Qibla direction in Tlalpan

How to face the Qibla in Tlalpan

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 43.4° towards north: the result is the bearing of 46.6°. Because the angle sits far from the cardinal points, a rough guess such as “east” would be off by more than 40°, which is why a measured bearing matters in Tlalpan.

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 Tlalpan, 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 Tlalpan to Mecca points to 89.1° (east), a full 42.4° away from the true Qibla of 46.6° (north-east). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 831 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Tlalpan first heads north-east, and that is the direction to face.

The value of 46.6° is the direction in which the shortest route from 19.2951° N, 99.1621° 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 Tlalpan to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 13,659 km from Tlalpan as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 13,412 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 16 h 34 min, although most pilgrims from Tlalpan connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Tlalpan 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 Tlalpan rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Tlalpan

On 71 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Tlalpan while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in June (30 days); for example, on 1 June 2027 it happens at 12:22 local time.

On 294 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 15:32.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Tlalpan (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 Tlalpan points straight to Mecca.

Tlalpan compared with other cities

The Qibla here is practically the same as in Mexico City (46.6°), and Mecca is 13 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Mexico City (15 km), prays towards 46.6°, the same bearing to the tenth of a degree.

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 Tlalpan

• Mexico City46.6° · 15 km
• Delegación Cuajimalpa de Morelos46.5° · 16 km
• Xico46.8° · 23 km
• Chicoloapan de Juárez46.8° · 30 km
• Ecatepec de Morelos46.6° · 36 km
• Cuautitlán Izcalli46.4° · 39 km