Qibla · Caquetá
Qibla direction in Florencia
To face the Kaaba in Florencia, turn to 65.9° measured clockwise from true north, which is north-east (24.1° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 12,555 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Florencia should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Florencia as a needle at 65.9°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 66°. 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 Florencia
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 24.1° towards north: the result is the bearing of 65.9°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 24° 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 Florencia, 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 Florencia to Mecca points to 80.0° (east), 14.1° away from the correct 65.9°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 146 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 65.9° is the direction in which the shortest route from 1.6155° N, 75.6041° 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 Florencia to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 12,555 km from Florencia as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 12,463 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 15 h 16 min, although most pilgrims from Florencia connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Florencia run 8 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Florencia rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Florencia
On 177 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Florencia 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 1 April 2027 it happens at 11:39 local time.
On 187 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 17:03.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | 17:03 |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 16:22 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 15:22 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 14:30 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 13:37 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 12:44 |
| 1 April 2027 | 11:39 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 10:46 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 09:46 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 08:54 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 07:56 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 07:22 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 07:33 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 08:17 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 09:18 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 10:06 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 11:02 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 11:46 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 12:36 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 13:22 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 14:22 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 15:15 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 16:20 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | 17:06 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Florencia (04:18 and 04:27 local time), so they cannot be used here. Instead, on 13 January 2027 at 16:29 and 28 November 2027 at 16:09 the sun is over the point opposite the Kaaba, and every vertical shadow in Florencia points straight to Mecca.
Florencia compared with other cities
Compared with Bogotá, 373 km away, the Qibla in Florencia is turned 0.7° further clockwise (65.9° against 65.1°), and Mecca is 292 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Pitalito (56 km), prays towards 65.7°, a difference of 0.2°.
Among the 45 cities in Colombia on this site, Florencia has the largest Qibla bearing; the smallest is 62.9° in Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia. Across the country the direction varies by 3.0°.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Colombia.
Qibla in cities near Florencia
Qibla in Florencia: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Florencia?
It is 65.9° from true north, which is north-east: 24.1° north of east.
How far is Florencia from Mecca?
12,555 km in a straight line over the globe, and 12,463 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Florencia?
On 177 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 Florencia not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 80.0°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Florencia at 65.9°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 65.9° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.