About the direction from Riyadh
Riyadh, the Saudi capital, is under 900 km from the Kaaba. The Qibla points west-southwest. Over such distances a flat-map estimate and the great-circle bearing differ only a little.
How to face 244° in Riyadh
- Find true north using a phone compass that reports true heading or a map aligned to north.
- Turn clockwise from north by 244°. 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 Riyadh.
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 Riyadh?
From the approximate city center of Riyadh, the Qibla is 243.8° clockwise from true north, roughly west-southwest.
How far is Riyadh from the Kaaba?
About 790 km along the great circle, the shortest path over the Earth's surface.
Does the bearing change across Riyadh?
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.