Several Saudi women employed at the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque in Saudi Arabia participated in the ceremonial changing of the Kaaba’s Kiswa on Sunday.
A team of 159 highly skilled craftsmen from the King Abdulaziz Complex undertook the annual tradition of replacing the Kiswa. They expertly dismantled the old covering, installed the new one, and securely fastened it at the corners and roof of the Kaaba.
The newly installed Kiswa, standing 14 meters tall and weighing 1,350 kilograms, consists of four separate sides and a door curtain. Each side was individually lifted to the top of the Kaaba in preparation for unfolding over the old covering. The Kiswa is made from approximately 1,000 kilograms of black-dyed raw silk, 120 kilograms of gold threads, and 100 kilograms of silver threads. It features a belt composed of 16 pieces, with an additional seven pieces below the belt.
The King Abdulaziz Complex for Holy Kaaba Kiswa employs about 200 craftsmen and administrators, all of whom are trained, qualified, and specialized citizens. The complex houses departments for dyeing, automated and hand weaving, printing, belt-making, gilding, sewing, and assembly of the Kiswa. Remarkably, it is equipped with the world’s largest sewing machine, measuring 16 meters in length and operated by computerized systems.
