UK Prayer Times

Qibla direction · Preston

Qibla direction in Preston

Quick Answer

From Preston, the Qibla is 118° from true north (ESE, east-southeast) — the direction to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah, about 5,066 km away. UK Prayer Times calculates this bearing from Preston's coordinates using the great-circle method.

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From Preston, face 118° from true north (ESE, east-southeast) to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah — about 5,066 km away.

N E S W

Qibla bearing

118°

ESE · east-southeast

Distance to Makkah

5,066 km

3,148 miles

Open the live compass tool →

How to face the Qibla in Preston

Using a compass or phone compass app, find north and turn to a heading of 118°. 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 Preston?
The Qibla in Preston is 118° measured clockwise from true north — roughly ESE (east-southeast). Face this direction to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah.
How far is Preston from Makkah?
The Kaaba in Makkah is approximately 5,066 km (3,148 miles) from Preston, 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 118° 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 Preston specifically it is 118°.
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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