King Abdulaziz Library showcases rare photographs of Makkah, Madinah at Islamic Arts Biennale

JEDDAH: The King Abdulaziz Public Library is presenting a collection of rare photographs at the Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah until April 23, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The event — called “Awwal Bait,” which means “First House” — will display the first photographs of Makkah and Madinah, taken by Egyptian army engineer Muhammad Sadiq Bey in 1881, as well as four books he wrote about his visits to the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque. The books probe society and urban life in the Kingdom’s Western Region during the last half of the 19th century.