Saudi Gazette report

MADINAH — Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, launched King Salman's project to expand Quba Mosque in Madinah, the largest in its history.

The project to expand Quba Mosque and develop the surrounding area aims to raise the total area of ​​the mosque to 50,000 square meters, 10 times its current area, with a capacity to accommodate 66,000 worshipers, as the project is the largest expansion in the history of mosque since its establishment in the first year of the Prophet's Hijra.

On the occasion, the Crown Prince commended the great care being accorded by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to Quba Mosque, Islam's first mosque ever. He explained that this project aims to accommodate the largest number of worshipers in times of seasons, and to highlight the religious importance and documenting the historical characteristics of Quba Center, preserving its urban and architectural old-fashioned as well as protecting and preserving the historical monuments located near the mosque.

This announcement coincided with the visit paid by the Crown Prince to Madinah, during which he performed prayer in Quba Mosque and made an inspection tour of the project.

The Crown Prince explained that this project comes to achieve the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 within the two programs of serving pilgrims and the quality of life, as it will raise the area of ​​the mosque from 5,035 square meters to 50,000 square meters.

The project also includes the development and revival of historical sites to include 57 sites covering many wells, farms and orchards and linking three of the Prophet's paths.

The expansion and development works of Quba Mosque aim to raise the capacity in order to bridge the gap between the current situation and the increasing demand.

The project is based on linking the current Quba Mosque with shaded courtyards from four sides, functionally and visually connected to the independent prayer halls that are not structurally attached to the current mosque building, while providing all the necessary services belonging to the mosque.

The efficiency of the existing mosque building will be raised with the accompanying services system, the improvement of the road network and the surrounding infrastructure to raise the efficiency of gathering, ease of access to the mosque, find radical solutions to overcrowding and enhance the security and safety of worshipers, in addition to developing and reviving a number of sites and prophetic monuments within the mosque and its squares.