A waterfront promenade in the historic port of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Jeddah, located in the Emirate of Mecca, in the Hijaz region on the west coast of the Arabian Peninsula, is the second largest city in Saudi Arabia. Its seaport on the Red Sea, the country’s most important, is the second largest and busiest in the Middle East (after Jebel Ali in Dubai). Its history dates back to at least 647, when Caliph Uthman designated it as a travel centre for Muslim pilgrims on their way to the holy city of Mecca, just 65 km to the east. The old city centre, annexed to the historic port of Bab Al-Bunt, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. It has recently come to light that, at the initiative of His Highness Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Culture of Saudi Arabia, with the support of Crown Prince and Prime Minister H.R.H. Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a waterfront promenade is planned to revitalise the port of Bab Al-Bunt.

The project is part of a larger project to restore the historic centre of Jeddah, announced in September 2021 by the prime minister. As the Saudi culture minister explained to the local press, the promenade “will be constructed in line with high and sustainable standards, and feature cultural, historical, and environmental themes from across Al Balad” (the name by which locals know the historic centre of Jeddah). Therefore, the project will “highlight Al Balad’s historic landmarks and enhance its presence within a refined, environmentally-friendly urban ecosystem complete with natural greenery and vibrant waterfronts“. At the same time, the waterfront plan will take advantage of “the area’s heritage and distinct cultural elements to power the local economy while redeveloping the urban space into an ideal place to live, work and create“.

The two-year project will be carried out in three phases. During the first phase, sections of the seafront that were filled in decades ago to reclaim land from the sea in the face of the city’s urban sprawl will be excavated. In the second phase, the water of the Al Arbaeen inlet, which will be used for the promenade, will be treated and purified. Finally, during the third phase, the promenade will be completed with open green spaces, pedestrian overpasses and public services, and a marina for luxury yachts will be built, all with the ultimate goal of connecting Al Balad to the Red Sea, and turning its waterfront into a prime tourist and cultural destination.