Masjid al-Haram surrounds the Kaaba in Mecca and is Islam’s most sacred mosque. Its vast courtyards and layered colonnades accommodate worshippers arriving from across the world, while the Kaaba remains the spiritual focal point at the centre of the complex.
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The scale of Masjid al-Haram is best understood by following the lines of movement toward its centre. The mosque surrounds the Kaaba, which Muslims face in prayer wherever they are. That orientation gives the enormous complex a clear spiritual focus even as its courtyards and galleries extend outward to accommodate worshippers.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- Masjid al-Haram houses the Kaaba.
- The Kaaba is the qibla, or direction of prayer, for Muslims.
- The mosque has expanded through successive historical periods.
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