Below is a collection of new never-before-seen images from Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Much of the historic city is currently being demolished. Each day, several buildings undergo controlled-demolition with explosives that leave dust clouds which seem to symbolize the past giving way to the future. Over the rubble, some of the tallest buildings on the planet are rising to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population and an ever growing number of pilgrims from the world's fastest growing religion who make their spiritual journeys (Umrah and Hajj) to Mecca from every part of the world. Welcome to a holy city in transition--Mecca, Saudi Arabia.


View from the roof of Abraj Al Bait--the largest hotel development in history with 15.6 Million sq. ft. of floor space)
Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraj_Al_Bait_Towers
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3252/2812219258_b23d7d7896_o.jpg

The tallest tower in Abraj Al Bait, still under construction, is expected to reach a height of 1,952ft.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3213/2812219520_d2f26e437f_o.jpg

This city of 1.7 million residents received around 15 million visitors in 2007 and that number is projected to grow 10% each year. Source:http://www.arabianbusiness.com/523080-race-to-the-holy-city?ln=en
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/2811374317_322687aac7_o.jpg


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2030/2811374797_4f239957ba_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3288/2811372319_d75923eaef_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3218/2812218146_d848bab149_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3052/2812217926_a3b16b8733_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3203/2811371631_8a2f80b632_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/2811371237_28c3e318eb_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3082/2811371067_c4955b26e8_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3044/2811370867_fbf244876e_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3109/2812216718_5ba76e690d_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/2812216588_eecb6ebbdb_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3130/2812216388_f5e3ce0916_b.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/2811369825_b780f30cb7_b.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3017/2811369509_87fb692e6e_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3017/2812215320_1eab701729_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3094/2811369129_135f11254d_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3215/2812214908_c8638e0f3f_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3289/2812214692_3e487e62ae_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3101/2812214512_8b6a75318d_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/2812223490_de9d654270_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3013/2811377723_b1fd4b7879_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/2811376893_06f0791fc7_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/2812222674_120b661e21_o.jpg


The Masjid Al Haram (Grand Mosque) at 1:46 AM. The Tawaf (circumambulation of the Kaabah) takes place 24/7. This is one of the few buildings on Earth that has been open to the public for literally hundreds of years without interruption.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3068/2811376439_63c0d3d759_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3046/2811380209_7ee9d68cf4_b.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3245/2811378889_b14009baf5_b.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3191/2811377935_40c6d51cf2_o.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/2812224572_cc3e368a2c_o.jpg

Abraj Al Bait-the world's largest hotel development-will soon be home the the second tallest building on Earth.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3180/2811379823_51cc36aede_b.jpg

Old Mecca
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3113/2812214030_05fcbb8cf1_o.jpg

New Mecca
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3273/2812214186_415c2a019d_o.jpg

A cat relaxes on the hood of a new Toyota Camry.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3229/2812217420_2593d20fc9_o.jpg

Construction to expand the Grand Mosque which can accommodate over 4 million worshipers
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3258/2811375917_aa2512f9cb_o.jpg

Kaaba
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3116/2812222130_0aa7f3ba85_o.jpg

Mecca Hilton. Below the 30-storey Hilton, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and KFC are popular restaurants within meters of the Grand Mosque.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3287/2812219768_cd3773cf0a_o.jpg

yuikis looks huge:D

Why are there 2 of these threads?

Nice nice pics really those pics really amazing Masha Allah

Congratulations to those who took the photos!:applause::applause::applause:
are with a great quality, and the city of Mecca is incredible!

just a small info about this great city.Makkah is the common name for the city...
other names like:
-Becca (the oldest name for the city)
-um alqura "the mother of the towns"
-pharan or wadi pharan "Vally of pharan" or faran: some says it's an old name for the city but other says is the old name for Mountain Thawr "Hera'a cave" (where prophet Mohammed (PBUH) had the first revealing from god.

Excellent compilation of photos! All the opponents of tall buildings around the kaaba (or elsewhere in Makkah) need to see the pics and get an idea of how rugged Makkah's terrain is...and stop complaining and instead be grateful that old buildings are being replaced and new construction is taking place to accomodate "us".

Very Impressive! Glad your pics are of good quality :cheers:

Very good pix, Thanks for updating

huh....Hilton,Mc Donalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and KFC in Mecca!?

^^and don't forget Starbucks:D

Very nice pics :cheers: really impressive!

good city but never i'll visit because im christian :lol:

^^and don't forget Starbucks:D

its hypocrite to have starbucks anywhere, specially in a holy place like Makkah. The ceo of it clearly supports israel, he was even awarded in award for doing that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Schultz

Awesome pics....:applause:

its hypocrite to have starbucks anywhere, specially in a holy place like Makkah. The ceo of it clearly supports israel, he was even awarded in award for doing that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Schultz


yeah Dr Caffe rules

nice pics

To be honest, I don't like the way that some of these modern and tall buildings overshadow the Masjed al-Haram. The masjed should be the centre of Mecca and the authorities should plan the city and the buildings in such a way that would make the masjed look dominant, and not hide away behind new and glitzy buildings.

