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Makkah is the holiest city for Muslims. It embraces Masjid Al Haram (the GreatMosque) and Kaaba, the qiblah for Muslims to which they turn in their prayers. Muslims yearn to visit Makkah to perform Hajj or Umrah. In this city, Prophet Muhammad, the most honorable of creation, the seal of the prophets and messengers, our master Muhammad, peace be upon him, was born, and from it, the tolerant message of Islam was launched to all corners of the world after the Holy Quran was revealed. Makkah is located in the western part of Saudi Arabia. During the reign of the kings of Saudi Arabia, it received great interest. Makkah still enjoys great attentionto provide the best services to pilgrims. Its most prominent landmark, Masjid Al Haram, witnessed many expansions that included all parts of the mosque, and the holy sites received a series of development works to provide all means of comfort and reassurance for all pilgrims from inside and outside the Kingdom.
Located opposite the King Abdul Aziz Gate in Makkah, Al Safwah Hotel offers modern and upscale accommodation in a tall building in the Grand Mosque. Provide free Wi-Fi service. The rooms at Al Safwa Royal Orchid Hotel are furnished with contemporary furniture and are equipped with a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. They are all air-conditioned and have an en suite bathroom with selected toiletries.
Raffles Palace is an exclusive all-suite hotel with stunning views of the Holy Mosque and the Kaaba in a prime location right next to the Grand Mosque. Professional butlers provide the signature Raffles style of service. Luxurious Raffles décor with marble floors and oriental rugs makes you feel right at home.
Fairmont hotel is located just 100 meters from the Holy Mosque, inside the Makkah Al Mukarramah Clock Tower, and is considered one of the tallest buildings in the world. It features a fully equipped fitness center, hot tub, sauna, and steam room. It offers concierge services around the clock.
Dar Al Tawheed Contenintal hotel is distinguished by its location, just steps away from the Holy Mosque and the Kaaba. There are two private entrances to the Grand Mosque directly from the hotel gate, giving our distinguished guests comfort and privacy while performing Hajj and Umrah.
Hilton Suites is located in the heart of the holy city of Makkah, overlooking the Holy Haram. Free Wi-Fi and separate private mosques for men and women on the hotel premises.
Swissotel Makkah is located in a high tower in the heart of the Islamic world, with views of the Holy City. The hotel is part of the magnificent Abraj Al Bait complex, facing the Holy Kaaba and providing direct access to the Grand Mosque from Ibrahim Al Khalil Street and the entrance to the Umm Al Qura Tunnel. There is also direct access to the hotel from the Abraj Al Bait complex.
Conrad Makkah is located in the heart of the holy city of Makkah, just steps away from the Kaaba and the Holy Mosque. The hotel is easily accessible via Umm Al Qura Road connecting to Makkah-Jeddah Expressway. Guests can also enjoy the restaurant Available on-site.
Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency is located in the heart of the holy city of Makkah. The hotel is just a minute walk from the Holy Mosque. Guests can enjoy free WiFi throughout the property. There are male and female prayer areas in the private parking level.
Mövenpick Hotel & Residence Hajar Tower Makkah is located in one of the tallest buildings in the world, overlooking the Grand Mosque, blending modern and traditional amenities, luxurious dining, and on-site shops.
Elaf Kinda Hotel is located next to the King Abdulaziz Waqf facing the Grand Mosque, between King Abdulaziz Gate and King Fahd Gate, a few steps from the Kaaba, and offers direct access to the Grand Mosque. It features elegant rooms with free Wi-Fi.
The 5-star Midan Hotel features 2 restaurants, 1 lobby, 1 sports lounge, 1 poolside bar, and a very spacious room with a balcony overlooking the racetrack, as well as free WiFi. This property includes a 24-hour front desk, room service, and currency exchange to the guests.
Guest House Hotel is located in Makkah near the central bus station, where guests can easily reach Holy Haram. Free WiFi is available and all units feature a TV with satellite channels and a kitchen equipped with a fridge and washing machine. Each unit has a private bathroom with toiletries Free shower.
