Qibla · Entre Ríos Province
Qibla direction in Concordia
To face the Kaaba in Concordia, turn to 75.1° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (14.9° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 11,940 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Concordia should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Concordia as a needle at 75.1°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 75°. A traditional magnetic compass also works, provided you allow for the local difference between magnetic and true north.
Find the Qibla with your phone
How to face the Qibla in Concordia
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 14.9° towards north: the result is the bearing of 75.1°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 15° off.
The scholars distinguish two cases: the one who sees the Kaaba aims at the building itself, while the one who cannot see it, as anywhere in Concordia, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque is a quick way to confirm the result. If you travel or move house, check the angle again, since it changes from place to place.
Why a flat map shows a different direction
A straight line drawn on a flat (Mercator) map from Concordia to Mecca points to 60.6° (north-east), 14.4° away from the correct 75.1°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 40 km longer than the true shortest route. The Qibla follows the great circle, the shortest path on the curved Earth, which is why the bearing differs.
The value of 75.1° is the direction in which the shortest route from 31.3920° S, 58.0171° W sets off towards the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Every accurate Qibla calculator, and the plans of well-oriented mosques, arrive at the same angle for this point.
Distance from Concordia to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 11,940 km from Concordia as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 12,075 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 14 h 33 min, although most pilgrims from Concordia connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Concordia run 6 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Concordia rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Concordia
On 233 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Concordia while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in January (31 days); for example, on 1 January 2027 it happens at 11:17 local time.
On 97 days the sun stands exactly opposite the Qibla: then the shadow of any vertical object, a pole, a door frame or a plumb line, points straight towards Mecca. This is most frequent in January (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 18:11.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | 11:17 | 18:11 |
| 15 January 2027 | 11:07 | 18:33 |
| 1 February 2027 | 10:40 | 19:08 |
| 15 February 2027 | 10:11 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 09:37 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 09:02 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 08:18 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 07:42 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | — | — |
| 15 May 2027 | — | — |
| 1 June 2027 | — | — |
| 15 June 2027 | — | — |
| 1 July 2027 | — | — |
| 15 July 2027 | — | — |
| 1 August 2027 | — | — |
| 15 August 2027 | — | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 07:51 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 08:18 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 08:49 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 09:17 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 09:52 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 10:22 | 18:27 |
| 1 December 2027 | 10:52 | 18:06 |
| 15 December 2027 | 11:11 | 18:00 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Concordia (06:18 and 06:27 local time), so they cannot be used here. Instead, on 13 January 2027 at 18:29 and 28 November 2027 at 18:09 the sun is over the point opposite the Kaaba, and every vertical shadow in Concordia points straight to Mecca.
Concordia compared with other cities
Compared with Buenos Aires, 360 km away, the Qibla in Concordia is turned 1.2° further anticlockwise (75.1° against 76.3°), and Mecca is 121 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Paraná (241 km), prays towards 76.3°, a difference of 1.2°.
Across the 34 cities in Argentina on this site, the Qibla ranges from 73.1° in Posadas to 86.4° in Comodoro Rivadavia, a spread of 13.3°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Argentina.
Qibla in cities near Concordia
- Paraná76.3° · 241 km
- Santa Fe76.4° · 257 km
- San Nicolás de los Arroyos76.7° · 298 km
- Rosario, Santa Fe Province, Argentina76.8° · 301 km
- Jose C. Paz76.4° · 354 km
- Buenos Aires76.3° · 360 km
Qibla in Concordia: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Concordia?
It is 75.1° from true north, which is east: 14.9° north of east.
How far is Concordia from Mecca?
11,940 km in a straight line over the globe, and 12,075 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Concordia?
On 233 days of 2027 the sun stands in the Qibla direction; the table on this page gives the exact time for the 1st and 15th of each month.
Why is the Qibla in Concordia not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 60.6°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Concordia at 75.1°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 75.1° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.