Sacred Mosque, Mecca
The Al-Masjid al-Haram, or the Sacred Mosque, in the holy city of Mecca is the largest mosque in the world and the largest house of worship of any faith. It is the place that every Muslim endeavours to visit at least once in their life.
It is one of the most awe-inspiring man-made structures on the planet. This complex sprawls over an area of 356,800 square metres and draws millions of worshippers during the annual Hajj.
Use of the site as a mosque began with the dawn of Islam's arrival in the region. The first major architectural undertaking dates back to 692AD and started with the construction of the mosque's outer walls. By the end of the eighth century the mosque's wooden columns had been replaced with marble columns and the wings of the prayer hall had been extended on both sides.
Over the centuries the mosque has been modified, rebuilt and expanded to accommodate growing numbers of pilgrims. The government of Saudi Arabia acknowledges 1570AD as the earliest date for existing architectural features of the mosque.
The latest round of extensions and modifications - 1988 to 2005 - involved the building of additional minarets, a residence for the Saudi monarch that overlooks the mosque, creating another prayer area, and the erection of nearly 500 extra marble columns. The Al-Masjid al-Haram with its nine minarets and vast expanses of public space presents a stunning spectacle.