Architecture of the Grand Moque

Makkah, the best land on earth, is the place of descent of the first revelation and the place where Allah’s blessing and favour was bestowed upon the prophet to convey His message, prophethood. It was chosen by Allah for His Sacred House and endowed with additional virtue and sanctity. Throughout Islamic history, rulers have made significant efforts to develop it. In the prosperous Saudi era, Makkah has seen massive expansions of the Grand Mosque, a special focus of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd ibn ‘Abdul-‘Aziz Al Saud, may Allah have mercy upon him. This expansion was a necessity by the increasing number of pilgrims and visitors, requiring facilities and developments in the mosque and surrounding areas.

Expansions of the Grand Mosque:

The first Expansion in 1406 AH, King Fahd ibn ‘Abdul-‘Aziz Al Saud, may Allah have mercy upon him, ordered the tiling of the roof of the first Saudi expansion with heat-resistant cool marble. Initially, the roof was designated for electrical works only, and scattered electrical networks hindered worshippers. The king ordered the consolidation of these networks into beautiful domes. The roof area, covering 61,000 square meters, accommodated 90,000 worshippers. Five escalators were installed to facilitate access to the roof and first floor, along with five overhead bridges for entry and exit from the north side.

The second Expansion on the 2nd of Safar 1409 AH, King Fahd, may Allah have mercy upon him, laid the foundation stone for the second Saudi expansion. This expansion, located in the western part of the mosque, covered the small market area between Bab al-Umrah and King ‘Abdul-‘Aziz Gate. The project included a basement, a ground floor, and a first floor. The expansion was designed with comprehensive air conditioning, supported by a cooling station in Ajyad. Openings were installed in the bases of round columns to absorb hot air and pump cold air from the central station. The expansion included fourteen new doors, raising the total number of doors to 112. Two new buildings for the escalators were built situated north and south of the Mosque, increasing the total number of escalators to nine. The mosque’s courtyard was renewed with heat-resistant marble to ease prayer during crowded times.

In 1415 AH, the Safa area on the first floor was expanded to facilitate performing Sa’i, narrowing the Safa opening beneath the Safa dome. In 1417 AH, buildings around the Marwah area were demolished, increasing the space from 245 to 375 square meters and widening the entrance corridor from Marwah to the first-floor Sa’i path. In 1418 AH, the Raqubah Bridge was constructed, connecting the mosque roof to the Raqubah area near Marwah to ease movement. The casing of Maqam Ibrahim was renewed with gold-plated copper, crystal, and decorative glass.

The third Expansion Started during the reign of King Abdullah ibn ‘Abdul-‘Aziz, may Allah have mercy upon him, in year 1432 AH, the works were completed by King Salman ibn ‘Abdul-‘Aziz Al Saud, may Allah protect him, in 1436 AH, with ongoing works until today.

Main Projects of the Expansion:

King Salman initiated five main projects within the comprehensive project of the third Saudi expansion:

• The main expansion building.
• The courtyards project.
• The pedestrian tunnels project.
• The central services station for the Grand Mosque.
• The first ring road surrounding the mosque area.

The Crown Prince Muhammed ibn Salman ibn ‘Abdul-‘Aziz Al Saud, may Allah protect him, conducted inspection tours to monitor the progress of the expansion and associated service projects for the visitors of the House of Allah. These projects aim to increase the Grand Mosque’s capacity to accommodate visitors and pilgrims, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

Continued Care and Development:

The expansions in the prosperous Saudi era reflect the upright leadership’s attention to the Grand Mosque. These expansions have significantly improved the experience of the pilgrims and visitors regarding their comfort and safety. By Allah’s grace, the Grand Mosque has become one of the greatest religious projects in the world, as Makkah remains the first Qibla of the Muslims. The Kingdom continues its journey of development and prosperity in serving the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors, conveying the noble message of Islam worldwide in line with Vision 2030.