Qibla · Aksaray Province
Qibla direction in Aksaray
To face the Kaaba in Aksaray, turn to 161.9° measured clockwise from true north, which is south (18.1° east of south). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 1,965 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Aksaray should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Aksaray as a needle at 161.9°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 162°. 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 Aksaray
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards south and move a further 18.1° towards east: the result is the bearing of 161.9°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at south would leave you about 18° 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 Aksaray, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Aksaray 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 Aksaray to Mecca points to 163.6°, only 1.6° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 161.9° bearing remains the exact one.
The value of 161.9° is the direction in which the shortest route from 38.3726° N, 34.0254° 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 Aksaray to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 1,965 km from Aksaray as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 1,634 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 2 h 49 min, although most pilgrims from Aksaray connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Aksaray 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 Aksaray rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Aksaray
On 365 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Aksaray 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 11:37 local time.
The sun is never opposite the Qibla of Aksaray 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 | 11:37 | — |
| 15 January 2027 | 11:45 | — |
| 1 February 2027 | 11:54 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 11:59 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 12:03 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 12:05 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 12:07 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 12:08 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 12:11 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 12:14 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 12:19 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 12:23 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 12:27 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 12:27 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 12:23 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 12:17 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 12:07 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 11:57 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 11:45 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 11:35 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 11:27 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 11:23 | — |
| 1 December 2027 | 11:24 | — |
| 15 December 2027 | 11:28 | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Aksaray: at 12:18 and 12:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Aksaray compared with other cities
Compared with Ankara, 199 km away, the Qibla in Aksaray is turned 1.8° further clockwise (161.9° against 160.1°), and Mecca is 196 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Kırşehir (87 km), prays towards 163.1°, a difference of 1.1°.
Across the 85 cities in Türkiye on this site, the Qibla ranges from 143.7° in Izmir to 192.2° in Iğdır, a spread of 48.6°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Türkiye.
Qibla in cities near Aksaray
Qibla in Aksaray: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Aksaray?
It is 161.9° from true north, which is south: 18.1° east of south.
How far is Aksaray from Mecca?
1,965 km in a straight line over the globe, and 1,634 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Aksaray?
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 Türkiye?
No. It ranges from 143.7° to 192.2° across the country, so each city has its own bearing.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 161.9° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.