Handing over the Kaaba’s cover to the custodians of the Holy Mosque

Every year, the Kiswa, or cover, of the Kaaba, is presented to the senior gatekeeper of the custodians of the Holy Mosque in a ceremony at “al-Baitul Atiq,” meaning “the old house.”

The al-Shaibi family has been honored with gatekeeping the Holy Kaaba for generations, and entrusted with the keys to the gates, and the Station of Ibrahim.

The final stage of the Kiswa’s embroidery saw the assembly of the cover, with a high-speed sewing machine stitching the gold pieces with Quran verses together. 3 meters of the Kaaba have been uncovered overlooking the Tawaf ritual and a 2.5-meter-wide white cover has been wrapped around the 50-meter border of the Kaaba.

The special Kiswa covers the Kaaba for the duration of the Hajj season – the silky embroidery piece costs 20 million Saudi Riyals.