Mecca - Mekka

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Mecca is a city in Saudi Arabia and holiest place in Islam.

background

Mecca is the holiest city of Islam and - according to the Koran - the place where Mohammed grew up and the Koran was "revealed" to him. The Hajj, the annual pilgrimage has Mecca as its destination and as such Mecca is probably the most important pilgrimage destination in the world. The rule over Mecca brought and still brings enormous prestige in the Islamic world and so the Saudi government sees itself strengthened in its claim to a regional leadership role in a tradition as the "guardian of the holy places". At all times it was difficult or even impossible for non-Muslims to get to Mecca, especially for the Hajj, but there are reports of people who made it anyway. Today, police checkpoints outside the city and the official legal situation in Saudi Arabia ensure that only Muslims enter the city.

getting there

Danger! For non-Muslims, travel to Mecca is prohibited under penalty of deportation and, under certain circumstances, imprisonment. This applies throughout the year and not just during the Hajj.

By plane

The nearest airport is in Jeddah. At this airport there is an extra terminal only for the pilgrimage due to the enormous number of hajj.

By train

A railway line is currently under construction

By bus

Driving from Jeddah - especially to Hajj - quite a few buses to Mecca.

In the street

The highway from Mecca to Jeddah is in good condition and, apart from the congestion during Hajj time, oversized for traffic. Before you get to Mecca itself, there is a police checkpoint where you have to prove that you are a Muslim.

mobility

A subway operates during Hajj and is idle for the rest of the year.

Tourist Attractions

Mosques

Most of the sights in Mecca have to do with Islam in a narrower or broader sense. Unfortunately, due to its strict interpretation of Islam, the Saudi government has torn down some buildings in recent years that it saw as the target of an (undesirable) "idolatry". Protests to preserve these historically significant buildings, some of which were over a thousand years old, were unsuccessful.

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nightlife

Nowhere is the generally very strict alcohol ban in Saudi Arabia as strictly implemented as in Mecca. This is especially true during the pilgrimage and the fasting month of Ramadan, but during the whole year in Mecca you shouldn't even give the impression of consuming or having consumed alcohol if you want to avoid trouble with government agencies.

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