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The House of Al-Wajeeh Nasseef

Prof. Dr. Abdulrahman Saad al-Arabi

Date of publication: July 19, 2026 22:54 KSA

On the 1st of Jumada al-Thani 1344 AH / December 17, 1925, Jeddah was surrendered. The next day, the people of Jeddah erected a pavilion in the al-Kandara district outside the wall of Jeddah to receive King Abdulaziz, and after a grand ceremony attended by consuls of Arab, Islamic, and foreign states, the king proceeded into the city. He entered Jeddah on the morning of Thursday, 8 Jumada al-Thani, and stayed at the house of the notable Effendi Muhammad Hussein Nasseef. The newspaper Umm al-Qura and Sheikh Muhammad Ali Maghribi in his book 'A'lam al-Hijaz' state that King Abdulaziz entered Jeddah through Makkah Gate, accompanied by Sheikh Muhammad Effendi Nasseef. Maghribi describes this saying: 'King Abdulaziz's entry into Jeddah on Thursday, 8 Jumada al-Thani 1344 AH / December 25, 1925, was through Makkah Gate, accompanied in the car by Hajj Abdullah Ali Reda, where King Abdulaziz stayed at the house of Effendi Muhammad Hussein Nasseef and received the pledge of allegiance from the people.' The house of Al-Wajeeh Nasseef was one of the largest and most beautifully constructed houses in Jeddah, overlooking a large square in Haret al-Mazloum, and it remains to this day 1448 AH in its most splendid form, a unique architectural masterpiece. King Abdulaziz made the house his headquarters upon his arrival and during his stay in Jeddah until 1348 AH, before moving to the Green Palace in al-Omariyah district.

The house was built in 1289 AH, built by the grandfather of the family, Sheikh Omar Effendi Nasseef, and its construction took four years. It consists of five floors, made of limestone, with 30 windows, four facades, and several mashrabiyas (roshans), the largest of which is the roshan on the main facade overlooking Nasseef Square. Among its components is a Turkish steam bath, which most homes in Jeddah did not have. In the southeastern part is the servants' quarter, with rooms isolated from the rest of the house floors. The house had a large library full of books and scientific references, and it was a destination for students of knowledge and researchers. The Effendi Nasseef's care for it played a role in its prosperity, as he was one of the scholars of his time - may God have mercy on him - and his home was a destination for many scholars and travelers from inside and outside the Kingdom, who extensively mentioned his virtues and vast knowledge. Professor Abdul Quddus al-Ansari said about him: 'He is the greatest literary figure of Jeddah and the prince of books in it, and his library is full of old and new works. He is generous in allowing seekers of knowledge to benefit from its treasures, and he is a speaking encyclopedia, answering questions directed to him and guiding to reliable sources in literary, historical, and jurisprudential sciences.'

Today, the Ministry of Culture is restoring it to its state when King Abdulaziz resided in it, with its components and furnishings as they were, and it is a museum. Many events are held there, including an exhibition of historical photographs of Jeddah, which was organized by the Red Sea History Center affiliated with the King Abdulaziz Foundation, and I was one of its organizers when I was an advisor at the center. We were visited by many figures, including Prince Faisal bin Salman when he was governor of Medina region. Our colleague Dr. Abdullah al-Thaqafi has a book on 'Architecture in Jeddah' published by the King Abdulaziz Foundation in 1436 AH, in two volumes, which contains detailed architectural information about Nasseef House.

King AbdulazizBayt al-Wajeeh Nasseef