King Abdullah Gate Grand World’s Largest Gate

Saudi authorities have named the King Abdullah Gate at the Grand Mosque as its tallest gate and the world’s largest.

Muslims can find the Grand Mosque, which they also refer to as the Great Mosque or the Masjid al-Haram, in Mecca.

About the gate and the Grand Mosque

The King Abdullah gate, specifically, measures 13.3 meters high, 7.7 meters wide, and weighs 14 tons. It stands out for its modern style and its use of Islamic art. Its full name is the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Gate and visitors can find on the northern side of the Grand Mosque.

The gate features three external and internal arches. Three balconies sit on top of it and two minarets sit above these balconies. What makes these minarets unique is that they are taller than the other minarets in the Grand Mosque. Passing through the gate’s porch, worshippers will see three chandeliers hanging.

Inside the mosque, the King Abdullah connects to the Mataf area via a corridor. This corridor features geometric patterns and verses from the Quran. The Mataf area refers to the open area surrounding the Kaaba.

In total, the Grand Mosque has 210 gates, with the King Abdullah Gate as gate number 100. These gates feature digital panels lighting up in green if open for worshippers and red if the mosque is full.

Historically, the Grand Mosque had no gates as authorities left the Mataf open for worshippers. Eventually, as authorities expanded the mosque, they added gates to facilitate access to prayer areas.

Saudi Arabia’s Gate Management department is in charge of facilitating the smooth traffic of worshippers in the Grand Mosque. In addition, it also helps maintain an atmosphere conducive to the solemnity of prayers and rituals at the Grand Mosque.

Naming the King Abdullah gate

In March, the General Authority for Affairs of the Grand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque designated specific doors for Umrah pilgrims. The authority worked with security forces to open 210 doors to encourage the smooth traffic of worshippers in the mosque. This also helps decrease cases of suffocation and overcrowding in the mosque.

The same entity has taken special care in order to meet the requirements of people with special needs or disabilities. This is in partnership with other concerned government agencies. In particular, authorities have assigned the Shubaika staircase and the King Abdullah gate for emergencies.

In October 2022, the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques announced naming gate 100 as the King Abdullah gate.

According to the presidency’s chief Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, the naming underscored the kingdom’s efforts to serve the two holy mosques. It also helps them expand them and offer high-quality services to worshippers so that they can pray with ease.

Apart from the Grand Mosque, another mosque of interest is the Prophet’s Mosque. During the last full week of July 2024, it received more than 5.4 million worshippers.

Photo: X/SPA Eng