5 amazing facts about Makkah you never knew

There are some things that every Muslim knows about Makkah – but a lot of interesting information that very few people know. Amaze your friends with this unusual Makkah facts!

World’s highest prayer room

A tiny prayer room (musalla) lies 600 meters above sea level in the Makkah Clock Royal Tower hotel by Fairmont. With space for just six or seven people, it is contained within the tower’s crescent. The distance to the Kaaba is just 500 meters, making it the closest of all prayer rooms in Makkah.

A key part of Vision 2030

Over 8.75 million pilgrims entered Makkah for Hajj and Umrah last year, with the vast majority coming from outside the Kingdom. Including the growing number of business travelers, the total number of visitors to Saudi Arabia is expected to rise to 30 million per year by 2030.

 

 

A major aim of the Vision 2030 plan initiated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is to welcome these visitors in safety and comfort. Given its importance as a city holy to Muslims worldwide, Makkah is at the center of this comprehensive development plan covering public transport, education, infrastructure, accommodation and more.

Largest automated waste network in the world

When your attention is focused on the religious sites and bustling city center of Makkah, you might forget what goes on in the background to sustain the holy city.

To deal with the city’s waste, including the 600 tons generated per day during Hajj and Ramadan, Makkah has the world’s largest automated waste transport network. Waste is transported from 318 collection points to a Central Utility Complex outside the city, via 30 km of underground pipelines.

First ever car on Arabian peninsula

You’ll see lots of luxury cars driving down the highways of Saudi Arabia and around Makkah – and may even be driving one yourself! – but did you know that the first car to enter the Arabian Peninsula was in Mecca? It was owned by Sharif Awn Al-Rafiq, ruler of Makkah from 1882 to 1905.

Abraj Al Bait: the biggest, brightest, best…

The famous Abraj Al Bait complex in central Makkah breaks many records – including the record for the number of superlatives you can use to describe it. The 600-meter Clock Royal Tower containing the Fairmont hotel is the world’s third tallest building – and of course, those clock faces are also the world’s largest, visible from as far as 17 km away. The clock sparkles at night with millions of LEDs and 26 powerful searchlights beam out from the top, lighting up the heavens up to 10 km high.

 

 

The floor area of the Abraj Al Bait complex covers more than 1.5 million square meters, making it the largest building in the world. Discover it for yourself when you stay in one of Makkah’s luxury Accor hotels!