Mecca is the holiest city in Islam — the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and the site of the Grand Mosque, which contains the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure that Muslims face during prayer worldwide. Every capable Muslim who can afford it is obliged to perform the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. The city receives several million pilgrims each year during the Hajj season, and millions more for the Umrah pilgrimage throughout the year.
The Grand Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) is the largest mosque in the world and is open around the clock. The Kaaba stands at its centre, and pilgrims circle it in the ritual known as tawaf. The Zamzam Well, from which Ibrahim's son Ishmael is said to have drunk, sits within the mosque precincts. Towering over the mosque complex, the Abraj Al-Bait Clock Towers dominate the skyline — a modern luxury complex that has divided opinion over the commercialisation of Islam's holiest site.
Mecca is closed to non-Muslims. Checkpoints on all roads into the city enforce this restriction. Non-Muslims who attempt to enter face serious legal consequences under Saudi law; this is not a guideline to test.