Masjid al-Haram's Expansion: From Umar's Short Wall to Zamzam-Water Robots

After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, expansion projects were temporarily paused, and the mosque saw mostly repair and maintenance work. However, this changed dramatically with the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under King Abdulaziz Al Saud. In 1927, King Abdulaziz ordered the installation of sunshades in the mosque’s courtyard to protect worshippers from the desert heat. The following year, the mosque was fully electrified, marking its entrance into the modern age. A new door made from pure silver, inscribed with Qur’anic verses in gold, was also installed for the Kaaba.