Three numbered gates and three bridges now serve as the designated entry and exit points at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques announced, as worshippers and Umrah performers crowd the site during the last 10 days of Ramadan.
The arrangements, reported by the Saudi Press Agency, assign King Abdulaziz Gate (1), King Fahd Gate (79), and King Abdullah Gate (100) as the key entry and exit gates. The authority said these gates can be identified by their minarets, giving worshippers a simple visual marker as they approach the sprawling complex from different directions. With thousands moving through the same perimeter each hour, how much does a single recognizable landmark matter when the crowds reach their peak?
For those heading to the Mataf, the circumambulation area, on the first floor, the authority pointed to Shubaika Bridge, Ajyad Bridge, and the entrance of Al-Arqam Bridge. These three access points feed directly into the upper level of the Mataf, separating that flow from worshippers using other routes. Does splitting the crowd across bridges and gates change how quickly a pilgrim completes the circuit?
Exiting from the Al-Masa’a area, on both the ground and first floors, runs through Al-Safa Gate (13), Prophet Mohammed Gate, Al-Marwah Gate, Al-Marwah Bridge, and the Al-Marwah Wheelchair Bridge. The inclusion of a dedicated wheelchair bridge among the exit points reflects the mix of worshippers moving through Al-Masa’a, the path between Safa and Marwah. What happens when a single exit must serve both a walking crowd and wheelchair users at the same time?
The authority said the arrangements aim to ensure smooth movement, reduce congestion, and provide safe and efficient access to the Grand Mosque, allowing worshippers to perform their rituals with ease and comfort. The measures come as the number of worshippers and Umrah performers increases during the final 10 days of Ramadan, a period that draws some of the largest gatherings of the year to the holy site. Can any gate plan fully absorb a surge that grows by the day?
The gate and bridge assignments are tied to specific rituals and levels rather than left to worshippers to work out on arrival. Entry and exit share the same three named gates, while Mataf access on the first floor is routed through the bridges, and Al-Masa’a exits are separated by gate and bridge names. Why would the authority name separate exits for Al-Masa’a instead of letting worshippers leave through the nearest opening?
Identifying the gates by their minarets gives the plan a physical reference point that does not depend on signage alone. King Abdulaziz Gate, King Fahd Gate, and King Abdullah Gate each carry a number, but the minaret marker offers a second way to confirm the right entrance. In a space where a wrong turn can add time and distance, how useful is a landmark that can be seen above the crowd?
The Mataf first-floor access through Shubaika Bridge, Ajyad Bridge, and the entrance of Al-Arqam Bridge keeps circumambulation traffic on a defined path. Worshippers who reach the Mataf by these routes join the circuit at the first floor rather than the ground level. Does directing first-floor access through bridges ease pressure on the ground-floor entrances, or simply move the crowding to a different level?
On the exit side, Al-Safa Gate (13), Prophet Mohammed Gate, Al-Marwah Gate, Al-Marwah Bridge, and the Al-Marwah Wheelchair Bridge cover both floors of Al-Masa’a. The wheelchair bridge stands alongside the other exits as a named route, not an afterthought. How often do crowd plans treat accessibility as a separate lane rather than part of the main flow?
The authority framed the gate and bridge designations as a way to reduce congestion and provide safe and efficient access. That language points to movement management rather than capacity expansion: the same site, the same rituals, but a mapped set of entrances and exits for the busiest stretch of Ramadan. Can routing alone keep a site safe when the number of visitors keeps rising?
Ramadan’s last 10 days bring a concentration of worshippers and Umrah performers that the authority described as a significant increase. The gate plan responds to that specific window, not the full year. What does the Grand Mosque’s daily pattern look like once the final 10 days pass and the crowds thin?
The announcement lists the gates and bridges by name and number but does not give expected crowd figures, timings for when each gate opens or closes, or the number of staff assigned to direct worshippers. It also does not say whether the same gate and bridge plan applies outside the last 10 days of Ramadan. Those details were not included in the SPA report.
For worshippers planning their visit, the practical takeaway is a short list: enter and exit through King Abdulaziz Gate (1), King Fahd Gate (79), or King Abdullah Gate (100); reach the first-floor Mataf via Shubaika Bridge, Ajyad Bridge, or the entrance of Al-Arqam Bridge; and leave Al-Masa’a through Al-Safa Gate (13), Prophet Mohammed Gate, Al-Marwah Gate, Al-Marwah Bridge, or the Al-Marwah Wheelchair Bridge. Will pilgrims memorize the list before they arrive, or rely on the minarets and on-site direction?
The authority’s stated goal is ease and comfort for worshippers performing their rituals. Each named gate and bridge is a piece of that goal, turning a large open complex into a set of directed paths for entry, circumambulation, and exit. Does a plan built on named routes work best when worshippers know it in advance, or when they follow it step by step on the ground?
With the last 10 days of Ramadan underway, the gate and bridge designations are now in effect at the Grand Mosque. The authority has not said how it will measure whether congestion actually falls, or what it might adjust if the flow does not hold. What would tell officials that the plan is working as intended?
Which gates are designated for entry and exit at the Grand Mosque? The General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques designated King Abdulaziz Gate (1), King Fahd Gate (79), and King Abdullah Gate (100) as the key entry and exit gates. The authority said these gates can be identified by their minarets, giving worshippers a visual marker as they approach the Grand Mosque. The designation applies as worshippers and Umrah performers increase during the last 10 days of Ramadan, with the aim of ensuring smooth entry and exit.
How do worshippers reach the Mataf on the first floor? Access to the Mataf, the circumambulation area, on the first floor is through Shubaika Bridge, Ajyad Bridge, and the entrance of Al-Arqam Bridge. The authority named these three routes as the designated access points for the first-floor Mataf. The arrangement separates first-floor circumambulation traffic from other flows at the Grand Mosque during the last 10 days of Ramadan, when the number of worshippers and Umrah performers increases.
What are the exit routes from the Al-Masa’a area? Exiting from the Al-Masa’a area on the ground and first floors can be done through Al-Safa Gate (13), Prophet Mohammed Gate, Al-Marwah Gate, Al-Marwah Bridge, and the Al-Marwah Wheelchair Bridge. The authority listed these five exits for worshippers leaving the path between Safa and Marwah. The named routes cover both floors of Al-Masa’a and include a dedicated wheelchair bridge among the exit points.
Why did the authority designate specific gates and bridges? The authority said the arrangements aim to ensure smooth movement, reduce congestion, and provide safe and efficient access to the Grand Mosque, allowing worshippers to perform their rituals with ease and comfort. The measures respond to the increase in worshippers and Umrah performers during the last 10 days of Ramadan. The gate and bridge assignments are tied to specific rituals and levels, including entry and exit, first-floor Mataf access, and Al-Masa’a exits.
What details were not included in the announcement? The SPA report did not include expected crowd figures, timings for when each gate opens or closes, or the number of staff assigned to direct worshippers. It also did not say whether the same gate and bridge plan applies outside the last 10 days of Ramadan. The announcement listed the gates and bridges by name and number and described their purpose, but did not provide those additional operational details.