Madinah - Saudi Arabia

Madinah, located in western Saudi Arabia, is visited by millions of pilgrims every year. The Prophet's Mosque is the literal and figurative highlight - the colossal building seats one million worshippers and is the beating heart of Madinah. It is said that the Prophet built, right on this very spot, a modest mosque of palm tree trunks and clay. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the Prophet's Mosque.

622 marks the beginning of the Islamic era, the hidjra. In that year, the Prophet Muhammad left Makkah and settled in the city that would later become known as Madinah. After Muhammad's death, the city remained the center of the expanding Islamic empire.

Madinah still plays a major role in religion today. The giant Masjid an-Nabawi, or the Prophet's Mosque, is one of the three sacred sites in Islam. Every year, millions of pilgrims visit the imposing structure, often before or after the umrah, the small pilgrimage during which pious rituals are performed, or the hajj, the obligatory pilgrimage to Mecca. For Muslims, a visit to the mosque in Madinah is not mandatory, although it is highly recommended.

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Closed to non-Muslims

The Prophet's Mosque in Madinah is worth a visit for its staggering size alone - the building measures 617 by 675 meters and has ten minarets over a hundred meters high. Unfortunately, that special experience is reserved only for Muslims. They are the only ones allowed to enter the central area and get a glimpse of the beautiful green dome above Muhammad's tomb.

How does this work in practice? Chances are that you will be asked about your religion at the entrance if you look like a foreign tourist. So it is not like at the airport, where you walk past a checkpoint and have to show your documents. However, there are plenty of stories of non-believers flouting the rules and visiting the mosque. This shows little respect and is strictly frowned upon. Respect the religious importance of the mosque and be content with the fact that, unlike a few years ago, you are now welcome to visit Madinah and see the Prophet's Mosque from a distance.

250 umbrellas

There are 250 umbrellas that cover the mosque's courtyards during the day to protect worshippers from the sun - especially in summer - and reduce the risk of slipping when it rains. Each parasol is also equipped with a water drainage system. These umbrellas are placed in the outer courtyards of the mosque, with each umbrella when unfolded can accommodate more than 900 worshippers. In total, all the umbrellas together can protect more than 228,000 worshippers. Each parasol is 15 meters high and weighs 40 tons, with a crown and lance design made of gold-plated copper at the top. The umbrellas are equipped with 1,000 lighting elements. In addition, the parasols contain 436 mist fans, which are designed to cool the courtyards by mixing cold air with water mist. This helps lower the temperature and creates a comfortable environment for prayer and rest during the summer. Each parasol reportedly cost €4.4 million; the total cost summed up to €1.1 billion.

Traces of the prophet in Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Muslims are welcome 24 hours a day at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. But they must also follow some important rules. For example, women may visit the mosque only after morning and afternoon prayers and in groups, and the space where Muhammad is buried is open only to men. This central space, between the pulpit and the Prophet's tomb, is called Ar-Rawdah an-Nabawiyah. During the hajj, it is so crowded here that not a square inch of the green carpet is left unused. For Muslims, the Ar-Rawdah an-Nabawiyah is a piece of Al-Djannah, paradise.

Everywhere in and around Madinah you will find puzzle pieces from the life of Muhammad. Right next to the mosque is the Jannat al-Baqi cemetery, where most of his relatives and followers are buried. On the outskirts of the city is the Quba Mosque. According to tradition, the Prophet laid the first stones in person. Could this be the world's oldest mosque?

Other highlights worth a visit include Mount Uhud - an iconic landmark of Madinah, known as "a mountain that loves us and we love him," with at its foot the historic Uhud battlefield and the resting place of the martyrs; Ghar Well, a pre-Islamic archaeological well with a special connection to the life of the Prophet and a beautiful architectural style; Masjid Banu Unaif, a basalt stone mosque where the Prophet prayed during a visit to his companion Talha bin Al Baraa; and Saqifah Bani Saidah, the historic site where Abu Bakr al-Siddiq was elected first caliph, a pivotal moment in Islamic history.

Mandatory vaccinations for Hajj and Umrah

Are you going on a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina? Make sure you have the right vaccinations for the Hajj and Umrah. Here you can read which vaccinations are mandatory.