "The old city will turn into a mere museum in the midst of a modern urban desert," said a researcher, anonymously, in the American academic journal Current History.
The restoration of Old Jeddah is the tip of the iceberg in the €18 million downtown modernization plan unveiled in December 2021, which aims to turn the port city into a new Dubai. On the glossy brochures, luxury districts, an opera house and a marina have replaced the working-class neighborhoods that used to surround Al-Balad. Applauded by some, for others this gentrification program signals the disappearance of Jeddah's cosmopolitan and multicultural spirit.
"We don't just want to turn Al-Balad into a tourist spot, but a district that will be reclaimed by locals, entrepreneurs, students and artists," said Rawaa Bakhsh, head of communications for Old Jeddah. The 650 listed buildings, most of which date back to the 19th century, have been purchased by the government, which is overseeing their restoration. "The original owners have priority in utilizing them. It's a good solution for families who lack the means to restore them," said Nawar, who reserves his house for family gatherings. The fabric, spice and incense stalls of the old souks have been refurbished. Trendy cafés and restaurants, souvenir stores and boutique hotels have sprung up alongside them.
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