The Crown Prince's visit to the historical area in Jeddah came on the occasion of the registration of the area on the World Heritage List by UNESCO World Heritage Committee in recognition of its cultural value and architectural excellence as an extraordinary model of outstanding urban heritage. The history of the city of Jeddah is dated back to pre-Islamic times, but at the beginning of the Islamic era it witnessed a major turning point when it was assigned as a port for Makkah in the year 26 AH corresponding to 647 AD, and from that time, it has gained its historic Islamic dimension which made it as one of the most important cities on the coast of the Red Sea. Jeddah architectural heritage is characterized by historic mosques, alleys and markets. Historical Jeddah has enjoyed a special status by the Kingdom's kings since the era of the founder late King Abdulaziz (May Allah bestow mercy upon his soul) until the prosperous era of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud who has given it a special care for its development in urban and economic fields to maintain its identity through a number of important projects. --SPA 12:20 LOCAL TIME 09:20 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w