Mohammed Bin Salman Project Revives Historical Structure of Five Mosques

Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba and pray at the Grand Mosque ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, July 6, 2022. REUTERS
Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba and pray at the Grand Mosque ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, July 6, 2022. REUTERS
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Mohammed Bin Salman Project Revives Historical Structure of Five Mosques

Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba and pray at the Grand Mosque ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, July 6, 2022. REUTERS
Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba and pray at the Grand Mosque ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, July 6, 2022. REUTERS

The second phase of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for Developing Historical Mosques includes five mosques in the Makkah Region with the aim of protecting and renovating their historical structure, in addition to prolonging their lifespan and maintaining their architecture affected by the changing climate over the past decades and centuries.

Built by the Abbasid Caliph Abu Jafar Al-Mansour near Jamrat Al-Aqaba at Mina, Al-Baiah Mosque is the first to be developed in Makkah during the second phase of the project. This mosque has a rich history and characteristics that would help determine the proper methods for its renovation and development.

Located at “Sheaab al Ansar” where Prophet Mohammed met with his supporters, Al-Baiah Mosque is famed for its unique architectural features reflecting significant artistic and contextual values, which makes it of great importance and interest in the Mohammed Bin Salman Project.

Al-Baiah Mosque was hidden behind Al Aqaba Mountain, but the Jamarat expansion projects in 1428 Hijri, helped enhance its location and turned it into a major landmark in Makkah.

The area of the mosque after renovation will remain the same at 457.56 square meters with a capacity for 68 worshippers.

The project will also be developing two mosques in Jeddah Governorate, the first is Abu Inbeh Mosque at Harat Al-Sham, which was built more than 900 years ago. Its pre-renovation area is 339.98 square meters and will become 335.31 square meters after the renovation, with a capacity of 357 worshippers, down from 360 worshippers.

Al-Khadr Mosque on Al-Thahab Street in Al-Balad neighborhood, located around 66 kilometers from the Grand Holy Mosque in Makkah, was built some 700 years ago. Its post-renovation area will stand at 355.09 square meters with a capacity of around 355 worshippers.

Al-Fath Mosque in Al-Jamoum Governorate is also on the project’s list. It is thought that Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) prayed at the mosque in Al-Fath (conquest) year. The mosque was neglected, destroyed and damaged over the past centuries until it was renovated in 1419 Hijri. After the planned renovation, its area will be expanded from 455.77 square meters to 553.50 square meters, as well as its capacity from 218 to 333 worshippers.

Built more than 300 years ago in the Taif region, Al-Jubail Mosque was an official location for Friday prayers, which recently moved to another mosque due to the lack of parking lots. Al-Jubail Mosque is also part of the project, its area will be expanded to 310 square meters with the same capacity of 45 worshippers.

A total of 30 mosques will be included in the second phase of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for Developing Historical Mosques that covers all regions of Saudi Arabia. These mosques will be developed according to modern mechanisms that guarantee the quality of good material and architectural designs after conducting an accurate assessment of the history, characteristics and features of every mosque.



China Heatwaves Boost Ice Factory Sales

A worker uses tongs to move ice blocks inside a refrigerated store at the Feichao Ice Factory in Hangzhou. Heatwaves across China have caused demand for ice to soar  - AFP
A worker uses tongs to move ice blocks inside a refrigerated store at the Feichao Ice Factory in Hangzhou. Heatwaves across China have caused demand for ice to soar - AFP
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China Heatwaves Boost Ice Factory Sales

A worker uses tongs to move ice blocks inside a refrigerated store at the Feichao Ice Factory in Hangzhou. Heatwaves across China have caused demand for ice to soar  - AFP
A worker uses tongs to move ice blocks inside a refrigerated store at the Feichao Ice Factory in Hangzhou. Heatwaves across China have caused demand for ice to soar - AFP

In a high-ceilinged room on the outskirts of eastern China's Hangzhou, workers use tongs to slide large blocks of frosty white ice along a metal track into a refrigerated truck.

Sales have picked up in recent weeks, boosted by heatwaves sweeping the whole country as summer sets in, the owner of Feichao ice factory, Sun Chao, told AFP.

Globally, heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense because of climate change, experts say, and China is no exception -- 2024 was the country's hottest on record, and this year is also set to be a scorcher.

Last week, authorities warned of heat-related health risks across large swathes of eastern China, including Zhejiang province where Hangzhou is located.

"In the spring, autumn, and winter, a higher temperature of two to three degrees doesn't have a big impact on our sales," Sun said.

"But in the summer, when temperatures are slightly higher, it has a big impact."

Feichao is a relatively small facility that sells ice to markets, produce transporters, and event organizers.

As the mercury soared past 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in multiple cities across China recently, ice from businesses like Sun's was used to cool down huge outdoor venues.

In neighbouring Jiangsu province, organisers of a football match attended by over 60,000 people placed more than 10,000 large blocks of ice around the stadium, according to the state-owned Global Times.

As AFP watched lorries being loaded with Feichao's ice on Wednesday, an employee from a nearby seafood shop came on foot to purchase two ice blocks -- each selling for around $3.50 -- hauling them off in a large plastic bag.

"In May and June, I can sell around 100 tonnes a day. In July, that number grows, and I can sell around 300 to 400 tonnes," Sun told AFP.

China has endured a string of extreme summers in recent years.

In June, authorities issued heat warnings in Beijing as temperatures in the capital rose to nearly 40 degrees Celsius, while state media said 102 weather stations across the country logged their hottest-ever June day.

The same month, six people were killed and more than 80,000 evacuated due to floods in southern Guizhou province.

China is the world's biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases that scientists generally agree are driving climate change and making extreme weather more intense and frequent.

It is also a global leader in renewable energy, adding capacity at a faster rate than any other country.