Saudi Grand Mosque expansion: Mecca welcomes millions for Ramadan prayers

Dubai: The third expansion of the Grand Mosque in Mecca is now welcoming worshippers and visitors during Ramadan, providing a monumental blend of architectural grandeur and spiritual serenity as millions gather for prayer and Umrah during the holiest month of the Islamic calendar.

The expansion, one of the largest development projects in the history of the Grand Mosque, is designed to accommodate over two million worshippers at once.

Alongside the expansion of exterior courtyards, the project has improved the flow of visitors by widening entrances and exits and introducing modern crowd control mechanisms —while preserving the sanctity and serenity of the sacred site.

The expansion features a a series of Islamic design elements — from towering arches and vaulted ceilings to intricately carved balconies, gold-plated mashrabiyas, and walls adorned with calligraphy from the Qur’an in classical Thuluth script.

Among its most prominent features are 22 domes, including 12 motorised glass domes, six fixed glass domes, and four permanent domes situated in the central halls of the second floor.

The largest of the motorised domes, perched atop the expansion’s ceremonial corridor, spans 36 metres in diameter, rises 25 metres high, and weighs approximately 800 tonnes.

Its exterior is finished with vibrant mosaics, while its interior ceilings are made from intricately inlaid wood with embedded gemstones. The glass domes are designed to open via a central control unit to provide natural ventilation when temperatures allow.

The fixed glass domes — each measuring 9 by 14 metres — stand at a towering 35.5 metres in internal height, and are strategically placed across the second and mezzanine floors.

Additional fixed domes, measuring 16.6 metres in diameter, enhance the central halls, combining form and function with polished marble finishes, stained glass openings, and mosaic-covered roofs.

Supporting the architectural marvel is a dedicated workforce of engineers, technicians, supervisors, and maintenance staff who operate round the clock to deliver an experience of ease, reverence, and safety to all visitors. Services range from logistical coordination and technical monitoring to cleanliness and crowd movement management .