A stage of Hajj journey. It is characterized by white tents. It has recently won the Guinness World Records Award for the largest tent city in the world. It provides many services, including the Mashaer Train, housing camps, catering, transportation system, integrated electricity system, and interconnected road network. Pilgrims usually spend the Day of Tarwiyah (the eighth day of Dhu al-Hijjah) there and return to Mina again to spend Day of Nahr (the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah) and the three days of Tashreeq (the eleventh, the twelfth, and thirteenth days of Dhul-Hijjah). Mina is the first stage of Hajj. It has a historical and religious status. It is famous for archaeological landmarks and historical events, as it is located within the boundaries of the Haram between Makkah and Muzdalifah, 7 km to the northeast of the Holy Mosque. Mina also includes the extension of “Ain Zubaida,” in addition to some old wells, including the well of Kadana. Mina is famous for the historical seasonal markets, including the Arab Market, which was given this name because most Arab pilgrims used to display their goods at this market from the tenth day to the thirteenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah.
One of the stages of the pilgrim’s journey. It occurs on the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, where pilgrims stand at Arafah. The Prophet, may peace and prayers be upon him, said: (Hajj is Arafah). That is why it is called the Greatest Day of Hajj. Standing at Arafah and supplication anywhere within the boundaries of Arafah or the Mountain of Mercy are allowed on the day of Arafah. On the day of Arafah, pilgrims join and shorten zuhr prayer and asr prayer. The prayer has a sermon as the Prophet, may peace and prayers be upon him, did as he performed Hajj, delivered a sermon, and led Muslims in his last farewell Hajj. Pilgrims start to depart Arafat to head to Muzdalifah after the sunset. The day of Arafah has great virtues, as the Prophet, may peace and prayers be upon him, said that the day of Arafah is the best day for Allah.
Allah called it al- Mash'ar al-Haram in the Holy Qur’an: (But when you depart from 'Arafat, remember Allah at al- Mash'ar al-Haram). It is a stage of the Hajj journey. It is located between Mina and Arafah. The pilgrims stay overnight there after they depart Arafah. They join and shorten Maghrib and Isha prayers and collect pebbles for Jamarat, in Mina. Pilgrims stay there for part of the night or until the dawn of the next day, the day of Eid, to move to Mina.
A mosque that was built in Arafah where the Prophet, may peace and prayers be upon him, delivered a sermon for the last farewell Hajj. In Namirah Mosque, thousands of pilgrims pray zuhr and asr prayers on the day of Arafah. It is located to the west of Arafah. The western part of the Mosque is located in Wadi ‘Arnah, which is a valley of Makkah Al-Mukarramah where the Prophet prohibited pilgrims from standing there because it is not a part of Arafat, but it is very close thereto. Namirah Mosque is known in many books by several other names, such as the Mosque of the Prophet Ibrahim, Arafah Mosque, and Arnah Mosque. The name Arafah Mosque was originated from a village outside Arafah Area where the Prophet, may peace and prayers be upon him, resided and then moved to the valley, where he prayed zuhr and asr prayers and delivered a sermon in the Mosque. During the era of the Saudi State, the Mosque witnessed the largest expansions in history, where it became the second largest mosque in Makkah in terms of area after the Holy Mosque. The length of the Mosque from east to west is 340 meters, and the width from north to south is 240 meters. Its area is more than 110,000 square meters. Behind the Mosque, there is a shaded area of 8 thousand square meters. The Mosque accommodates about 350 thousand worshippers. It has six minarets and an equipped outside broadcasting room for broadcasting the sermon and zuhr and asr prayers on the day of Arafat, directly by satellite.
