Mecca and Medina: Islam's Two Holiest Cities in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia hosts the two most sacred cities in Islam, each representing a pivotal chapter in the faith's history:

Mecca (Makkah)

Holiest city in Islam. Birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad (570 CE). Home to the Kaaba—the cubic sanctuary at the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque)—toward which Muslims worldwide pray five times daily. The annual Hajj pilgrimage, a pillar of Islam, draws millions to Mecca.

Medina (Al-Madinah)

Second holiest city. The Prophet migrated here in 622 CE (Hijra), marking the Islamic calendar's start. Home to Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (the Prophet's Mosque), which houses his tomb. A historic center of Islamic learning and governance.

Together, these cities form the spiritual axis of the Muslim world—Mecca as the destination of obligatory pilgrimage, Medina as the city of the Prophet's community and rest.