Makkah

MeccaorMakkah,is a city in theHejazinSaudi Arabia,the capital of itsMakkah Region.As the birthplace of Muhammad and the site ofMuhammad's first revelationof theQuran,Mecca is regarded as theholiest cityin thereligionofIslamand apilgrimageto it known as theHajjisobligatoryfor all ableMuslims. The cityis home to theKaaba, by majority description Islam's holiest site, as well as being thedirection of Muslim prayer.In its modern period, the city has seen tremendous expansion in size and infrastructure, home to structures such as theAbraj Al Bait, also known as the Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel, the world's fourth tallest building and the building with thethird largest amount of floor area. During this expansion, the cityhas lost some historical structures and archaeological sites, such as theAjyad Fortress. Today, more than 15 million Muslims visit Mecca annually, including several million during the few days of the Hajj.As a result, Mecca has become one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the Muslim world,despite the fact that non-Muslims are prohibited from entering the city.