One of the most prominent landmarks of Mina is the Jamarat or the Jamrah Pillars that are thrown at the Jamarat Bridge. The three Jamarat are located in Mina Valley. Currently, they are within the Jamarat Bridge, which is one of the great achievements of the Kingdom’s Government, in order to organize crowds and provide safety when they go to throw Jamarat. At the beginning of the Day of Nahr, only the seven pebbles of the biggest Jamrah are thrown. During the days of Tashreeq, each Jamrah is thrown at with seven pebbles, from the Smallest Jamrah, the Middle Jamrah, and finally the Biggest Jamrah. A pilgrim can throw Jamarat from any floor of the Jamarat Bridge. It is very important for pilgrims to abide by the schedule of Tafweej (Group Dispatching) set by the organizers for throwing Jamarat and the directions of movement, in order to maintain the safety and security of others. The Jamarat Bridge is one of the pioneering projects that has made a civilizational and engineering leap in the service of pilgrims. The Jamarat Facility consists of four floors, in addition to the ground floor. It is 80 meters wide and has 12 entrances for Jamarat and 12 exits in the four directions, which reduces overcrowding. The Bridge is linked to the pilgrim camps.
Makkah Clock Royal Tower rises more than 400 meters above ground. It is the largest clock tower in the world, with a diameter of more than 40 meters. The clock weighs 36 thousand tons. The clock can be seen from all areas of Makkah al-Mukarramah from a distance of more than eight kilometers. The clock consists of four interfaces, and the largest word (Allah is Great) in the world can be seen above the clock, where the letter (A) in the word (Allah) is more than 23 meters long. The diameter of the crescent is 23 meters, constituting the largest crescent that has been made so far. The two testimonies of faith (I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger) can also be seen. The clock was designed in the Islamic style according to the strictest safety standards.
Makkah has a host of fascinating, intimate museums that shed light on the city’s history as the birthplace of Islam and a crossroads for travelers from all over the world for centuries. The Exhibition of the Two Holy Mosques guides visitors through the construction and many phases of the Masjid Al Haram in Makkah as well as the Masjid An Nabawi in Medina—browse intricate marble arches, reclaimed wooden doors and much more, saved and restored from previous iterations of the mosques. You’ll have to get permission to visit the Kiswah Museum next door—though it’s well worth to see where the kiswah, the 670-kilogram black silk cloth draped on the Kaaba, is made by hand, and woven with calligraphic inscriptions done in threads made from real gold and silver. At the Makkah Museum, set in the opulent Al Zahir Palace, you can learn about the region’s pre-Islamic history, dating back to ancient rock art, and see some early-Islamic coins from Byzantine, Abbasid and Umayyad dynasties as well as rare copies of centuries-old Qurans and other important texts.
The place where Jibreel first met the Prophet, may peace and prayers be upon him, and revealed to him the opening verses of the Qur’an (Recite in the name of your Lord who created). It is located 4 kilometers away from the northeastern side of the Holy Mosque. It was called Jabal al-Noor, as the lights of prophecy emerged there. Its height is 642 meters. It has a steep slope from 380 meters to 500 meters above sea level. It is five kilometers long and 250 meters wide. Its top resembles the camel's hump. In Jabal al-Noor, there is the Cave of Hiraa, which is one of the most important places in the history of Islam and the prophecy, as the Prophet, may peace and prayers be upon him, used to seclude himself to worship Allah before the prophecy, away from the people of Makkah. It is a gap at the top of Jabal al-Noor. Its entrance faces the northern direction, and it is four cubits long and one and three-fourths cubits wide. A person who enters the Cave faces the Kaaba. Whoever stands at the top of Jabal al-Noor can see Makkah and its buildings.
Endowment of King Abdul Aziz for the Two Holy Mosques Project is one of the largest architectural projects in the world. It is developed on 1.5 million square meters. It consists of seven adjacent towers with a height of 600 meters. Their capacity is 65 thousand people. The project includes a mosque accommodating 3,300 worshipers, in addition to parking lots linked to underground tunnels under the building and accommodating more than 1,000 vehicles. They also include water tanks with the capacity of more than m3 53,000, for water provision, especially at peak times, and around the clock.
