The Al-Saidan Mosque, which holds significant historical value and serves as a local landmark in Dumat Al-Jandal, Al-Jouf region, is one of the mosques included in the second phase of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques. Constructed around 1223 AD, the mosque is one of the oldest in the city after the Omar bin Al-Khattab Mosque and used to host Friday prayers.
The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques aims to renovate the Al-Saidan Mosque by incorporating artistic, design, and informational values. The mosque’s area will increase from 179 square meters to 202.39 square meters, while its capacity to accommodate worshippers will reach 68 people after prayers, which were previously stopped for some time.
The mosque will be developed using mud building techniques and natural materials to depict the traditional style of the region, which is characterized by its unique architecture that can withstand the harsh desert climate. It stands out as a symbol of Al-Jouf’s urbanization and architectural identity. The rehabilitation project will preserve the mosque’s unique features, such as the water channel and an old well called the well of Aba al-Jibal, which has a channel dug and roofed with stone, as well as a staircase leading to the waterway for ablution. The mosque is also the only one with ablution places.
The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project will renovate 30 mosques, including six mosques in Riyadh, five in Makkah, four in Madinah, three in Asir, two each in the Eastern Region, Al-Jouf, and Jazan, and one each in the Northern Borders Region, Tabuk, Al-Baha, Najran, Hail, and Al-Qassim in its second phase across all 13 regions of the Kingdom.
The completed first phase of the project involved the renovation and restoration of 30 historical mosques in 10 regions. The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques aims to achieve four strategic objectives: restoration of historical mosques for worship and prayer, restoration of the urban authenticity of historical mosques, highlighting the cultural dimension of Saudi Arabia, and enhancing the religious and cultural status of historical mosques.
The project contributes to highlighting the Kingdom’s cultural and civilizational extent as one of the pillars of the Saudi Vision 2030 by preserving authentic urban characteristics and utilizing them to contribute to the development of modern mosque designs.
Source: Saudi Press Agency