Qibla · Kursk Oblast
Qibla direction in Kursk
To face the Kaaba in Kursk, turn to 173.3° measured clockwise from true north, which is south (6.7° east of south). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 3,384 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Kursk should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Kursk as a needle at 173.3°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 173°. 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 Kursk
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards south and move a further 6.7° towards east: the result is the bearing of 173.3°. The direction is close to due south, which makes it easy to remember.
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 Kursk, 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
On a flat (Mercator) map, the straight line from Kursk to Mecca points to 174.6°, only 1.3° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 173.3° bearing remains the exact one.
The value of 173.3° is the direction in which the shortest route from 51.7269° N, 36.1846° 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 Kursk to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 3,384 km from Kursk as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 3,045 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 4 h 29 min, although most pilgrims from Kursk connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Kursk run the same time as Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Kursk rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Kursk
On 365 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Kursk while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in January (31 days); for example, on 1 January 2027 it happens at 12:11 local time.
The sun is never opposite the Qibla of Kursk during daylight, so the shadow method does not apply here; the left-hand column is the one to use.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | 12:11 | — |
| 15 January 2027 | 12:17 | — |
| 1 February 2027 | 12:23 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 12:25 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 12:24 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 12:23 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 12:19 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 12:17 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 12:16 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 12:16 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 12:19 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 12:22 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 12:25 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 12:27 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 12:26 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 12:23 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 12:17 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 12:10 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 12:03 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 11:58 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 11:53 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 11:53 | — |
| 1 December 2027 | 11:56 | — |
| 15 December 2027 | 12:02 | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Kursk: at 12:18 and 12:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Kursk compared with other cities
Compared with Moscow, 457 km away, the Qibla in Kursk is turned 3.1° further anticlockwise (173.3° against 176.4°), and Mecca is 437 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Stary Oskol (124 km), prays towards 176.3°, a difference of 3.0°.
Across the 158 cities in Russia on this site, the Qibla ranges from 148.7° in Kaliningrad to 305.3° in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, a spread of 156.6°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Russia.
Qibla in cities near Kursk
Qibla in Kursk: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Kursk?
It is 173.3° from true north, which is south: 6.7° east of south.
How far is Kursk from Mecca?
3,384 km in a straight line over the globe, and 3,045 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Kursk?
On 365 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 Russia?
No. It ranges from 148.7° to 305.3° across the country, so each city has its own bearing.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 173.3° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.