Mecca

Mecca, officially known as Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the holiest city in Islam.

It is located in the Hejazi region of western Saudi Arabia. The city serves as the capital of Mecca Province. This province includes the nearby cities of Jeddah and Taif.

Geographically, Mecca sits in a narrow valley. This valley is 277 meters above sea level. The city is located 70 km inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea.

Because of its religious importance, it is a central site for millions of people.

The city's spiritual importance is centered on the Masjid al-Haram. This is the Great Mosque of Mecca.

Inside the mosque is the Kaaba, a sacred structure. Muslims believe that Abraham and Ishmael built the Kaaba. It serves as the qibla, which is the direction of prayer for Muslims worldwide.

Pilgrims perform rituals such as the tawaf around the Kaaba.

Another important site is the Cave of Hira. It is located atop the Jabal al-Nour mountain just outside the city.

Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed to the prophet Muhammad in this cave.

Mecca is a major destination for the Hajj pilgrimage. This is an obligatory religious duty for all able Muslims. The pilgrimage occurs during the twelfth Hijri month, called Dhūl-Ḥijjah. During this time, the population of the city increases dramatically. The number of pilgrims more than triples the regular population. In 2023, Mecca saw over 10.8 million international visitors.

This high volume of travelers made it one of the ten most visited cities in the world.

Large areas like the city of Mina are used to host these travelers.

The history of Mecca involves many different rulers. Many leaders in the region tried to control the city. The city experienced several changes in leadership over time. The most recent major change was the Saudi conquest of Hejaz in 1925.

Since that time, the city has undergone massive physical expansion. The Saudi government has built modern infrastructure to support the growing number of visitors. This includes the construction of the Abraj Al Bait Tower complex.

These Clock Towers are the fourth-tallest buildings in the world. However, this expansion has also led to the demolition of some historical sites, such as the Ajyad Fortress.

Before modern history, the area had a very different environment. Paleontologists discovered a Saadanius fossil near the Red Sea in this region.

This fossil dates back 28 to 29 million years. It belongs to a primate related to the ancestors of apes and Old World monkeys. This suggests the area was once a damp forest. In much earlier human history, the area was remote and rocky. Some academic research suggests the population during the time of Muhammad was around 550 people. Other scholars using traditional sources suggest the number was much higher, perhaps 10,000.

Mecca is a diverse city with a large international population. In 2022, the metropolitan population was 2.4 million people. This makes it the third-most populated city in Saudi Arabia.

The population is split between residents and foreigners. About 44.5% of the people are Saudi citizens. Around 55.5% are Muslim foreigners from other countries. This diversity is a result of the constant flow of pilgrims. The city is managed by the Mecca Regional Municipality. This council has 14 elected members. The mayor, or Amin, is appointed by the Saudi government.

There are many different names for the city in historical and religious texts. The official Saudi spelling is Makkah. This is closer to the original Arabic pronunciation. The Quran also refers to the city as Bakkah.

Another name used is Umm al-Qurā, which means "Mother of all Settlements." Historically, the city was also called Tihāmah. Some scholars have even looked at ancient names like Macoraba to see if they refer to Mecca. These different names show how long the city has been a significant place in human history.