The Kiswah of the Kaaba is an integral part of the history of the Kaaba itself. It consists of black silk on which verses from the Holy Qur’an are embroidered with gold water. It consists of four pieces distributed on the faces of the Kaaba, in addition to a fifth piece, which is a curtain on the door of the Kaaba. The manufacturing of the Kiswah is supervised by the Kiswah Factory of the Holy Kaaba, which is located in the center of Makkah Al-Mukarramah. The Kiswah is replaced with a new one once a year during Hajj, after the pilgrims go to Arafah.
It is located in the eastern side of the Kaaba. It rises from the ground by more than 222 cm from Shazrawan. The door is 318 cm high, 170 cm wide, and about half a meter deep. Previously, the Kaaba had a hole to enter it, which was then replaced with a door, which had a long history and has been changed several times. King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud, may his soul rest in peace, commanded that a new door be manufactured in 1363 AH. It was then made of aluminum with a thickness of 2.5 cm and a height of 3.10 meters. It was supported with bars of iron. Then, the outer face of the door was covered with plates of silver plated with gold. The door was decorated with the fine names of Allah. During the reign of King Khalid bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, may Allah have mercy on him, he commanded the door to be replaced with a new one made of pure gold, which is currently in place. For a long time, the door had been opened irregularly, which was dangerous to the lives of those who were in the crowd. This led to the door being opened only twice a year. The first time is in the month of Sha’ban, for washing the Kaaba, and the second time is at the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah, for washing the Kaaba and hanging the new Kiswah.
The place to which the Prophet and his companion, Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, lay hidden while they were on their way to Madina during Hijrah (Migration). It is located to the northern side of Thawr mountain, to the south of Makkah. Its height is 760 meters above sea level. It is about four kilometers away from the southern side of Makkah al-Mukarramah. It is a hollow rock of 1.25 m high. It has two entrances, one to the western side, by which the Prophet and his companion entered, and another entrance to the eastern side.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built the longest pedestrian road in the world. It is more than 25 kilometers long from Jabal Al Rahma (Mount of Mercy) in Arafah, to Mina, passing through Muzdalifah, to facilitate the movement of pilgrims according to the highest international standards, in order to provide pilgrims with comfort and safety during movement between the holy sites “Arafah – Muzdalifah, and Mina”. It includes 4 tracks. The first road is 5,100 linear meters long, the second is 7,580 linear meters long, the third is 7,556 linear meters long, and the fourth is 4,620 linear meters long. For the comfort of pilgrims, a track includes 1,000 seats, shades for sun protection, 57 directional boards, more than 400 high-tech lighting poles, 810 lanterns (LED), 25 lighting towers of 30 meters high, and 100 lanterns of 100 watts. More than 400 garbage bins have been installed on both sides of the road.
The railway line that facilitates the arrival of pilgrims to the holy sites and links the southeast of Arafah with the southwest of Mina (Jamarat Area). The train passes through the stations in Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Mina, at three stations for each location. The trip starts from Jamarat Station, passing through Mina and Muzdalifah, to Arafah, at speeds ranging between 80-120 km per hour. It runs without a driver, using automatic operation systems that are controlled by an operation and control center. There are 17 trains; 17 with 12 engines for each. They transport 300 pilgrims per trip. The capacity is 72,000 people per hour. The train can be accessed by ramps, elevators, ordinary and electric stairs, and electronic gates.
Makkah Mall, one of the most important malls in Makkah, is a large and diverse commercial complex that owns a large number of local and international stores for clothes, shoes, perfumes and accessories. It also contains a group of international restaurants serving fast food and international cafes, in addition to a play area for young and old.
Souk Al Diyafa is one of the most famous shopping places in the city of Makkah, as it contains a large group of shops, which include many goods of the best brands, whether local or international.
