Qibla · Gansu
Qibla direction in Lanzhou
To face the Kaaba in Lanzhou, turn to 273.8° measured clockwise from true north, which is west (3.8° north of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 6,337 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Lanzhou should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Lanzhou as a needle at 273.8°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 274°. 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 Lanzhou
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 3.8° towards north: the result is the bearing of 273.8°. The direction is close to due west, which makes it easy to remember.
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 Lanzhou, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Lanzhou 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
This is a place where maps mislead badly: a straight line on a flat map from Lanzhou to Mecca points to 255.3° (west), a full 18.4° away from the true Qibla of 273.8° (west). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 86 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Lanzhou first heads west, and that is the direction to face.
The value of 273.8° is the direction in which the shortest route from 36.0570° N, 103.8399° E 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 Lanzhou to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 6,337 km from Lanzhou as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 6,192 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 7 h 57 min, although most pilgrims from Lanzhou connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Lanzhou run 5 hours ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Lanzhou rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Lanzhou
On 160 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Lanzhou while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in May (31 days); for example, on 15 April 2027 it happens at 18:36 local time.
On 188 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 May (31 days), for instance on 1 April 2027 at 07:58.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | — |
| 15 January 2027 | — | — |
| 1 February 2027 | — | — |
| 15 February 2027 | — | — |
| 1 March 2027 | — | — |
| 15 March 2027 | — | — |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 07:58 |
| 15 April 2027 | 18:36 | 08:24 |
| 1 May 2027 | 18:01 | 08:53 |
| 15 May 2027 | 17:35 | 09:17 |
| 1 June 2027 | 17:14 | 09:42 |
| 15 June 2027 | 17:07 | 09:55 |
| 1 July 2027 | 17:12 | 09:57 |
| 15 July 2027 | 17:26 | 09:47 |
| 1 August 2027 | 17:51 | 09:23 |
| 15 August 2027 | 18:15 | 08:55 |
| 1 September 2027 | 18:45 | 08:17 |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 07:43 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | — |
| 15 October 2027 | — | — |
| 1 November 2027 | — | — |
| 15 November 2027 | — | — |
| 1 December 2027 | — | — |
| 15 December 2027 | — | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Lanzhou: at 17:18 and 17:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Lanzhou compared with other cities
Compared with Beijing, 1,180 km away, the Qibla in Lanzhou is turned 5.1° further anticlockwise (273.8° against 278.9°), and Mecca is 1,047 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Baiyin (62 km), prays towards 273.6°, a difference of 0.1°.
Across the 612 cities in China on this site, the Qibla ranges from 249.0° in Tacheng to 286.5° in Suifenhe, a spread of 37.5°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for China.
Qibla in cities near Lanzhou
Qibla in Lanzhou: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Lanzhou?
It is 273.8° from true north, which is west: 3.8° north of west.
How far is Lanzhou from Mecca?
6,337 km in a straight line over the globe, and 6,192 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Lanzhou?
On 160 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 Lanzhou not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 255.3°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Lanzhou at 273.8°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 273.8° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.