UK Prayer Times

Qibla direction · Chelmsford

Qibla direction in Chelmsford

Quick Answer

From Chelmsford, the Qibla is 120° from true north (ESE, east-southeast) — the direction to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah, about 4,769 km away. UK Prayer Times calculates this bearing from Chelmsford's coordinates using the great-circle method.

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From Chelmsford, face 120° from true north (ESE, east-southeast) to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah — about 4,769 km away.

N E S W

Qibla bearing

120°

ESE · east-southeast

Distance to Makkah

4,769 km

2,963 miles

Open the live compass tool →

How to face the Qibla in Chelmsford

Using a compass or phone compass app, find north and turn to a heading of 120°. This points along the shortest (great-circle) path to the Kaaba — east-southeast from the UK.

If you're indoors, a phone Qibla app or the live compass tool will use your device sensors. Many UK mosques also mark the Qibla in the prayer hall.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Qibla direction in Chelmsford?
The Qibla in Chelmsford is 120° measured clockwise from true north — roughly ESE (east-southeast). Face this direction to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah.
How far is Chelmsford from Makkah?
The Kaaba in Makkah is approximately 4,769 km (2,963 miles) from Chelmsford, measured as a great-circle (shortest path) distance.
How do I find the Qibla using a compass?
Hold a compass flat and find true north, then turn 120° clockwise. Note that a magnetic compass points to magnetic north, which in the UK currently differs from true north by only about 1–2°, so the magnetic reading is very close. Phone compass apps usually correct for this automatically.
Is the Qibla direction the same across the UK?
It is very close — across Great Britain the Qibla is roughly 118–120° (east-southeast). It shifts by a degree or two between cities; for Chelmsford specifically it is 120°.
Why does the Qibla point northeast-ish, not southeast, on some flat maps?
On a flat (Mercator) map the shortest path to Makkah looks like it curves, because the Earth is a sphere. The true great-circle direction from the UK is east-southeast — the figure shown here is the accurate bearing.
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