What Distinguishes the Traditional Hejazi House?


Q &A
1 min Reading time
10/10/2025

The traditional Hejazi house stands out with its multi-story design and compact size compared to the standard Gulf houses, typically featuring a single entrance. The men's section includes a Dihliz (entrance hall), Maq'ad (sitting area), Majlis (reception area), and Qa'a (large room), which is a classic element of homes in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. These houses are rich in storage spaces and built-in wall cupboards, The rooms are elongated and interconnected.

The internal walls are up to one m thick. The house’s distinctive elongated design and small facades are adorned with wooden lattice windows (al-Rawashin), setting it apart from other architectural styles.

Sources


Hamad Bin Abdurrahman al-Hussain, Abdulhakim Abdulwahab Haroon, 'Models from the Architectural Heritage' Book, 2002.
Saudi Contractors Authority.
Saudipedia.

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