Where Are Stone Houses Built in Saudi Arabia?
Q &A
1
min Reading time
10/10/2025
Stone construction was historically common in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in:
- Coastal areas, where limestone, locally known as al-Mangabi Stone in Jeddah, or "corals," was used.
- Mountainous areas along the Sarawat Mountain range.
As a building material, stone is classified into two types:
- Rubble Stone (Hajar al-Dabsh): Uncut and unpolished.
- Dressed stone: Manually shaped and smoothed with simple tools.
Sources
Images from architectural heritage. Abdulhakim Haroun and Mohammed al-Husain, 2003.