Top five historic houses to visit in Jeddah

During the heyday of merchanting in Jeddah, the Baeshen family rented out ships, and with the money they made from that, they built this staggering six-floor townhouse in 1856. It’s one of few left in the city with the traditional three entrances – one for men, one for women and a third for servants – and also boasts its own private mosque. Later, the family began trading tea, and their brand’s popularity in Saudi is now on a par with Lipton. This wealth allowed them to restore the house themselves – look out for the family tree on the right side of the entrance. As well as exhibits on the ground floor, the women’s entrance leads to a local art gallery, while the old annexe is now the Historical Nights café.

Where? Baebasah Lane.

Located very close to Beit Baeshen, and perhaps the most museum-like of the traditional houses that have been opened to visitors, this four-floor mansion was built in 1880 and hails from a similar time period to that of Beit Nassif. Its vintage belongings have been preserved to create something of a time capsule – some of the furniture imported from India is more than 120 years old. Look out for the karaweeta (high benches for storage and relaxing) in the men’s sitting room, the bridal trunk and the newlyweds’ clothing laid out in the master bedroom, the gramophone in the upstairs family sitting room, as well as the old canned foods and pre-electricity fridge in the cupboard-sized kitchen. 

Where? Al-Kabli Lane.

Built in the late 1800s, this is the jewel in the starry firmament of Jeddah’s historic houses. But Beit Nassif remains tricky to see for the moment; its opening hours are due to improve in 2024, but for now you can only visit at weekends (5–10pm). Nevertheless, it remains a fine example of local architecture and has served as a museum and cultural centre since 2009. Its splendour is to be expected, since this was once the temporary home of King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, and its hallways have hosted countless ambassadors since. For a long time this was also known as the ‘House with the Tree’ because it opens onto a square with a neem tree on it, which was the only one in the whole of Jeddah for many years.

Where? Al-Dhahab Street.

More than 420 years old, this four-floor beauty belonged to a family of spice traders, and it arguably feels like the most untouched of all the historic homes that have been opened to the public in Al-Balad. Make your way to the sitting room at the back to discover intricately carved niches made from al-mangabi stones that have been excavated from the Red Sea as well as ebony chairs chiselled from wood imported from East Asia; there is even an old well that can be found off to one side of the living room. The only downside is that access to the rooftop is closed; however, for those interested in local traditions, it does occasionally host ‘bride nights’, so visitors can see traditional bridal preparations for themselves. 

Where? Souk Al-Alawi.

Built in the early 20th century, this four-floor, whitewashed home is considered one of the finest in the Old Town, thanks in no small part to its ornate Hejazi balconies. It was purchased by Al Sayed Abdullah Abbas Sharbatly, who earned his fortune importing fruit and vegetables and is still a big name in Saudi Arabia. For two decades, the mansion also served as the headquarters for the Egyptian embassy. There are exhibitions on the ground floor and the restored home now operates as a cultural centre that offers free music nights and craft workshops that can be booked via Instagram. It’s also possible to visit the rooftop for bird’s-eye city views. 

Where? Al-Matt’haf Lane.

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