About the direction from Mecca
Mecca (Makkah) surrounds the Kaaba, so there is no single Qibla bearing valid throughout the city. This example point is south of the Grand Mosque, not at the Kaaba. Use your exact position: moving to the other side of the Kaaba changes the direction completely.
How to face 319° in Mecca
- Find true north using a phone compass that reports true heading or a map aligned to north.
- Turn clockwise from north by 319°. 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 Mecca.
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 Mecca?
From the approximate city center of Mecca, the Qibla is 318.5° clockwise from true north, roughly northwest.
How far is Mecca from the Kaaba?
About 5 km along the great circle, the shortest path over the Earth's surface.
Does the bearing change across Mecca?
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.
Is one Qibla bearing valid everywhere in Mecca?
No. This bearing applies only to the listed reference coordinates. The Kaaba is inside Mecca, so different neighborhoods face different directions. Use your exact position or established mosque guidance. At the Kaaba itself, an initial bearing to the same point is undefined.