Historic Site · Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Al-Balad, Jeddah
Al-Balad, also known as Jeddah Historic District, is the historical area of Jeddah, the second largest city of Saudi Arabia. Built 7th century.
Photo: Francisco Anzola via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Built | 7th century |
| Area | Area: 0.18 km² |
| Coordinates | 21.4833° N, 39.2000° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Al-Balad, Jeddah is known for
Al-Balad, also known as Jeddah Historic District, is the historical area of Jeddah, the second largest city of Saudi Arabia.
About Al-Balad, Jeddah
Al-Balad, also known as Jeddah Historic District, is the historical area of Jeddah, the second largest city of Saudi Arabia. Al-Balad can literally be translated to "The Town". Al-Balad is the historic center of the City of Jeddah. Traditional Hijazi houses are characterized by their wooden Roshan windows, and wooden mushrabiyas.
History
Al-Balad was founded in the 7th century and historically served as the centre of Jeddah. Al-Balad's defensive walls were torn down in the 1940s. In the 1970s and 1980s, when Jeddah began to become wealthier due to the oil boom, many Jeddawis moved north, away from Al-Balad, as it reminded them of less prosperous times. Al-Balad had insufficient parking space for large cars.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Al-Balad, Jeddah website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Jeddah |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) |
| Distance from the airport | 13.3 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) · Jeddah, Saudi Arabia · 13.9 miles away
- Taif International Airport (TIF) · Taif, Saudi Arabia · 86.4 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Saudi Arabia
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Al-Balad, Jeddah?
Al-Balad, also known as Jeddah Historic District, is the historical area of Jeddah, the second largest city of Saudi Arabia.
Where is Al-Balad, Jeddah located?
Al-Balad, Jeddah is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Its coordinates are 21.4833° N, 39.2000° E.
How do I get to Al-Balad, Jeddah?
The nearest town is Jeddah, and the nearest airport is King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED), about 13.3 miles away (straight line).
When was Al-Balad, Jeddah built?
Al-Balad, Jeddah was built 7th century.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Balad%2C_Jeddah — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4702264 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://jeddahalbalad.sa/ar — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.