The Kaaba is the central sanctuary within Masjid al-Haram and the direction toward which Muslims pray. Its simple cuboid form is covered by the Kiswah, a richly embroidered textile whose renewal connects skilled craft with a living religious tradition.
Guide preview
The Kaaba’s form is spare: a cube-like structure, set apart by the cloth that covers it and by the movement of worshippers around it. For Muslims, it is the qibla, the shared direction of prayer across the world.
Continue exploring
Discover the full story
Keep reading with a travel pass and explore every full guide and tour.
UpgradeQuick facts
- The Kaaba is the qibla for Muslim prayer.
- Its covering is called the Kiswah.
- The Kiswah is made and cared for through specialized craft processes.
More places in Mecca
Abraj Al Bait Clock Tower
The Abraj Al Bait Clock Tower rises above Mecca beside Masjid al-Haram, its enormous clock faces visible across the city. The tower’s scale depends on specialized engineering and materials, including glass mosaic panels designed to withstand intense temperature changes.
Abu Bakr Al-Amoudi Museum
Abu Bakr Al-Amoudi Museum uses traditional Makkan architectural materials and rooms to present objects from regional history and daily life. Its broad collection brings together manuscripts, clothing, tools, coins, and records of the Holy Mosque.
Ain Zubaydah
Ain Zubaydah is a historic water system rather than a single springhead: its channels and paths once carried water toward Mecca and the Hajj route. The network represents a major act of public infrastructure in a dry landscape.
Al-Arak Park
Al-Arak Park is a neighborhood green space in Makkah, offering a local setting for rest and outdoor activity within a city defined by pilgrimage and urban growth. Its name also connects the site to the arak tree of the region.
Al Aseel House Museum
Al Aseel House Museum recreates interiors of traditional Makkah homes and displays objects linked to household life, clothing, manuscripts, and local history. The private museum uses domestic settings to make heritage feel close to everyday experience.
Al-Hudaybiyah
Al-Hudaybiyah marks the setting of a pivotal truce between the early Muslim community and Quraysh. The treaty’s immediate terms looked difficult, yet its pause in conflict created room for contact and a later return to Mecca.