The ancient mud houses of Thuwal center, north of Jeddah Governorate, stand as enduring symbols of centuries of maritime life, with their brown walls and roofs supported by tamarisk and palm trunks preserving the memory of generations who lived by the rhythm of the waves and crafted an architectural heritage from the simplest local materials.
These houses reveal the ingenuity of traditional architecture on the Kingdom’s western coast, built from compacted clay mixed with sea pebbles. Their roofs rest on tree trunks and palm fronds, embodying a design that combines simplicity and efficiency while providing natural insulation suited to the coastal environment.
The mud houses of Thuwal reflect an important aspect of the coastal communities’ architectural identity, in which homes were not merely dwellings but social spaces that shaped the cultural and economic fabric of a village that flourished as one of the Red Sea’s coastal stops.
These ancient mud houses retain their historical and architectural value as a living testament to an important phase in the region’s history, worthy of documentation and protection to support cultural tourism and preserve architectural heritage, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030’s objectives of preserving national identity and investing in historical sites.
Source: Riyadh Daily