Makkah Deputy Emir Inspects Grand Mosque's Preparation for Ramadan

The Deputy Emir of Makkah Prince Badr bin Sultan visited the Grand Mosque in Makkah on Thursday and inspected the mosque's readiness to receive Umrah pilgrims and worshippers during Ramadan, which is the Umrah peak season.

Prince Badr started his tour at the Ismail Gate where he was given a briefing about the work being done at the gate, which includes three entrances with a width of 10 m at the southern facade of the mataf (circumambulation area around the Holy Kaaba).

The prince then went to the roof of the mataf to ensure that it is prepared because it will be opened for the first time this Ramadan after maintenance. The roof has the capacity to hold 12,500 worshippers at a time and it has permanent floors of heat-resistant Thassos marble.

Prince Badr also examined the expansion of the mataf building, which aims to hold 107,000 pilgrims per hour on five levels and it is connected to the floors of the Second Saudi Expansion Building and the masa’ (area for the ritual of sai’ between Safa and Marwa) building.

The Deputy Emir was also given a briefing on the project of the second mezzanine floor in the mataf building, which will be an area of 18, 400 m² and will serve as an additional space for pilgrims. The Deputy Emir also inspected the project that will increase the cooling capacity to soften the air in the mataf building.