Pilgrimage: A 21st Century Journey Through Mecca and Medina | 360 VR Video | The New York Times

[Music] the number of people who are able to visit mecca and medina islam's holy cities has increased every [Music] year to accommodate the influx of pilgrims saudi arabia has spent billions of dollars to improve the city's tourism and hospitality infrastructure [Music] western brands such as this kfc behind you have found a place here outside the grand mosque [Music] the saudi broadcasting corporation transmits live from the grand mosque 24 hours a day the cctv cameras also add an extra level of security mecca is the most holy place of worship for muslims and therefore only muslims are permitted to visit the kaaba the cube structure there in the center is islam's holiest site the kaaba is revered as the physical representation of the house of god it houses the black stone believed to have been given by gabriel to abraham all over the world muslims face the kaaba when they pray here in the grand mosque pilgrims walk around the ka'ba seven times to symbolize the unity and harmony amongst them in their worship of god safely other sites of islamic history like here atop mount adafat or the mountain of mercy just southeast of mecca commemorate the site where prophet muhammed gave his final sermon calling for muslim unity what we find outside mecca sites is what we find in any other major tourist city around the world souvenirs and ice cream trucks [Music] also museums with endless cues to enter high-end restaurants and impressive architecture like the royal mecca clock tower there across the square which houses a luxury hotel and is crowned by a clock five times the size of big ben [Music] only a few hundred meters from the kaaba the shops close during prayer time the mall's close proximity to the ka'ba make it a desirable place to pray millions of people travel to mecca every year from all over the world with so many annual visitors consumerism has found a way to exist alongside the common rights and practices of this spiritual pilgrimage [Music] you

Channel: The New York Times

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Keywords: The New York Times, NY Times, NYT, Times Video, nytimes.com, news, newspaper, feature, reporting, Pilgrimage, Mecca, Mecca Pilgrimage, Medina, Umrah, Saudi Arabia, Islam, Islamic Pilgrimage, The Hajj, Sacred Land, Praying, Prayer, Islamic Hajj, Prophet Muhammad, Modern Mecca, Oil, Oil Boom, Saudi Royals, Saudi Monarchs, King Abdullah, Grand Mosque, Saudi Binladen Group, Arab, Arab Architecture, Royal Mecca Clock Tower, Ihram, Purity, Human Equality

Id: coKs3KnIcao

Length: 4min 34sec (274 seconds)

Published: Thu Jul 21 2016