Qibla direction in Maldonado

How to face the Qibla in Maldonado

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 15.4° towards north: the result is the bearing of 74.6°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 15° 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 Maldonado, 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

This is a place where maps mislead badly: a straight line on a flat map from Maldonado to Mecca points to 58.0° (north-east), a full 16.6° away from the true Qibla of 74.6° (east). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 52 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Maldonado first heads east, and that is the direction to face.

The value of 74.6° is the direction in which the shortest route from 34.8979° S, 54.9502° 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 Maldonado to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 11,766 km from Maldonado as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 11,924 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 14 h 21 min, although most pilgrims from Maldonado connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Maldonado run 6 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Maldonado rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Maldonado

On 233 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Maldonado 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 10:39 local time.

On 99 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 January (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 18:13.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Maldonado (06:18 and 06:27 local time), so they cannot be used here. Instead, on 13 January 2027 at 18:29 and 28 November 2027 at 18:09 the sun is over the point opposite the Kaaba, and every vertical shadow in Maldonado points straight to Mecca.

Maldonado compared with other cities

Compared with Montevideo, 113 km away, the Qibla in Maldonado is turned 0.6° further anticlockwise (74.6° against 75.3°), and Mecca is 109 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Montevideo (113 km), prays towards 75.3°, a difference of 0.6°.

Among the 3 cities in Uruguay on this site, Maldonado has the smallest Qibla bearing; the largest is 75.3° in Montevideo. Across the country the direction varies by 0.6°.

See all cities on the Qibla page for Uruguay.

Qibla in cities near Maldonado

• Montevideo75.3° · 113 km
• Salto75.1° · 480 km