Souk Al-Khalil -1 opened in 2013, located under Jabal Omar Hilton Suites Makkah – and Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency Makkah just steps away from the Grand Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), Souk Al-Khalil -1 is one of the biggest commercial centers in Jabal Omar destination, where it features a diverse mix of retailers ranging from international retailers and local favorites to high-end boutiques. The selection of brands includes Abdul Samad Al-Qurashi, Footlocker, and MotherCare, in addition to luxury retailers such as Rolex, Sephora, and more.
Very few restaurants do not open in the early morning in Makkah, but a Maqam cafe is one of the few places that is characterized by serving Arabic, Turkish and American breakfast, and they have a group of Saudi chefs who serve the most delicious dishes, sweets...
Traveling by Air
The airport gives arrivals quick access to Makkah via the Haramain train station adjacent to the arrival hall. They can also have access to buses going straight to the grand mosque. It also allows them to take a taxi or rent a car from rental companies and head to Makkah via Prince Mohammed bin Salman Road, Huda Al-Sham Road, or the old Makkah-Jeddah Road, and stop at one of the car parks at the entrances to Makkah, and move from it to the Grand Mosque via Makkah buses. Upon arrival in Makkah, visitors must park rented cars in one of the car parks at the entrances to Makkah and proceed to the Grand Mosque by Makkah public buses or taxis.
Traveling by Air
From the airport, it is possible to get to the Al-Haramain train station on King Abdulaziz Road via buses that take about 10 minutes to reach the train that transports travelers to Makkah. Alternatively, visitors can take a bus to Abi Dhar Street in the central area of the Prophet’s Mosque and take public transport buses or taxis heading to Makkah. They may also choose to rent a car from rental companies at the airport and head to Makkah via the Makkah-Madina highway. stopping them in parking lots. Upon arrival in Makkah, visitors must park rented cars in one of the car parks at the entrances to Makkah, like Al-Zahir parking lot or Al-Nawariah parking lot, and proceed to the Grand Mosque by Makkah public buses or taxis.
Traveling by Air
Passengers arriving at Taif Airport can go directly to Makkah by taxi or use public transport buses to Taif Station, and proceed from there to the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
Traveling by Road
Passengers can travel from Jeddah to Makkah via the Haramain Train Stations at King Abdulaziz Airport or Sulaymaniyah Train Stations. From there, they may proceed to Makkah Station in Al-Rusaifah District, and then to the Grand Mosque via Makkah buses. Travelers from Jeddah to Makkah can take public transport buses from the corniche center area; they can also go by taxi from Al-Balad parking to the Grand Mosque. Alternatively, they may rent a car and take it to Prince Mohammed bin Salman Road, Huda Al-Sham Road, or the old Makkah-Jeddah road. Upon arrival in Makkah, visitors must park rented cars in one of the car parks at the entrances to Makkah and proceed to the Grand Mosque by Makkah public buses or taxis. You can book a ride via Green Taxi, Careem or Green Taxi, Uber.
Traveling by Road
Travelers from Madina can reach Makkah via the Al Haramain Train Station on King Abdulaziz Street. They travel from there to Makkah Station linked to the Grand Mosque via public transport buses. Visitors can travel to Makkah from Madina by public transport buses on Abi Dhar Street, next to the Prophet’s Mosque. They can also take a taxi from the same parking lot. These are special taxis that transport visitors between the Two Holy Mosques. Alternatively, travelers can rent a car in Madinah and travel to Makkah via the Makkah-Madina highway. Upon arrival in Makkah, visitors must park rented cars in one of the car parks at the entrances to Makkah and proceed to the Grand Mosque by Makkah public buses or taxis.
Traveling by Road
Travelers from Taif Governorate can reach Makkah by public transport buses that depart from Al-Sail Road to Makkah. They also have the option of taking a taxi on the Al-Sail and Al-Hada roads. Alternatively, they may rent a car and travel to Makkah via one of the two roads that connect it with Taif.
By Sea
Makkah can be reached by sea via cruise trips coming to Jeddah Islamic Port from various countries of the world, in addition to Saudi cruise trips coming from different destinations to the Red Sea. From there, visitors may take a bus to transport them to Makkah.