Qibla direction in Athens
52.96° from true north · north-east · 11,413 km to the Kaaba
Qibla direction in Athens
The qibla from Athens is 52.96° from true north, towards the north-east. Simply face east and turn 37° to the left. Athens is about 11,413 km from the Kaaba.
52.96°
Gold arc = 37° from east to the qibla
Three ways to face the qibla from Athens
-
1. Phone compass
Open a compass app, move the phone in a figure of 8 to calibrate, keep it away from metal, then turn until the compass reads 53°.
-
2. Start from east
Face east, then turn 37° to the left. A right angle is 90°, so 37° is about a third of a right angle.
-
3. The sun's shadow
Twice a year the sun is directly above the Kaaba. At that moment the shadow of any upright object points directly away from the qibla.
Sun over the Kaaba, 2027
- · 5:18 AM EDT (the sun is below the horizon in this city)
- · 5:27 AM EDT (the sun is below the horizon in this city)
Keeping the compass accurate
- Remove magnetic cases and keep the phone away from laptops, speakers and steel frames.
- Hold the phone flat. A compass points to magnetic north, while the degrees on this page are measured from true north, so the reading can differ slightly.
- Compare with the direction of the rows in a nearby mosque.
Qibla direction in nearby cities
| City | Distance from Athens | Qibla |
|---|---|---|
| Winder | 32 km | 52.7° |
| Gainesville | 56 km | 52.6° |
| Lawrenceville | 56 km | 52.6° |
| Snellville | 60 km | 52.6° |
| Sugar Hill | 63 km | 52.5° |
| Suwanee | 65 km | 52.5° |
| Conyers | 68 km | 52.6° |
Around Athens the qibla is almost the same: it differs by 0.5° at most.
Frequently asked questions
What is the qibla direction from Athens in degrees?
52.96° from true north, measured clockwise — towards the north-east.
How can I find the qibla without a compass?
Face east and turn 37° to the left. More precisely, when the sun is directly above the Kaaba the qibla is the direction towards the sun.
When is the sun over the Kaaba in 2027, in Athens time?
May 28, 2027 at 5:18 AM EDT (the sun is below the horizon in this city) and July 16, 2027 at 5:27 AM EDT (the sun is below the horizon in this city).
What is the difference between true north and compass north?
True north points to the geographic North Pole. A compass needle points to the magnetic pole, which is in a slightly different place, so a compass reading can differ from the degrees on this page.
Do I need to share my location to see the qibla?
No. The qibla on this page is calculated from the coordinates of the center of Athens, so you only need to pick a city.
Sources & method
-
Kaaba coordinates · 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E
-
Athens coordinates · 33.9609; -83.3779 (city center) · GeoNames (geonames.org), CC BY 4.0
-
Formula · Great-circle azimuth from true north