How Makkah has changed over the past 130 the years - in pictures
People pray around the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the holiest site in Islam, during Hajj in 1889. Photo: Library of Congress
The Kaaba seen from above in 1910 with Makkah city in the background. Photo: Library of Congress
The Grand Mosque in Makkah pictured from the Eastern Minaret in 1916. In the centre is the Kaaba and in the foreground is the Zamzam Well. In 1916, Arabs rose up against Ottoman rule and established the Kingdom of Hejaz, which included Makkah. Photo: Library of Congress
The Kaaba and Grand Mosque of Makkah on March 21, 1967. A second level was added to the mosque as part of renovations that took place between 1955 and 1973. Getty
The Kaaba in the centre of the Great Mosque in Makkah about 1979. After a second level was added, the mosque was extended to accommodate more pilgrims. Getty
Pilgrims perform Hajj in Makkah in May 1988. A month before, a fire swept through tents in Mina, killing at least 30 people. AFP
High-rise towers begin to crop up around the Grand Mosque in Makkah by March 2000. AFP
Pilgrims gather at the Grand Mosque in Makkah for Hajj in January 2004. Between 1988 and 2004, more minarets were built, along with a king's residence overlooking the mosque and areas for prayer were expanded. Heated floors, air conditioning, escalators and drainage system were also installed. AFP
The Grand Mosque of Makkah pictured on January 17, 2005. A second major expansion of Makkah is complete following the addition of 18 gates, three domes and about 500 marble columns. Getty
Hundreds of thousands of worshippers circle the Kaaba inside the Grand Mosque at Makkah during Ramadan on September 26, 2008. This year kicked off a 40bn-riyal expansion project, beginning with the expropriation of 300,000 square metres of land surrounding the mosque. Reuters
Pictured on November 17, 2010, construction is under way on an expansion of the Grand Mosque of Makkah, including a multi-level extension, new tunnels and stairways, as well as more minarets. Abraj Al Bait, including the clock tower, was build on the site of an Ottoman citadel. AFP
The Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah on September 13, 2016, after the expansion project was almost complete. Ahmed Jadallah / Reuters
Pilgrims in the Grand Mosque of Makkah shows pilgrims circumambulating the Kaaba on July 31, 2020. AFP
