Comments on: Old Kout

By: Ahmed

Ahmed — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:52:55 +0000

I guess you just got the trackback now because I edited it to correct a misspelling few seconds ago.

By: Roba

Roba — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:50:32 +0000

Funnily enough, I just got a trackback on this post (two years later!), and it’s the first time I got to read it.

Great post Ahmed. I love the imagery, and I love the architecture! My memories of Riyadh are solely of 80′s style architecture :)

By: Lily

Lily — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 05:19:31 +0000

Oh wow! I would pay money to explore those buildings, looks like a terrific place to spend rainy days

By: Mr.something

Mr.something — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:52:05 +0000

I was a part of a team to devolop these areas.
Kout, Arrifa’a, Alna’athel, etc…

and have more than 300 pictures and tons of old and new maps about the area…

Of course, we are all students in KFU (king faisal university) Urban and rural planing Engineers…

I can say that our ONE YEAR project was thrown away, even that it costed thousands of riyals, hundreds of working hours.

anyway, all we recall are good times there.
We stayed there for a good 3 months there including ramadan last year.
Mostly in Arrifa’a, because it still have many locals living there.

we bonded with them, and i admire thier life style.

Our team, all Sunnah, and all locals where Shia’a.
Still, we got along really well.
shared good times, and got to know good people.

Even, we were let in to a very ancient and huge Hussayniah, and visited some old sites.

Only in one hood (only 1.5 by 2KM), we counted more than 42 husaynias.

we had the chance of knowing some of the traditions there, such as the recitels in ramadan before Iftar.

I loved the people, buildings and the life style.

It is a shame to let this treasuer just go away..

By: Broken WIng

Broken WIng — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:36:12 +0000

oh my gosh! these houses brought tears to my eyes!! You brought back so many memories!
i remember every time we go to visit my grandmother and we pass by houses similar to those!! and my dad will always have a new story to tell us each time we see them!!!! :(
He even showed us the well where my uncle fell in and died!! (may his soul rest in peace)… many would look at these houses at disgust, but like you said something pulls you towards them like something sentimental….

thanks for sharing!!!!!!! you brought back memories!!

By: abu daoud

abu daoud — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:14:53 +0000

Is there no program for rebuilding historical neighborhoods? I mean, if they can do it successfully in countries like Jordan and Israel then why not in KSA? It is really something, to see a rebuilt but old neighborhood…combining the old designs but with new technology. It really is very nice.

By: Saudi Smith

Saudi Smith — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:12:55 +0000

Well, don’t worry. With all the cheating, conning, and fraud going on in construction, new houses are more likely to colapse before the the old ones. Better hold on to that deed!

By: Khalid

Khalid — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:48:42 +0000

my father if from al Quaseem and when i was about 10 he drove me around to show me the old houses his grandparents lived in and where he lived most of his childhood. I have only seen them once, but i sitll remember every detail about the houses, 20 years later. those things do impact us – on a very sublime level.

By: Broke Saudi

Broke Saudi — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:39:46 +0000

Good stuff. Though I wish they would preserve these old neighborhoods.

By: Aafke

Aafke — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:36:20 +0000

Fascinating photos! I love them, some of the derelict houses look as if they were quite grand in earlier times.
Thanks for sharing this personal history.