In May 2019, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced a multi-billion dollar restoration of 56 historical building in Al-Balad.

In the 1970s and 1980s, when Jeddah began to become wealthier due to the oil boom, many Jeddawis moved north, away from Al-Balad,[6] as it reminded them of less prosperous times.

[7] In 2009, Al-Balad was nominated by Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities to be added to UNESCO's World Heritage list, and it was accepted in 2014.

[8] Many Jeddawis had moved away from Al-Balad by 2007; the streets of Balad were still packed with people during the month of Ramadan.

The restoration was supervised by the ministry of culture, which assigned Al Balad Development Company to manage the hotels.

[15][16] Cyril Ousman, the British Vice-consul of Jeddah who was shot and killed by Prince Mishari bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is also buried here.

The walls of the cemetery may have been built by Muhammad Ali of Egypt in the aftermath of the Ottoman-Saudi wars of the 1810s.

Kanz AL-Balad is a scavenger hunt in which participants are asked to find particular places or objects.