Mecca/ Makkah al-Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia
Details
Accessibility
https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/search-result?search=Accessibility
Brief description
https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/makkah
https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/plan-your-trip/travel-guide
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecca
"Mecca,[a] officially Makkah al-Mukarramah,[b] is the holiest city in Islam. It is located in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia and is the capital of Mecca Province.[4] Mecca is considered the birthplace of Islam,[5][6] and is the birthplace of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
It is 70 km (43 mi) inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley 277 m (909 ft) above sea level. Its metropolitan population in 2022 was 2.4 million, making it the third-most populated city in Saudi Arabia after Riyadh and Jeddah. The Hira cave atop the Jabal al-Nour, just outside the city, is where Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed to Muhammad.[7] Visiting Mecca for the Ḥajj is an obligation upon all able Muslims. The Great Mosque of Mecca, known as the Masjid al-Haram, is home to the Ka'bah, believed by Muslims to have been built by Abraham and Ishmael. It is Islam's holiest site and the direction of prayer (qibla) for all Muslims worldwide.[8] Around 44.5% of the population are Saudi citizens and around 55.5% are Muslim foreigners from other countries.[9] Pilgrims more than triple the population number every year during the Ḥajj pilgrimage, observed in the twelfth Hijri month of Dhūl-Ḥijjah.[10] With over 10.8 million international visitors in 2023, Mecca was one of the ten most visited cities in the world.[11]
Muslim rulers from in and around the region long tried to take the city and keep it in their control, and thus, much like most of the Hejaz region, the city has seen several regime changes. The city was most recently conquered in the Saudi conquest of Hejaz by Ibn Saud and his allies in 1925. Since then, Mecca has seen a tremendous expansion in size and infrastructure, with newer, modern buildings such as The Clock Towers, the world's fourth-tallest building and third-largest by floor area,[12] towering over the Great Mosque. The Saudi government has also carried out the destruction of several historical structures and archaeological sites,[13] such as the Ajyad Fortress.[14][15][16] However, many of the demolitions have officially been part of the continued expansion of the Masjid al-Haram at Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina and their auxiliary service facilities in order to accommodate the ever-increasing number of Muslims performing the pilgrimage (hajj).[17] Non-Muslims are prohibited from entering the city.[18][19]
Under the Saudi government, Mecca is governed by the Mecca Regional Municipality, a municipal council of 14 locally elected members headed by the mayor (called Amin in Arabic) appointed by the Saudi government. In 2015, the mayor of the city was Osama bin Fadhel Al-Barr;[20][21] as of January 2022, the mayor is Saleh Al-Turki.[22] The City of Mecca amanah, which constitutes Mecca and the surrounding region, is the capital of the Mecca Province, which includes the neighbouring cities of Jeddah and Taif, even though Jeddah is considerably larger in population than Mecca. Prince Khalid Al-Faisal has been the provincial governor since 16 May 2007.[23] "
https://web.archive.org/web/20170317055002/http://www.holymakkah.gov.sa/en/Pages/default.aspx
https://web.archive.org/web/20000407212305/http://www.saudinf.com/main/a83.htm
Address
Mecca/ Makkah al-Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia
+ Al Kaaba
Al Haram
Makkah 24236
Saudi Arabia
https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/contact-us
Phone
Tourism Call Centre: 930
International Tourism Call Center: +966920000890
Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Customer Service: +966920002814
Website
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecca
https://saudipedia.com/en/article/1148/geography/provinces-and-cities/makkah-al-mukarramah-city
https://www.nusuk.sa/destination/makkah
https://thepilgrim.co/makkah-al-mukarramah/
https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/makkah
Directions
https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/plan-your-trip/travel-guide
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecca#Transportation
"Mecca, similar to Medina, lies at the junction of two of the most important highways in Saudi Arabia, Highway 40, connecting it to the important port city of Jeddah in the west and the capital of Riyadh and the other major port city, Dammam, in the east. The other, Highway 15, connects Mecca to the other holy Islamic city of Medina approximately 400 km (250 mi) in the north and onward to Tabuk and Jordan. While in the south, it connects Mecca to Abha and Jizan.[144][145] Mecca is served by four ring roads, and these are very crowded compared to the three ring roads of Medina. Mecca also has many tunnels.[146] "
"The Mecca Gate, known popularly as the Quran Gate, sits on the western entrance of the city, which is the route from Jeddah. Located on Highway 40, it marks the boundary of the Haram area where non-Muslims are prohibited from entering. The gate was designed in 1979 by an Egyptian architect, Samir Elabd, for the architectural firm IDEA Center. The structure is that of a book, representing the Quran, sitting on a rehal, or bookrest.[142] "
Opening Times
Always check with the venue directly for up-to-date information including opening times and admission charges as they may be subject to change
https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/makkah
"Best Time To Visit:
Hajj Season: June to July
Ramadan Season: March to April "
Transport
https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/getting-around
https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/plan-your-trip/travel-guide
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecca#Transportation
2025: "The only airport near the city is the Mecca East airport, which is not active. Mecca is primarily served by King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah for international and regional connections and Ta'if Regional Airport for regional connections. To cater to the large number of Hajj pilgrims, Jeddah Airport has a Hajj Terminal, specifically for use during the Hajj season; the terminal can accommodate 47 planes simultaneously while receiving 3,800 pilgrims per hour during the Hajj season.[143]
The Al Masha'er Al Muqaddassah Metro is a metro line in Mecca opened on 13 November 2010.[147] The 18.1-kilometer (11.2-mile) elevated metro transports pilgrims to the holy sites of 'Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina in the city to reduce congestion on the road and is only operational during the Hajj season.[148] It consists of nine stations, three in each of the aforementioned towns.
The Mecca Metro, officially known as Makkah Mass Rail Transit, is a planned four-line metro system for the city.[149] This will be in addition to[149] the Al Masha'er Al Muqaddassah Metro which carries pilgrims.
In 2018, the Haramain High Speed Railway entered operation, connecting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina together via Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport and King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh.[150][151] The railway consists of 35 electric trains and is capable of transporting 60 million passengers annually. Each train can achieve speeds of up to 300 kmh (190 mph), traveling a total distance of 450 km (280 mi), reducing the travel time between the two cities to less than two hours.[152][151]"
Amenities
https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/plan-your-trip/travel-guide
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_sites_in_Mecca
"The Sacred Sites in Mecca are ritually important sites in Mecca that were mentioned in the Quran and are visited by pilgrims during the annual Hajj. These sites are Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah.[1] "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecca#Transportation
"Adorning the southern facade of the Masjid al-Haram is the Abraj al-Bait Complex; towering over the Great Mosque, it is a seven-building complex with the central clock tower having a length of 601 m (1,972 feet), making it the world's fourth-tallest building. All seven buildings in the complex also form the third-largest building by floor area.
The Mecca Gate, known popularly as the Quran Gate, sits on the western entrance of the city, which is the route from Jeddah. Located on Highway 40, it marks the boundary of the Haram area where non-Muslims are prohibited from entering. The gate was designed in 1979 by an Egyptian architect, Samir Elabd, for the architectural firm IDEA Center. The structure is that of a book, representing the Quran, sitting on a rehal, or bookrest.[142] "