Qibla direction in Samsun

How to face the Qibla in Samsun

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards south and move a further 9.5° towards east: the result is the bearing of 170.5°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at south would leave you about 10° 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 Samsun, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Samsun 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 Samsun to Mecca points to 171.5°, only 1.0° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 170.5° bearing remains the exact one.

The value of 170.5° is the direction in which the shortest route from 41.2798° N, 36.3361° 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 Samsun to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 2,232 km from Samsun as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 1,894 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 3 h 08 min, although most pilgrims from Samsun connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Samsun 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 Samsun rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Samsun

On 365 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Samsun 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 12:01 local time.

The sun is never opposite the Qibla of Samsun during daylight, so the shadow method does not apply here; the left-hand column is the one to use.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Samsun: at 12:18 and 12:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.

Samsun compared with other cities

Compared with Ankara, 331 km away, the Qibla in Samsun is turned 10.4° further clockwise (170.5° against 160.1°), and Mecca is 72 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Amasya (81 km), prays towards 168.8°, a difference of 1.7°.

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 Samsun

• Amasya168.8° · 81 km
• Turhal169.4° · 102 km
• Tokat Province170.7° · 109 km
• Ordu174.6° · 134 km
• Çorum166.3° · 142 km
• Giresun176.0° · 177 km