JEDDAH – Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, launched the second phase of Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Project for Historical Mosques Renovation. The ambitious project targets the renovation and development of a total of 130 historical mosques in various regions of the Kingdom. The second phase of the project covers 30 historical mosques located in all the 13 provinces of the Kingdom, and these include six mosques in the Riyadh region, five mosques in the Makkah region, four in the Madinah region, three in the Asir region, two each in the Eastern Province, Al-Jouf and Jazan regions, and one each in the Northern Border Region, Tabuk, Al-Baha, Najran, Hail, and Al-Qassim regions. The mosques were chosen for the renovation in the second phase on the basis of their historical and heritage significance, either they are related to the Prophet's biography or the Islamic caliphate or the history of Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince has directed the implementation of the second phase of the project by the Saudi companies specialized in heritage buildings with expertise in their respective field, with the importance of involving Saudi engineers to ensure the preservation of the original urban identity of each mosque since its establishment. The launching of the second phase of the project comes after the completion of the first phase that was launched in the beginning of 2018, which included the renovation and development of 30 historical mosques in 10 provinces at a cost of SR50 million with a total capacity for around 4,400 worshipers. The construction of the largest historical mosque within the first phase dates back to 1432 Hijri years. Saudi companies, which are experienced and specialized in the construction and renovation of heritage buildings, have implemented the first phase of the project. These companies ensured the involvement of Saudi engineers to guarantee the preservation of the original architectural identity of each mosque ever since its foundation. Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Project for Historical Mosques Renovation is based on four strategic goals, which are summarized in renovating historical mosques for worship and prayer; restoring the urban originality of historical mosques; highlighting the cultural dimension of Saudi Arabia, and enhancing the religious and cultural status of historical mosques. This contributes to highlighting the cultural and civilizational dimension of Saudi Arabia that focuses on the Kingdom's Vision 2030 by preserving the original urban characteristics and benefiting from them in developing the design of modern mosques.
