Tens of thousands of green carpets cover the Two Holy Mosques, each one tracked from the day it was made. Here is what is known about them, and what other mosques can borrow.
For millions of pilgrims, the carpets of Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah are part of the memory of the journey. They are also one of the largest carpet operations anywhere: tens of thousands of carpets, laid, lifted, cleaned and replaced on a schedule that never stops.
From red to green
Older photographs show both mosques carpeted in red. Over the last decade those carpets were replaced with green ones. Reports on the timing differ: changes in Makkah are dated to around 2013–2014, and the last sections in Madinah were reportedly completed before Ramadan 2022. In Masjid an-Nabawi, the Rawdah — the area between the Prophet's ﷺ chamber and his minbar — was already carpeted in green.
How many carpets?
The General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques has put the number in Masjid al-Haram at more than 35,000 green carpets across its corridors and courtyards, with more laid on Fridays and in peak seasons. In Masjid an-Nabawi, 12,000 new green carpets were laid in the courtyard alone when the red ones were replaced.
Carpets with a chip inside
Each of the new carpets in Masjid an-Nabawi carries an RFID chip linked to an electronic system. According to reports, it records the carpet's details from manufacture onwards, where it is laid, how it moves around the mosque and courtyards, and when it is due for cleaning — so staff know which carpets to wash and which to replace.
What an ordinary mosque can borrow
No community mosque needs RFID chips, but the thinking behind them applies everywhere:
- Keep a carpet plan. Number the rolls on your floor plan when they are laid. When one area wears faster — usually the entrance and the front rows — you know exactly which piece to clean or replace.
- Clean on a schedule, not when it looks dirty. A fixed deep-clean before Ramadan and after Eid keeps the carpet hygienic and makes it last. Our mosque carpet cleaning guide sets out the routine.
- Order spare. Weaving a few extra metres in the same batch means a damaged area can be replaced later in exactly the same colour.
Bringing a similar look to your mosque
Many committees ask for "the Madinah green". Our catalogue has no replica of the Haramain carpets, but its deep turquoise and turquoise grounds are the closest colours in the range, and they come in every family of design:
- Prayer lines: S138, with a marbled arabesque ground and two dark filigree bands, or S136, with a band of fan palmettes.
- Prayer niches: S143, pairs of mihrab niches with lamps and columns.
- Medallion: G121, a geometric star rosette for the centre of the hall.
See every design in green-blue tones in our model catalogue, or download the swatches from our texture library.
Frequently asked questions
What colour are the carpets in Masjid an-Nabawi?
Green. The red carpets in the mosque and its courtyard were replaced with green ones; the Rawdah area was already green.
How many carpets are there in Masjid al-Haram?
More than 35,000 green carpets across the corridors and courtyards, according to the General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques, with more laid on Fridays and in peak seasons.
Can I get a carpet like the Haramain carpets for my mosque?
We do not make replicas, but our deep turquoise and turquoise colourways give a similar feel in prayer-line, mihrab and medallion designs.