Qibla direction in the UK, city by city
From the UK the Qibla is roughly east-south-east, between about 115° and 120° from true north. London is 119.0°, Birmingham 117.9°, Manchester 118.5° and Glasgow 118.3°. The Kaaba is about 4,800 to 5,300 km away.
Bearings for UK cities
Measured clockwise from true north, from each city centre to the Kaaba (21.4225° N, 39.8262° E):
| City | Qibla bearing | Distance to Makkah |
|---|---|---|
| London | 119.0° | 4,794 km |
| Birmingham | 117.9° | 4,952 km |
| Manchester | 118.5° | 5,025 km |
| Leeds | 119.5° | 5,002 km |
| Bradford | 119.3° | 5,013 km |
| Leicester | 118.9° | 4,915 km |
| Luton | 119.0° | 4,831 km |
| Sheffield | 119.2° | 4,974 km |
| Liverpool | 117.6° | 5,064 km |
| Bristol | 116.3° | 4,943 km |
| Cardiff | 115.7° | 4,980 km |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 120.4° | 5,071 km |
| Glasgow | 118.3° | 5,265 km |
| Edinburgh | 119.5° | 5,212 km |
| Belfast | 115.5° | 5,295 km |
Within a city the bearing changes by only a fraction of a degree, so the city figure is fine for setting up a prayer space.
Facing it
Hold a compass set to true north and turn to the bearing, or use NearMasjid, which shows Facing Qibla when you’re lined up. See how to find the Qibla on iPhone.
Other cities
Look up any city on Qibla direction by city or with the Qibla calculator.
The exact Qibla, wherever you stand
NearMasjid works out the Qibla from your exact location, not just your city, and tells you when you’re facing it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Qibla south-east from the UK?
Closer to east-south-east. South-east is 135°; UK bearings are around 116° to 120°.
Why is the Qibla not due east of the UK, even though Makkah is to the south-east on a map?
The Qibla follows the shortest path over the curved Earth (a great circle). On a flat map that path curves north of a straight line.