Qibla · Santa Cruz Department
Qibla direction in Santa Cruz de la Sierra
To face the Kaaba in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, turn to 72.6° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (17.4° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 12,023 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Santa Cruz de la Sierra should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Santa Cruz de la Sierra as a needle at 72.6°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 73°. 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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 17.4° towards north: the result is the bearing of 72.6°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 17° 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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Mecca points to 68.8° (east), 3.9° away from the correct 72.6°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 16 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 72.6° is the direction in which the shortest route from 17.7863° S, 63.1812° 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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 12,023 km from Santa Cruz de la Sierra as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 12,072 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 14 h 39 min, although most pilgrims from Santa Cruz de la Sierra connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Santa Cruz de la Sierra run 7 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Santa Cruz de la Sierra rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Santa Cruz de la Sierra
On 184 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Santa Cruz de la Sierra while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in March (31 days); for example, on 1 February 2027 it happens at 12:16 local time.
On 79 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 December (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 13:49.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | 13:49 |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 13:13 |
| 1 February 2027 | 12:16 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 11:26 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 10:35 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 09:43 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 08:39 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 07:47 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | — | — |
| 15 May 2027 | — | — |
| 1 June 2027 | — | — |
| 15 June 2027 | — | — |
| 1 July 2027 | — | — |
| 15 July 2027 | — | — |
| 1 August 2027 | — | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 07:08 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 08:02 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 08:45 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 09:33 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 10:18 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 11:16 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 12:08 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 13:08 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | 13:49 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Santa Cruz de la Sierra (05:18 and 05:27 local time), so they cannot be used here. Instead, on 13 January 2027 at 17:29 and 28 November 2027 at 17:09 the sun is over the point opposite the Kaaba, and every vertical shadow in Santa Cruz de la Sierra points straight to Mecca.
Santa Cruz de la Sierra compared with other cities
Compared with Sucre, 260 km away, the Qibla in Santa Cruz de la Sierra is turned 0.9° further anticlockwise (72.6° against 73.5°), and Mecca is 250 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Sucre (260 km), prays towards 73.5°, a difference of 0.9°.
Among the 7 cities in Bolivia on this site, Santa Cruz de la Sierra has the smallest Qibla bearing; the largest is 74.3° in Tarija. Across the country the direction varies by 1.6°.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Bolivia.
Qibla in cities near Santa Cruz de la Sierra
- Sucre73.5° · 260 km
- Cochabamba73.1° · 319 km
- Potosí73.8° · 337 km
- Oruro73.5° · 414 km
- Tarija74.3° · 447 km
- La Paz, La Paz Department, Bolivia73.1° · 547 km
Qibla in Santa Cruz de la Sierra: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Santa Cruz de la Sierra?
It is 72.6° from true north, which is east: 17.4° north of east.
How far is Santa Cruz de la Sierra from Mecca?
12,023 km in a straight line over the globe, and 12,072 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Santa Cruz de la Sierra?
On 184 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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 68.8°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Santa Cruz de la Sierra at 72.6°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 72.6° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.