Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām is the largest mosque in the world. Located in the city of Mecca, it surrounds the Kaaba, the place which Muslims worldwide turn towards while offering daily prayers and is Islam's holiest place. The mosque is also known as the Grand Mosque. The current structure covers an area of 356,800 square metres (88.2 acres) including the outdoor and indoor praying spaces and can accommodate up to four million Muslim worshipers during the Hajj period, one of the largest annual gatherings of people in the world.
Location Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Established 638
Branch/tradition Sunni Islam (Hanbali)
Administration Saudi Arabian government
Leader Ship Imam(s)
Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais
Saud Al-Shuraim
Capacity 900,000 (increased to 4,000,000 during Hajj period)
Minaret 9
Minaret height 89 meters (292 ft)