Jeddah Governorate's squares host a collection of sculptural works linked to the names of well-known sites and intersections, becoming part of the city's urban landscape in an artistic experience spanning decades. These works have contributed to making sculpture and visual arts accessible to residents and visitors within public spaces.
Artistic and Architectural Diversity
The works range from sculptures inspired by elements of daily life to abstract compositions carrying different artistic meanings. Designed by artists and architects from multiple countries, they form an open-air exhibition reflecting a side of Jeddah's plastic art history and giving its streets and squares distinctive visual features.
Prominent Landmarks
Among the most notable landmarks is the Bicycle sculpture, designed by Spanish architect Julio Laventi in the form of a giant bicycle. It was previously relocated to the intersection of King Fahd Road and Al Rawdah Street as part of traffic flow improvement works, remaining one of the works associated with well-known site names in the city.
The Sword sculpture also features among the artistic works witnessed by Jeddah. Designed by Belgian artist Hubert Minibou in 1982, the model combines plastic composition with symbolic meaning, reflecting the diversity of artistic schools hosted by the governorate's squares.
Documentation Initiative
In northern Jeddah, Jeddah Municipality announced in April 2026 the development of the intersection of Prince Sultan Road and Hira Street, while preserving the History sculpture in its location. This is part of works targeting traffic flow and urban landscape improvement, a step that considers the presence of artistic landmarks when implementing road development projects.
Jeddah Municipality's role in enhancing community awareness of the importance of aesthetic sculptures in the city extended through the 'Bride of the Red Sea' initiative for photographing Jeddah's landmarks, launched in April 2026. This initiative featured an exhibition comprising 25 photographic images out of 100 in its first phase, presented by five photographers, alongside the launch of a webpage containing the names of the sculptures, their artistic meanings, designers, years of execution, and locations.
Documenting these works allows for understanding their history and designers' ideas, and tracking their presence in Jeddah's urban landscape. This adds a cognitive dimension to the experience of viewing sculptures in their public locations, highlighting a side of the city's artistic heritage for its residents and visitors.
Source: Arriyadiyah newspaper
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