About the direction from Istanbul
From Istanbul, straddling Europe and Asia, the Qibla points south-southeast toward the Arabian Peninsula. Historic Ottoman mosques were oriented with the methods of their time; their mihrabs may differ slightly from a modern great-circle figure.
How to face 152° in Istanbul
- Find true north using a phone compass that reports true heading or a map aligned to north.
- Turn clockwise from north by 152°. 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 Istanbul.
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 Istanbul?
From the approximate city center of Istanbul, the Qibla is 151.6° clockwise from true north, roughly south-southeast.
How far is Istanbul from the Kaaba?
About 2,405 km along the great circle, the shortest path over the Earth's surface.
Does the bearing change across Istanbul?
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.