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Jeddah Historic District Marks Decade Since UNESCO World Heritage Site Designation

The district includes more than 650 heritage buildings, five historical main markets, several historical mosques, and one historical school. SPA
The district includes more than 650 heritage buildings, five historical main markets, several historical mosques, and one historical school. SPA
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Jeddah Historic District Marks Decade Since UNESCO World Heritage Site Designation

The district includes more than 650 heritage buildings, five historical main markets, several historical mosques, and one historical school. SPA
The district includes more than 650 heritage buildings, five historical main markets, several historical mosques, and one historical school. SPA

The Jeddah Historic District program, under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, celebrates this year the tenth anniversary of its listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Monday.
The program continues its efforts to revive the district, preserve its cultural and urban heritage, and transform it into a global heritage destination in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030, SPA said.
According to the program, the Jeddah Historic District spans 2.5 square kilometers and is known for its unique architectural features, urban layout, and rich cultural heritage. Positioned on the Red Sea coast, it has been a significant port for pilgrims travelling to Makkah since the seventh century. It has also functioned as a crucial hub for global trade between Asia and Africa, fostering cultural and economic exchange.
The program noted that the district includes more than 650 heritage buildings, five historical main markets, several historical mosques, and one historical school.
The inclusion of the Jeddah Historic District on the UNESCO World Heritage List was based on its fulfilment of three key criteria for classifying historical areas. These criteria highlighted the region's significance in facilitating the exchange of human values over time or within a cultural sphere, its status as a prominent example of a particular architectural style or technology that reflects significant stages in human history, and its association with living traditions, ideas, beliefs, and works of art and literature that hold exceptional global importance.

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A Rare Peek at the Hidden Waterworks behind Rome’s Trevi Fountain

A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)
A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)
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A Rare Peek at the Hidden Waterworks behind Rome’s Trevi Fountain

A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)
A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)

The Trevi Fountain, arguably the world’s most famous, has graced screens for decades, from Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” to Netflix’s “Emily in Paris.” Each year, millions of visitors push through Rome's narrow streets to gaze at the towering Titan god flanked by falls cascading into a turquoise pool.

Yet, they never get to venture behind Oceanus’ back to see what produces the sublime play of water in the baroque masterpiece.

Wooden doors on an adjacent street lead to the maneuvering chambers that control the fountain's water supply, coming from the Aqua Virgo — an ancient Roman aqueduct 16 kilometers (10 miles) away. Two electric pumps recycle 126 liters (33 gallons) of water per second while Rome’s water management company, ACEA, carefully monitors the flow around the clock.

This precise amount is crucial for the movement of water through the statues; a little more or less, and it wouldn’t work, said Davide D’Alonzo, ACEA’s manager for the area.

The modern maneuvering chamber features metal tanks and lighted panels. In the original, arched chamber, water audibly rushes through a thick pipe and there is a functional, 18th-century hydrometer to gauge the fountain’s water level.

A large, rudimentary spreadsheet on the wall displays the names of rich Roman families whose homes received water from the chamber long ago; when they fell behind on their payments, their supply was cut off.

The chamber's grated windows grant views out over the fountain and its many visitors — all of whom are oblivious to its hidden waterworks. They toss coins over their shoulders into the water, a hopeful gesture based on a legend that it guarantees their return to the eternal city.