Qibla · Central Java
Qibla direction in Semarang
To face the Kaaba in Semarang, turn to 294.5° measured clockwise from true north, which is north-west (24.5° north of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 8,315 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Semarang should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Semarang as a needle at 294.5°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 295°. 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 Semarang
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 24.5° towards north: the result is the bearing of 294.5°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at west would leave you about 25° 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 Semarang, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Semarang 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 Semarang to Mecca points to 292.3° (west), 2.2° away from the correct 294.5°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 12 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 294.5° is the direction in which the shortest route from 6.9931° S, 110.4208° 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 Semarang to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 8,315 km from Semarang as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 8,420 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 10 h 17 min, although most pilgrims from Semarang connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Semarang run 4 hours ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Semarang rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Semarang
On 221 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Semarang 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 March 2027 it happens at 12:28 local time.
On 142 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 08:28.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | 08:28 |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 09:09 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 10:09 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 10:58 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 11:45 |
| 15 March 2027 | 12:28 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 13:20 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 14:03 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 14:53 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 15:38 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 16:30 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 16:59 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 16:57 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 16:28 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 15:37 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 14:50 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 13:50 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 13:00 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 12:02 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 11:12 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 10:12 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 09:25 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 08:39 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | 08:14 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Semarang: at 16:18 and 16:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Semarang compared with other cities
Compared with Jakarta, 404 km away, the Qibla in Semarang is turned 0.7° further anticlockwise (294.5° against 295.2°), and Mecca is 395 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Ungaran (16 km), prays towards 294.5°, the same bearing to the tenth of a degree.
Across the 140 cities in Indonesia on this site, the Qibla ranges from 290.2° in Merauke to 295.5° in Pelabuhanratu, a spread of 5.3°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Indonesia.
Qibla in cities near Semarang
Qibla in Semarang: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Semarang?
It is 294.5° from true north, which is north-west: 24.5° north of west.
How far is Semarang from Mecca?
8,315 km in a straight line over the globe, and 8,420 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Semarang?
On 221 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.
Is the Qibla the same everywhere in Indonesia?
No. It ranges from 290.2° to 295.5° across the country, so each city has its own bearing.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 294.5° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.