UK Prayer Times

Qibla direction · St Albans

Qibla direction in St Albans

Quick Answer

From St Albans, the Qibla is 119° from true north (ESE, east-southeast) — the direction to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah, about 4,820 km away. UK Prayer Times calculates this bearing from St Albans's coordinates using the great-circle method.

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From St Albans, face 119° from true north (ESE, east-southeast) to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah — about 4,820 km away.

N E S W

Qibla bearing

119°

ESE · east-southeast

Distance to Makkah

4,820 km

2,995 miles

Open the live compass tool →

How to face the Qibla in St Albans

Using a compass or phone compass app, find north and turn to a heading of 119°. 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 St Albans?
The Qibla in St Albans is 119° measured clockwise from true north — roughly ESE (east-southeast). Face this direction to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah.
How far is St Albans from Makkah?
The Kaaba in Makkah is approximately 4,820 km (2,995 miles) from St Albans, 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 119° 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 St Albans specifically it is 119°.
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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