Built in the early 20th century as the British legation’s headquarters in Jeddah and serving in that role from about 1915 to the mid-1930s, Beit Al Balad is now a museum housing artefacts, photographs and ephemera documenting Jeddah’s history. The structure is a typical cream-coloured example of Hejazi architecture. At the time of research it was closed for renovations, with a reopening scheduled for early 2020.
Beit Al Balad
Jeddah
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.33 MILES
Beautifully restored and maintained, this historic mosque, one of the finest in Jeddah, is named after one of the four great imams of classical Sunni…
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0.44 MILES
With so many traditional houses closed in Al Balad, this privately owned museum in a beautiful three-storey property with stunning Hejazi mashrabiyya …
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9.62 MILES
Once a smelly, unpleasant stretch of coastline, the corniche in northern Jeddah has been transformed into a pleasant walkway and leisure space. There are…
0.42 MILES
This souq runs off Al Dahab St and is the most extensive in the Kingdom. The market stalls cut into the heart of the old city and buzz with the activity…
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Al Tayibat City Museum for International Civilisation
6.5 MILES
This privately owned four-floor collection has displays ranging from pre-Islamic artefacts, exquisite Islamic manuscripts, old coins and weaponry to…
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12.25 MILES
This mosque in the north of Jeddah sits on stilts and seemingly floats on the Red Sea. Visitors come to wander in the open courtyard and enjoy the cooling…
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0.41 MILES
One of Jeddah’s best-restored old coral houses, Naseef House belonged to one of Jeddah’s most powerful trading families and was later a royal residency…
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0.68 MILES
The Mecca gate was historically the most important gate for Jeddah, Arabia's official pilgrim port. It stands at the start of the road that led to Islam's…
Nearby Jeddah attractions
0.13 MILES
This beautiful snow-white minaret is all that remains of the historic mosque named after one of the four great imams of Sunni theology, Abu Hanifah. It's…
0.27 MILES
This recreated historic gate marks the northern entrance to Al Balad, and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful historic houses, including the…
0.28 MILES
Built in 1930, this historic structure boasts some lovely Hejazi mashrabiyya (wooden lattice balconies). It's the former home of the wealthy Sharbatly…
0.33 MILES
Beautifully restored and maintained, this historic mosque, one of the finest in Jeddah, is named after one of the four great imams of classical Sunni…
0.41 MILES
One of Jeddah’s best-restored old coral houses, Naseef House belonged to one of Jeddah’s most powerful trading families and was later a royal residency…
0.42 MILES
This souq runs off Al Dahab St and is the most extensive in the Kingdom. The market stalls cut into the heart of the old city and buzz with the activity…
0.44 MILES
With so many traditional houses closed in Al Balad, this privately owned museum in a beautiful three-storey property with stunning Hejazi mashrabiyya …
0.61 MILES
The colourful and frenetic fish market – west of the corniche – has at least 50 species of sea creature on display, ranging from hammerhead sharks to…