Jeddah: One of the oldest structures in the historical area of Al-Balad, Jeddah, the 19th century Sharbatli House has become a center hosting cultural, literary, artistic, scientific and intellectual events.
It was done by the grandson of Abdullah Sharbatli, businessman Sifaleh Sharbatli, who sought to modernize the building while preserving its character, foundation and interior as well as its original brick walls. New materials imported from countries including Sweden and Egypt meet strict heritage protection standards.
Seiflah Sharbatli shared that the restoration of Sharbatli's house was done before Al-Albad became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (supplied)
Sharbatli told Arab News that every tile in this historic building is a link to its heritage. He said: “On the back of the tile, you will see “Made in Hijaz” written. He added that the process of searching for antique tiles similarly took a lot of time.
He put his heart and soul into every detail of the project, and his goal was not only to restore the building, but to revive it and turn it into a cultural center.
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• Many historical houses in this area were abandoned until the Ministry of Culture led the project to revive the town and turn its heritage into tourist attractions.
He said: “The idea of creating a cultural house came from my passion for art, culture and poetry and my interest in preserving the historical monument left by our grandfather. The idea started in 2013, when I visited our house, it was abandoned and covered in dust in some parts, including the ceilings.
The Ministry of Culture directed this project to revive the town and turn its heritage into tourist attractions. (supplied)
Soon after, he approached his father and made a case for extensive renovations that would bring the property into the 21st century, which was agreed to.
It took a long time: I thought it would take about three years to complete the renovation, but it took seven years, Sharbatli said.
This restoration was done before Al-Balad became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The idea of creating a cultural house came from my passion for art, culture and poetry and my interest in preserving the historical monument left by our grandfather.
Siflah SharbatliSaudi businessman
Sharbatli added: “We were ahead of the region's heritage protection program.
This four-story building, located in Al-Biya Square, was built in the late 19th century by Al-Sharif Abdullah Mihna Al-Abdali. Later, it was sold to Abdullah Sharbatli and became a family home.
It once served as the headquarters of the Egyptian mission in Saudi Arabia and for about 30 years was a vital point of contact for Egyptian merchants and entrepreneurs who did business in the country after entering through the seaports of Jeddah.
“After I restored the house to the best of my ability, I didn't want it to be like the other historic houses in the area, most of which have been turned into museums,” Sharbatli said. So I seriously thought about giving it some attention and coming up with ideas that would give it some of the luster that it had almost lost over the years.”
Sharbatli said that he wants this house to promote the cultural identity of Saudi Arabia.
“Our vision for the Cultural House (for it) is to become a home for all artists – from professional to amateur, from established to emerging, and from traditional to contemporary,” he said.
Many historical houses in this area were abandoned until the Ministry of Culture led the project to revive the town and turn its heritage into tourist attractions.
Sharbatli said about these efforts: “The ministry's initiative is not only to create a tourist destination, but also to return our generation and their children to the place that was once the beating heart of Jeddah.
“This was a great initiative to revitalize the area and bring it back to its glory days, recapturing its appeal and importance as a cultural destination.”
When the Ministry of Culture took control of the area, Sharbatli sat down with officials to present his vision and long-term plan.
Then he moved on with a new and more ambitious project: “This house has become one of the most popular cultural places.”
The Sharbatli House project has played a pivotal role in raising awareness of the Kingdom's cultural heritage among local and international visitors. Continuing his passion for promoting culture, this graduate student from the American University in Cairo hopes to expand his dream by creating a large cultural district in Al Balad.
Sharbatli said: “I hope to build my house as big as the Al-Sawi culture wheel, which is one of the most important cultural places in Egypt.”
He also announced a new mission: “Currently, I am negotiating with the Saudi authorities to save the house of my other grandfather, which is located in Al Ruwais region.
Unfortunately, the house is going to be demolished along with the rest of the buildings. “I am trying to convince them not to demolish it because it is a historic and valuable house that can be preserved and improved.”
