Cooling the courtyards of the Prophet's Mosque: Techniques to combat high temperatures
witness The courtyards of the Prophet's Mosque the arrival of millions of Muslims from around the world throughout the year, especially during Hajj and Umrah seasons. With the significant rise in temperatures during the summer months, the need for innovative engineering and technological solutions has become paramount. These courtyards form a comprehensive service system, meticulously designed to mitigate the effects of the high temperatures and create a comfortable and spiritually enriching environment for pilgrims and visitors, reflecting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's commitment to providing the highest quality services to the guests of God.
A history of architectural care and development
The efforts to cool and shade the Two Holy Mosques were not a recent development, but rather an extension of a long history of successive Saudi expansions. Historically, the Prophet's Mosque in Medina has undergone several massive expansions to accommodate the increasing number of worshippers. With the major expansion, the urgent need arose to utilize the surrounding outdoor spaces, prompting the Saudi leadership to launch the giant umbrella project, one of the largest engineering projects in the Islamic world. This pioneering project not only provided shade but also integrated authentic Islamic architectural art with the latest advancements in modern cooling and outdoor environmental control technology.
Giant umbrellas in the courtyards of the Prophet's Mosque
The giant umbrellas in the courtyards of the Prophet's Mosque out as one of its most prominent service and aesthetic features. These umbrellas extend over vast areas to provide shade and reduce direct exposure to the scorching sun. Each umbrella weighs approximately 40 tons and reaches a height of over 21.7 meters, effectively improving air circulation within the courtyards. These umbrellas operate with sophisticated automated systems that open and close according to specific times linked to sunrise and sunset. To further enhance their effectiveness, the umbrella columns are equipped with 436 misting fans that propel microscopic water droplets with cool air currents, significantly reducing the perceived temperature, especially during peak hours and midday. Collectively, these umbrellas can accommodate more than 228,000 worshippers at a time and are managed from a central control room to ensure their efficiency and precision.
Thassos White Marble: A Natural Cooling Miracle
In addition to the awnings, the type of flooring used is an innovation in itself. The courtyards are paved with rare Thassos White marble, specially quarried from the Greek island of Thassos. This unique marble is distinguished by its high reflectivity of sunlight and its ability to reduce heat retention, unlike other types of granite and marble. It possesses exceptional natural properties that allow it to absorb moisture at night through its fine pores, releasing it gradually during the hot daytime hours. This natural evaporation contributes significantly to cooling the surface, in addition to its high durability and ability to withstand heavy foot traffic and continuous use without losing its aesthetic or functional qualities.
Regional and international impact of the Saudi experience
The Kingdom's success in managing the harsh climate within open spaces transcends being a local achievement, becoming a global model for crowd management and the design of large urban areas. Regionally and internationally, this sophisticated system has demonstrated the human ingenuity to harness engineering for the benefit of humanity, with the Saudi experience becoming a reference point for engineers and urban planners in countries suffering from extreme heat. These remarkable efforts embody the exceptional care the Kingdom dedicates to the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors, employing cutting-edge technological solutions to provide a safe and comfortable environment. This enhances the quality of services offered and leaves a profound spiritual and psychological impact on the millions of Muslims returning to their homelands.
