Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque)

About this place

Islam's second holiest mosque after the Grand Mosque in Mecca, built by the Prophet Muhammad in the centre of Medina in 622 after his migration from Mecca. He took part in the building himself, on land bought from two orphans. At first it was an open-air mosque that served for prayer, teaching, judgement and the community's affairs. In the south-east corner stands the Green Dome, above the Prophet's chamber on the site of Aisha's house, where the Prophet is buried together with his two companions Abu Bakr and Umar. Between the chamber and the minbar lies the Rawdah, one of the most sought-after places to pray in the mosque. The dome was painted green in 1837, which gave it its name. Caliphs and sultans enlarged and decorated the mosque over the centuries, and in 1909 it became the first place in the Arabian Peninsula to get electric light. Since 2010 its outer courtyards have been shaded by 250 giant umbrellas that open and close automatically with the weather, over some 143,000 square metres of marble. The mosque is open almost around the clock and praying there needs no booking, but praying in the Rawdah requires a time slot booked in the «Nusuk» app. Men and women have separate times, and the app sets how long you must wait between visits. Slots run out fast in busy seasons, so book before you reach Medina, and dress modestly.