^ that is a concern of a lot of people, also the worst thing is that its actually more crowded now ever then before because of these hotels coming so near the place ( i was there last year). What they should have done is build these hotels some 5-10 km away and connect them with a train system, just like in any other crowded city around the world. The area around the Masjed al-Haram should have been clear with open spaces, so more people can come and pray and it would have been much easier to expand the mosque in the future. How will they expand the mosque now in future?, with so many buildings around the mosque, they would have to tear down the buildings eventually.

I can go with a plan which expands the haram's open space, leaving abraj al bait but demolishing everything else and building atleast 10km away.

OMG I'm dizzy from the height just looking at these pics..

Meccah is too overcrowded. The city seems to have developed completely without any sort of building regulations. Hope the redevelopment makes it better.

On the pic, I would like to know what are those 4 big circle things on the white place?

and I see 4 entries around the white place, where it goes exactly?



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/2812222674_120b661e21_o.jpg


People can pray in?!

http://photos.upi.com/topic/804880b842ab9ff60d5403808a4ac5fd/Hajj_13.jpg

^^ ppl from poor countries pray on anything everywhere :p

i'm not sure i think it should be opened to let air in to the lower levels (basement) or something, i saw them my self as open, but it seems like a few of them is closed ?

actually there 3 to 5 floors underground that have hundreds of restroom and showers,i have been there twice it was so clean!

about that octagonal shapes are actually the air conditions for the underground floors :P

Thanks ...air condition, that what I thought first

but ppl are praying there, must be hot and noisy...

Hajj 2010
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/11/hajj_2010.html

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h02_25932377.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h03_25843219.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h04_25649193.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h05_25748609.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h06_25871113.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h07_25871105.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h08_25839589.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h09_25935643.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h10_25904827.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h11_25946455.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h12_25948165.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h13_25947921.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h14_25947931.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h15_25932365.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h16_25947273.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h17_25946305.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h18_25946143.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h19_25884659.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h20_25942471.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h21_25946161.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h22_25946431.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h23_25947767.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h24_25946641.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h25_25932197.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h26_25889911.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h27_25873225.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h28_25891675.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h29_25903751.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h30_25903607.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h31_25903943.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h32_25922375.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h33_25854151.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h34_25889361.jpg

Awesome pics.....:okay:

Awesome, my friend.

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/hajj2010_11_15/h22_25946431.jpg

they should at least paint it every year if they're not gonna demolish it or replace it with something better !
by the way the Pictures look great , I love the "Big Picture" of boston.com .

Mecca 1885

http://www.e-mailaat.com/infimages/myuppic/4ce16dad1c5a1.jpg

http://www.e-mailaat.com/infimages/myuppic/4ce16dad1cd6d.jpg

http://www.e-mailaat.com/infimages/myuppic/4ce16e06efd7a.jpg

http://www.e-mailaat.com/infimages/myuppic/4ce16e06f0549.jpg

http://www.e-mailaat.com/infimages/myuppic/4ce16e7ab8cac.jpg

http://www.e-mailaat.com/infimages/myuppic/4ce16e8c2fe87.jpg

http://www.e-mailaat.com/infimages/myuppic/4ce16f2ea9072.jpg

http://www.e-mailaat.com/infimages/myuppic/4ce16f2ea9c29.jpg

http://www.e-mailaat.com/infimages/myuppic/4ce16f617f090.jpg

http://www.e-mailaat.com/infimages/myuppic/4ce16f2ea9072.jpg


Who's he ?

Who's he ?
Image Title: 017 Groom sitting on bridal throne in Mekka

see all pics: http://www.theemptyquarter.com/index.php?p=exhibits_current#ph

He looks like he was selling carpets

the other side of mecca

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/21803424.jpg

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/21803371.jpg

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/39029436.jpg

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/39012959.jpg

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/34722104.jpg

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/36228755.jpg

Thanks! Great pics, beautiful view of Mecca :)

Photo by ρĀИÕяÅmÍĈ νÍšÌŐ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/panoramic_vision/5280033392/)
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5127/5280033392_cf9773410b_b.jpg

what broke my heart was Makkah wasnt well kept...the areas surrounding Harram are quite dirty I wonder why Saudi Authorities haven't invested much

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5256/5446863652_a02e82448d_b.jpg

Rare photo by Magdy Salem (http://www.flickr.com/people/magdysalem/)
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5086/5250049522_9e7f01697d_b.jpg

Great timelapse of Mecca! :)

21056781