UK Prayer Times

Qibla direction · Swindon

Qibla direction in Swindon

Quick Answer

From Swindon, the Qibla is 117° from true north (ESE, east-southeast) — the direction to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah, about 4,898 km away. UK Prayer Times calculates this bearing from Swindon's coordinates using the great-circle method.

Last updated

From Swindon, face 117° from true north (ESE, east-southeast) to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah — about 4,898 km away.

N E S W

Qibla bearing

117°

ESE · east-southeast

Distance to Makkah

4,898 km

3,043 miles

Open the live compass tool →

How to face the Qibla in Swindon

Using a compass or phone compass app, find north and turn to a heading of 117°. 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 Swindon?
The Qibla in Swindon is 117° measured clockwise from true north — roughly ESE (east-southeast). Face this direction to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah.
How far is Swindon from Makkah?
The Kaaba in Makkah is approximately 4,898 km (3,043 miles) from Swindon, 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 117° 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 Swindon specifically it is 117°.
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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