Pilgrims taking cheap Hajj holidays for the first time in 2019 will know doubt be looking forward to seeing the Kaaba for the very first time in real life, having heard all about it during study time as they prepare for their first trip to Mecca.

Muslims have to pray five times every day in the direction of this small cubed building in Saudi Arabia, a sacred site that’s thought to be the house of God, standing within the Grand Mosque of Mecca.

Millions of people flock to Mecca each and every year as part of the annual pilgrimage known as Hajj, a spiritual journey that is based on a visit by Islamic prophet Muhammad.

According to the Khan Academy, once pilgrims arrive in Mecca they gather around the Kaaba (which means ‘cube’ in Arabic) and then walk around it, hoping to kiss and touch the al-Hajar al-Aswad (or Black Stone), which is embedded in the eastern corner of the building.

In pre-Islamic times, the Kaaba was seen as a sanctuary, with Muslims believing that it was built by Abraham and his son, Ismail. Back then, it was a simple rectangular structure without a roof but the Quraysh tribe rebuilt it in around 608 CE, with courses of masonry and wood, and a raised door in order to protect it from flood waters and intruders.

When Muhammad returned to Mecca after being driven out to Yathrib (now known as Medina), the shrine quickly became a focal point for worship and pilgrimage.

Interestingly, the Kaaba has been modified a lot over the years, with the area around it expanding to accommodate the growing number of people coming to see it. The last major renovations took place in the 1950s, with the mosque site now covering nearly 40 acres.