Two Holy Mosques Authority Completes Annual Replacement Of The Holy Kaaba Kiswa With Skilled Team

The General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has successfully completed the annual replacement of the Kiswa, a tradition upheld for over a century. This significant task was executed by 154 skilled Saudi professionals from the King Abdulaziz Complex for Holy Kaaba Kiswa.

The team was meticulously organised, with members assigned to different sides and the roof of the Kaaba according to their expertise. The process began with removing the old Kiswa and installing the new one, which was then secured at each corner and across the roof.

The new Kiswa is an impressive 14 meters tall and weighs around 1,415 kilograms. It comprises four separate panels along with a door curtain known as sitara. Each panel was carefully raised and aligned over its predecessor, with the new Kiswa gradually lowered as the old one was removed.

This procedure was repeated for all four sides of the Kaaba. Once in place, a decorative band called hizam was aligned and stitched along a straight line around it. The corners were sewn vertically from top to bottom to ensure a seamless finish.

The making of this sacred cloth involved approximately 825 kilograms of raw silk dyed black at the complex. Additionally, 120 kilograms of gold-plated silver thread, 60 kilograms of pure silver thread, and 410 kilograms of raw cotton were used in its creation.

Installing the sitara required precision and considerable time. A cut was made in the black silk fabric to fit this curtain—measuring 3.30 meters wide and 6.35 meters long—and three openings were created beneath it to insert it properly.

Final Touches

The sitara was then sewn into place from both inside and outside to ensure proper alignment. This meticulous work reflects not only technical skill but also deep reverence for this sacred tradition that continues to be honoured annually.

With inputs from SPA