About the direction from Amsterdam
Amsterdam's central canals form curved rings rather than a uniform compass grid. Use the numerical bearing and a true-north reference instead of aligning with the nearest canal.
How to face 126° in Amsterdam
- Find true north using a phone compass that reports true heading or a map aligned to north.
- Turn clockwise from north by 126°. For reference, due east is 90°, south 180°, west 270°.
- If you use a magnetic compass, adjust for local magnetic declination; NOAA's declination calculator gives the current value for Amsterdam.
The figure is the great-circle initial bearing, the standard approach described by Movable Type Scripts and the same idea behind Google's Qibla Finder. See how it works for the details.
Common questions
What is the Qibla direction in Amsterdam?
From the approximate city center of Amsterdam, the Qibla is 125.6° clockwise from true north, roughly southeast.
How far is Amsterdam from the Kaaba?
About 4,553 km along the great circle, the shortest path over the Earth's surface.
Does the bearing change across Amsterdam?
Yes. This figure uses the city center, not your exact position. The difference depends on your distance from the center and from Makkah; it can be noticeable in cities close to the Kaaba, especially Jeddah. Use the live finder for your own location.