Makka & Madina

Makka and Madina lie in the western heartland of Arabia, the cradle of Islam. In the seventh century the message of Islam began here, in Makkah, and from here it travelled to every corner of the world. Madinah, the radiant city of the Prophet (peace be upon him), welcomed him after the Hijra and became the home of the first Muslim community. Today both cities receive millions of pilgrims and visitors, their roads, courtyards and mosques expanded to hold them, and both are preparing for a future more ambitious still. Fourteen watercolours by three artists follow the pilgrim's path: the shade of a balcony, a gate at dawn, a courtyard full of prayer, a green dome against the sky. Where an artist could not enter the holy city, the painting was made from photographs and careful research.