Mecca of the English transliteration for the Arabic name of the city, although the official transliteration used by the Saudi government is "Makkah", which is closer to the Arabic pronunciation. The word "Mecca" in English has come to be used to refer to any place that draws large numbers of people, and because of this some English speaking Muslims have come to regard the use of this spelling for the city as offensive. The Saudi government adopted "Makkah" as the official spelling in the 1980s, but is not universally known or used worldwide. The full official name is "Makkah al-Mukarramah" ()
Mecca Gate Mecca Gate The Gate of Mecca, Mecca Gate or Makkah Gate ( '), also known as Qur'an Gate ( '), is an arch gateway monumental on the Makkah al-Mukkarramah road of the Jeddah–Makkah Highway. It is the entrance to Mecca and the birthplace of prophet Muhammad – signifies the boundary of the "haram" area of the city of Mecca, where non-Muslims are prohibited to enter. The Gate was built in 1979. Design was done by Dia Aziz Dia, and architect was Samir Elabd. Mecca Mayor, Osama bin Fadl al-Bar, acts as Bawabat Makkah Co. Board of Directors Chairman. Complex Bawabat