The retractable domes and giant canopies at the Prophet’s Mosque play a vital role in creating a comfortable atmosphere for worshippers and pilgrims during the Hajj season. These features are part of a comprehensive service ecosystem overseen by the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, designed to ensure the comfort of visitors and enable them to perform their rituals with ease, devotion, and tranquility.
Standing as one of the most prominent architectural hallmarks of the site, the retractable domes combine Islamic geometric beauty with advanced operational technology. Constructed during the major Saudi expansion under the reign of King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, the 27 movable domes are meticulously designed to regulate natural light and airflow within the mosque’s arcades. Operating automatically via sophisticated control systems, the domes open and close in response to shifting weather conditions. Each unit weighs approximately 80 tons and glides along integrated iron rails that span a total distance of 1,573 meters.
In the expansive courtyards surrounding the Prophet’s Mosque, 250 giant canopies automatically deploy to provide essential shade and protection from the sun and rain. This infrastructure significantly enhances the environment for worshippers, which is especially critical given the increasing influx of pilgrims arriving in Madinah for the Hajj season.
This sophisticated engineering system reflects the profound care the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia devotes to the Prophet’s Mosque. It underscores the nation’s unwavering commitment to utilizing cutting-edge technologies and advanced architecture to serve and protect visitors from around the world.
Source: Riyadh Daily