The population of Mecca is much larger than in Halliburton’s day! There are an estimated 2,000,000 people living in Mecca. Millions travel to Mecca during Hajj. Many of the historic buildings in Mecca have been destroyed. Some were demolished to make way for more modern facilities. Some have been removed by the government to prevent the location from becoming a pilgrimage site.
Get an inside look at the Kaaba
The city of Mecca—sunk in a rocky valley in the Arabian desert—has been a holy city since earliest history. For centuries before Mohammed was born here in the year 570, people came from all over Arabia to worship idols in this city. Against this idol worship Mohammed preached. The religion he founded is now followed by 2,000,000,000 people. To them, Mecca is the center of the Universe. Although not visible, the Al-Haram Mosque, which holds the Kaaba, sits to the right of the base of the tall building in the upper left of this photo. (2009 public domain)
