Qibla direction in Tuxtla Gutiérrez

How to face the Qibla in Tuxtla Gutiérrez

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 38.0° towards north: the result is the bearing of 52.0°. Because the angle sits far from the cardinal points, a rough guess such as “east” would be off by more than 30°, which is why a measured bearing matters in Tuxtla Gutiérrez.

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 Tuxtla Gutiérrez, 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

This is a place where maps mislead badly: a straight line on a flat map from Tuxtla Gutiérrez to Mecca points to 87.9° (east), a full 35.9° away from the true Qibla of 52.0° (north-east). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 616 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Tuxtla Gutiérrez first heads north-east, and that is the direction to face.

The value of 52.0° is the direction in which the shortest route from 16.7536° N, 93.1158° 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 Tuxtla Gutiérrez to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 13,358 km from Tuxtla Gutiérrez as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 13,139 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 16 h 13 min, although most pilgrims from Tuxtla Gutiérrez connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Tuxtla Gutiérrez run 9 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Tuxtla Gutiérrez rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Tuxtla Gutiérrez

On 91 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Tuxtla Gutiérrez while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in July (31 days); for example, on 15 May 2027 it happens at 11:57 local time.

On 274 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 15:34.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Tuxtla Gutiérrez (03:18 and 03:27 local time), so they cannot be used here. Instead, on 13 January 2027 at 15:29 and 28 November 2027 at 15:09 the sun is over the point opposite the Kaaba, and every vertical shadow in Tuxtla Gutiérrez points straight to Mecca.

Tuxtla Gutiérrez compared with other cities

Compared with Mexico City, 702 km away, the Qibla in Tuxtla Gutiérrez is turned 5.4° further clockwise (52.0° against 46.6°), and Mecca is 288 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, San Cristóbal de las Casas (51 km), prays towards 52.3°, a difference of 0.3°.

Across the 99 cities in Mexico on this site, the Qibla ranges from 25.5° in Rosarito to 54.2° in Chetumal, a spread of 28.7°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.

See all cities on the Qibla page for Mexico.

Qibla in cities near Tuxtla Gutiérrez

• San Cristóbal de las Casas52.3° · 51 km
• Comitán de Domínguez52.8° · 119 km
• Villahermosa51.6° · 138 km
• Minatitlán50.5° · 206 km
• Coatzacoalcos50.5° · 210 km
• Tapachula53.4° · 224 km