Qibla direction in Maracay

How to face the Qibla in Maracay

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 24.7° towards north: the result is the bearing of 65.3°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 25° 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 Maracay, 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 Maracay to Mecca points to 83.8° (east), a full 18.5° away from the true Qibla of 65.3° (north-east). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 187 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Maracay first heads north-east, and that is the direction to face.

The value of 65.3° is the direction in which the shortest route from 10.2497° N, 67.5948° 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 Maracay to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 11,351 km from Maracay as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 11,234 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 13 h 51 min, although most pilgrims from Maracay connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Maracay run 7 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Maracay rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Maracay

On 131 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Maracay while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in May (31 days); for example, on 1 May 2027 it happens at 11:41 local time.

On 233 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 17:49.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Maracay (05:18 and 05:27 local time), so they cannot be used here. Instead, on 13 January 2027 at 17:29 and 28 November 2027 at 17:09 the sun is over the point opposite the Kaaba, and every vertical shadow in Maracay points straight to Mecca.

Maracay compared with other cities

The Qibla here is practically the same as in Caracas (65.4°), and Mecca is 82 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, La Victoria (29 km), prays towards 65.3°, a difference of 0.1°.

Across the 47 cities in Venezuela on this site, the Qibla ranges from 63.9° in Machiques to 66.8° in Upata, a spread of 2.9°. The difference is small, yet each city should still use its own bearing.

See all cities on the Qibla page for Venezuela.

Qibla in cities near Maracay

• La Victoria65.3° · 29 km
• Guacara65.2° · 31 km
• Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela65.2° · 45 km
• San Juan de los Morros65.4° · 46 km
• Puerto Cabello65.1° · 52 km
• Los Teques65.4° · 61 km