When Saudi Arabia is mentioned in Uzbekistan, holy places of pilgrimage come to mind. The largest of these is Mecca – the official name is Makkatul mukarramah (the blessed Mecca). The city is home to the main shrine and qibla of Muslims around the world – the Kaaba and Masjid al-Haram.
Many new buildings and facilities are being built in Mecca in order to improve the quality of services for pilgrims. In 2010, the first metro was opened in Mecca, in 2012, the construction of one of the largest skyscrapers in the world – Abraj al-Bait – was completed. Its tallest building, the Royal Clock Tower, has the largest and tallest clock in the world.
Mecca has a local population of over 2 million, and more than 2 million pilgrims visit the city during the Hajj season itself.
Medina, officially known as Al Madinatul-munawwarah (the radiant city), is the second holiest city for Muslims after Mecca. The population is about 1.5 million.
The Quba Mosque is not far from the Nabawi Mosque. As the first mosque in the history of Islam, it is considered valuable for Muslims.
