Jeddah is the gateway to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. Although Riyadh is the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jeddah is known as its commercial capital. Since Jeddah is situated at the Red Sea coast, it is also known as Bride of Red Sea.‘Jeddah’, as pronounced by its people, means prosperity and happiness. It is also pronounced as ‘Jadda’ meaning grandmother referring to mother Eve. This is in accordance to the legend that she landed here and is buried in the graveyard just outside the historical area of the old city. Another pronunciation is ‘Joddah’ and this means a narrow passage between two mountains or a long road.
Jeddah is a city of mystery, rich with tradition, history, culture and a unique heritage. It is mentioned by the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and his Caliphs and its importance goes back even before the Islamic period.
Jeddah has been mentioned by many travelers in their journals, some describing it as "the city surrounded by walls with beautiful markets and teeming with buildings" whilst others described it as "the small city on the Red Sea coast crowded with pilgrims". Apparently there were inns, caravan sarays, and hostels catering to travelers and pilgrims. Present city has expanded and transformed into a metropolis but still holds true to its original charm and uniqueness thereby making it superb for its residents and a must for those who wish to visit her.
A Saudi city located in the middle of the Eastern coast of the Red Sea known as the 'Bride of the Red Sea' and is considered the economic and tourism capital of the country. Its population is estimated around 3.4 million and it is the second largest city after Riyadh.
The foundation of the city of Jeddah is dated back to around 3000 years when groups of fishermen used to settle in it after their fishing trips. After that, the tribe of 'Quda'ah' came to Jeddah 2500 years ago and settled in it and was known by it. The historical transformation of Jeddah was in the era of the third Muslim Caliph Othman Bin Affan (May Allah be Pleased with Him) in 647 AD when he ordered the city to be transformed into a port to welcome pilgrims (Hajjis) coming by sea for the Holy Pilgrimage in Makkah. To this day, Jeddah is the main passage for both sea and air pilgrims as well as those traveling by road.
Jeddah has grown during the last two decades of the 20th Century, which made the city a center for money and business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a major and important port for exporting non-oil related goods as well as importing domestic needs.
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Website: http://www.jeddah.gov.sa
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeddah
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The Commercial Capital of Saudi Arabia
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