New Kiswa Installed at the Kaaba for Islamic New Year

A new Kiswa has been installed at the Holy Kaaba in Makkah in honour of the first day of the Islamic new year (1 Muharram, 1446h).

The installation was carried out by a team from the King Abdulaziz Complex for the Kiswa of the Kaaba, which was made up of 159 skilled craftsmen who operated under the close supervision of specially-trained engineers and technicians. A complicated process, the team first removed the 53 gold-embroidered pieces of the Kaaba’s old Kiswa while the replacements were being brought to the Grand Mosque from the complex.

At the complex, another 159 skilled craftsmen worked to produce the new gold-embroidered pieces. This was done by hand, taking between 60 and 120 days to complete each piece.

In total, 120 kilograms of gold, 100 kilograms of silver and 1,000 kilograms of silk were used to make the Kiswa. It weighs 1350 kilograms altogether and measures in at 14 metres high.

When the old Kiswa had been removed, the four sides of the new one were lifted separately to the top of the Kaaba, and the corners were then sewed from top to bottom, before the curtain was placed.

Three weeks before Hajj pilgrimage, the lowest part of the previous Kiswa was raised to stop it getting damaged or soiled as pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba. The Kiswa used to be changed during the Hajj season, but a royal decree issued last year dictated that the Kiswa be changed on Muharram from now on instead.