Qibla · Bizerte Governorate
Qibla direction in Bizerte
To face the Kaaba in Bizerte, turn to 113.1° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-east (23.1° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 3,374 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Bizerte should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Bizerte as a needle at 113.1°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 113°. 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 Bizerte
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 23.1° towards south: the result is the bearing of 113.1°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 23° 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 Bizerte, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Bizerte 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 Bizerte to Mecca points to 121.4° (south-east), 8.3° away from the correct 113.1°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 10 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 113.1° is the direction in which the shortest route from 37.2744° N, 9.8739° 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 Bizerte to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 3,374 km from Bizerte as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 3,157 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 4 h 28 min, although most pilgrims from Bizerte connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Bizerte run 2 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Bizerte rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Bizerte
On 269 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Bizerte while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in March (31 days); for example, on 15 February 2027 it happens at 07:59 local time.
On 63 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 June (30 days), for instance on 1 June 2027 at 18:55.
| 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 | 07:59 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 08:20 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 08:41 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 09:04 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 09:24 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 09:45 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 10:03 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 10:22 | 18:55 |
| 15 June 2027 | 10:32 | 18:51 |
| 1 July 2027 | 10:34 | 18:56 |
| 15 July 2027 | 10:27 | 19:07 |
| 1 August 2027 | 10:09 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 09:48 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 09:17 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 08:49 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 08:17 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 07:50 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 07:21 | — |
| 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 Bizerte: at 10:18 and 10:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Bizerte compared with other cities
The Qibla here is practically the same as in Tunis (112.7°), and Mecca is 44 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Tunis (57 km), prays towards 112.7°, a difference of 0.4°.
Among the 7 cities in Tunisia on this site, Bizerte has the largest Qibla bearing; the smallest is 107.7° in Gabès. Across the country the direction varies by 5.3°.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Tunisia.
Qibla in cities near Bizerte
Qibla in Bizerte: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Bizerte?
It is 113.1° from true north, which is south-east: 23.1° south of east.
How far is Bizerte from Mecca?
3,374 km in a straight line over the globe, and 3,157 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Bizerte?
On 269 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 Bizerte not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 121.4°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Bizerte at 113.1°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 113.1° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.