Friday, August 6, 2010




Jeddah is located in the east coast of the Red Sea, is the second largest city of Saudi Arabia, and the major commercial center of the country. Jeddah has been a port and trading city for centuries, which is reflected in its cosmopolitan mix of inhabitants. Today, it is the major commercial center of Saudi Arabia. It also has many government offices. Jeddah is known in the kingdom for its shopping districts, restaurants and cafes. It also hosts the Jeddah Corniche (waterfront area), which is the largest in the Kingdom with a great bunch of hotels, beaches and resorts clustered around it. It is also the main entry point, either by air or sea, for pilgrims making the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, the two sacred cities of Islam. Both are a few hours inland from Jeddah.


King Fahd's Fountain, also known as the Jeddah Fountain.


Located in the coast of Jeddah. The fountain jets water 312 metres (1,024 ft) above the Red Sea. It was donated to the city of Jeddah by Kink Fahd, hence its name. The fountain is visible throughout the entire vicinity of Jeddah. The water it ejects can reach a speed of 375 kilometres (233 mi) per hour with a weight exceeding 18 tons. . It was constructed between 1980 and 1983 and began operating in 1985. The fountain uses saltwater taken from the Red Sea instead of freshwater. It uses over 500 spotlights to illuminate the fountain at night.