Qibla · Viseu District
Qibla direction in Viseu
To face the Kaaba in Viseu, turn to 100.8° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (10.8° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,951 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Viseu should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Viseu as a needle at 100.8°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 101°. 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 Viseu
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 10.8° towards south: the result is the bearing of 100.8°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 11° 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 Viseu, 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 Viseu to Mecca points to 115.4° (south-east), 14.6° away from the correct 100.8°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 41 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 100.8° is the direction in which the shortest route from 40.6617° N, 7.9091° 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 Viseu to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,951 km from Viseu as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,736 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 6 h 19 min, although most pilgrims from Viseu connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Viseu run 3 hours behind Mecca in winter and 2 hours behind Mecca in summer, because of daylight saving time. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Viseu rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Viseu
On 215 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Viseu 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 07:36 local time.
On 129 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 May 2027 at 19:23.
| 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 | 07:36 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 09:01 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 09:21 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 09:44 | 19:23 |
| 15 May 2027 | 10:03 | 19:03 |
| 1 June 2027 | 10:22 | 18:47 |
| 15 June 2027 | 10:32 | 18:42 |
| 1 July 2027 | 10:34 | 18:47 |
| 15 July 2027 | 10:27 | 18:58 |
| 1 August 2027 | 10:08 | 19:18 |
| 15 August 2027 | 09:46 | 19:37 |
| 1 September 2027 | 09:14 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 08:46 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 08:12 | — |
| 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 Viseu: at 10:18 and 10:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Viseu compared with other cities
Compared with Lisbon, 240 km away, the Qibla in Viseu is turned 2.9° further clockwise (100.8° against 97.9°), and Mecca is 70 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Coimbra (67 km), prays towards 99.9°, a difference of 0.9°.
Across the 8 cities in Portugal on this site, the Qibla ranges from 87.6° in Funchal to 101.2° in Braga, a spread of 13.6°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Portugal.
Qibla in cities near Viseu
Qibla in Viseu: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Viseu?
It is 100.8° from true north, which is east: 10.8° south of east.
How far is Viseu from Mecca?
4,951 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,736 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Viseu?
On 215 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 Viseu not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 115.4°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Viseu at 100.8°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 100.8° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.