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JEDDAH: One of the oldest buildings in Jeddah's historic Al-Balad district, the 19th-century Sharbatly House has been transformed into a center hosting cultural, literary, artistic, scientific and intellectual events.

The renovations were carried out by Abdullah Sharbatly's grandson, businessman Seifalah Sharbatly, who sought to modernize the building while preserving its character, foundations and interiors, as well as the original brick walls. New materials exported from countries including Sweden and Egypt meet strict heritage protection standards.

Sharbatly told Arab News that every tile placed in the historic building is a reference to its heritage. “You will find 'Made in Hejjaz' written on the back of the tile,” he said. The process of finding antique tiles of the same shape took a long time, he added.

He put his heart and soul into every detail of the project, which aimed not only to restore the building, but also to revitalize it and turn it into a cultural center.

“The idea to create a culture house came from my passion for art, culture and poetry and my desire to preserve the historic building left by our grandfather,” he said. “The idea started in 2013 when I visited our house, abandoned and collapsed in some parts, including the ceilings, and covered in dust.

Soon after approaching his father, he asked for extensive renovations to bring the property into the 21st century, which was agreed upon.

The work took a long time, said Sharbatly: “I thought it would take me about three years to complete the renovation, but it took me seven years.

The restoration took place before Al-Balad became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The idea to create a cultural house came from my passion for art, culture and poetry and from my desire to preserve the historical building left by our grandfather.

Seifalah SharbatlySaudi businessman

“We were in favor of preserving the area's heritage program,” added Sharbatly.

Located in Al-Bayaa Square, the four-story building was built at the end of the 19th century by Al-Sharif Abdulilah Mihanna Al-Abdaly. It was later sold to Abdullah Sharbatly 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 crucial point of contact for Egyptian merchants and businessmen doing business in the Kingdom after arriving through the seaports of Jeddah.

“After restoring the house to the best of my ability, I didn't want the house to be like other historic houses in the area, most of which (have become) museums,” Sharbatly said. “So I seriously thought about doing it differently by paying attention to it and introducing ideas that would give it back the spark it had almost lost over the years.

Sharbatly said he wanted the house to promote Saudi cultural identity.

“Our vision for the cultural house is (for it) to become a home for all artists – from professionals to amateurs, from established to up-and-coming and from traditional to contemporary,” he said.

Many historic houses in the area were abandoned until the Ministry of Culture led a project to revive Al-Balad and turn its heritage into a tourist attraction.

Commenting on the effort, Sharbatly said, “The ministry's initiative is not only to create a tourist destination, but also to bring our generation and their children back to what was once the beating heart of Jeddah.

“It was a great initiative to revitalize the neighborhood and restore it to its glory days, regain its charm and importance as a cultural destination.”

When the Ministry of Culture took control of the area, Sharbatly sat down with officials to present his vision and long-term plan.

He then continued with a new, more ambitious project: “The house became one of the most popular cultural sites,” he added.

The Sharbatly House project has played a key role in promoting awareness of the Kingdom's cultural heritage among local and international visitors. To continue his passion for promoting culture, a graduate student from the American University in Cairo hopes to expand his dream by creating a huge cultural area in Al-Balad.

“I hope one day to (make) my house as big as (the) El-Sawy Culture Wheel, which is considered one of the most important cultural sites in Egypt,” Sharbatly said.

He also revealed the new mission: “Right now I am negotiating with Saudi officials to save my second grandfather's house, which is located in the Al-Ruwais area.

“Unfortunately, the house is scheduled for demolition along with the rest of the buildings. I am trying to convince them not to demolish (it) because it is a historic house and valuable and could be preserved and promoted.”