The religious center of the Holy City of Makkah is the Holy Mosque (Al-Masjid Al-Haram) and the well of Zamzam, located inside. The present Haram, meaning “sanctuary”, dates from 1570 AD, and takes the form of a central quadrangle surrounded by stone walls. Around the inner sanctuary is a marble pavement, the El Mataf. The holiest shrine of Islam, the Kaaba, is situated at the heart of the Holy Mosque’s central courtyard.

The tradition of expanding the Holy Mosque dates back to 638 AD when the increasing number of conversions to Islam led the second Caliph Umar bin al-Khattab to develop the site.

When King Abdul Aziz established the modern Saudi State, one of his primary concerns, like that of the early Caliphs, was his role in overseeing the well-being of the pilgrims undertaking the annual Hajj. Aware that the Holy Mosque could not support the growing numbers of worshippers, he initiated a refurbishment and expansion program.

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