One of the most ancient cities in the Middle East may disappear from maps in the coming years (13 photos)

How many cities do you know that have completely preserved their historical buildings, which were built more than 500 years ago? I'm sure not much.





Today I will show you one of these cities in the Middle East!



Trade capital of the Arab world

This is the city of Jeddah in western Saudi Arabia, located right on the shores of the Red Sea - one of the oldest cities in the entire region. Thanks to this super advantageous position, a large port was formed here 1500 years ago, which gave impetus to the development of the entire settlement.





Merchants, artisans, traders and travelers have flocked here from all over the Middle East for centuries.



Many stayed here forever and, having become rich, built huge 4-5-story houses for those times.



Most of them were built from dry clay and then decorated with carved wooden shutters and painted balconies. They still look mega authentic and attractive to this day!



Decline

Gradually, with the development of alternative trade routes through Africa, Jeddah lost its status as a pearl among all Arab trading cities - it began to decline...



The once richest “skyscrapers” were abandoned and then inhabited by the poorest segments of the population and people from the desert. To this day, the majority of residents of the old city of Jeddah are low-income people.



Unfortunately, in recent decades, the ancient city has begun to lose its heritage and former charm. Due to dilapidation and unwillingness to engage in restoration, beautiful houses simply collapse, turning into dust.



The locals themselves treat tourists admiring the “pathetic old huts” with obvious misunderstanding. Most simply do not appreciate this heritage.



This is understandable; restoring all this is extremely difficult, tedious and expensive.



Perhaps another 50 years will pass and huge glass cloud cutters will appear in this place, and it will be possible to look at this fabulous area, as if straight out of the pages of ancient fairy tales about Aladdin, only in ancient photographs. Nobody knows for sure...



I hope that one day the country's authorities will undertake its restoration - it will be a shame to lose such a valuable architectural specimen, which has no equal in the whole world!