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Makkah, Saudi Arabia

King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Kaaba Kiswa

The workshops where the Kiswa, the black silk covering of the Kaaba embroidered with gold and silver thread, is woven and stitched by hand each year.

Favourite places

Local food

  • Saleeg

    Makkah, Saudi Arabia

    A comforting Hejazi dish from the Taif, Makkah and Jeddah region: short-grain white rice slow-cooked in milk and broth until creamy, served with roast chicken and a drizzle of ghee.

  • Tamees bread with ful

    Makkah, Saudi Arabia

    Large, round flatbread baked against the walls of a clay oven, sold hot from small bakeries and eaten with ful, cheese or honey — a typical Makkah and Jeddah breakfast.

Where to eat

  • Local Hejazi bakeries and restaurants

    Aziziyah, Ajyad and the neighbourhoods around the Haram

    Small bakeries sell hot tamees bread and ful for breakfast, and neighbourhood restaurants serve saleeg, mandi, kabsa and grills — often better value than the food courts.

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  • Food courts around the Haram

    Abraj Al Bait (Clock Towers) and the hotels around Masjid al-Haram

    The malls and hotels facing the mosque have large food courts with Saudi, South Asian, Turkish and international food, open long hours for pilgrims.

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Where to stay

  • Around the Haram (Abraj Al Bait and Ajyad)

    Makkah, Saudi Arabia

    Hotels facing or a few minutes from Masjid al-Haram, including the Clock Tower complex. The most convenient for praying in the mosque, and the most in demand in Ramadan and Hajj.

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  • Aziziyah

    Makkah, Saudi Arabia

    A residential district between the Haram and Mina, popular with Hajj and Umrah groups. Quieter and better value, with shuttle buses or taxis to the mosque.

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Culture

Making the Kiswa is an honour and a living craft. Seeing the calligraphy being stitched by hand gives pilgrims a new appreciation of the cloth they see on the Kaaba.

History

The Kiswa is the black cloth that covers the Kaaba, woven from silk and embroidered with verses of the Quran in gold- and silver-plated thread. For centuries it was made in Egypt and carried to Makkah each year with the pilgrim caravan.

In the 20th century production moved to Makkah, and the King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Kaaba Kiswa, in the Umm al-Joud area, now makes it. Skilled craftsmen dye the silk, weave it on looms and spend months hand-embroidering the calligraphy. A new Kiswa replaces the old one on the Kaaba once a year.

Tour plans

Kiswa complex visit

Half day

  1. Step 1: Arrange the visit

    Confirm availability through your operator or official channels.

  2. Step 2: Exhibition hall

    Learn the history of the Kiswa.

  3. Step 3: Workshops

    Watch the weaving and embroidery.

  4. Step 4: Return to the Haram

    Back for the next prayer.

Travel information

Best time to visit

When a visit can be arranged; check availability in advance, especially during Ramadan and Hajj when the complex is busy.

How to get there

From the Haram: the complex is in the Umm al-Joud area on the edge of Makkah, roughly 20–30 minutes by taxi depending on traffic. Many visits are arranged through Umrah groups or by booking in advance.

Getting around

  • Visitors are shown through the exhibition and workshop areas, usually as a group.
  • Follow the staff's directions in the working areas.

Travel tips

  • Muslims only: non-Muslims are not permitted to enter Makkah. Road checkpoints mark the boundary of the Haram area, and signs direct non-Muslim traffic around the city.
  • Permits: Umrah needs a permit booked in the official Nusuk app, and Hajj is performed only with an official Hajj permit or package from your country. Check the current visa and permit rules before you travel.
  • Access depends on availability and arranged visits — do not turn up without checking first; ask your Umrah operator or official channels.
  • Photography may be restricted in some areas.

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