The ongoing Two Holy Mosques Exhibition is quite unique, showcasing architectural and historical features of the Two Holy Mosques of the ancient days.
The exhibition, covering an area of 1,200 sq m in a building close to the Kiswah Factory at Umm Joud in Makkah, is designed to suit visitors who are curious to learn about the chronological developments in the history of the Two Holy Mosques.
The exhibition, which opened in 1999, is divided into seven halls. The reception hall, where visitors first enter, is decorated with a replica of the Grand Mosque accompanied by both old and recent photos.
The Grand Mosque hall showcases a Kaaba ladder dating back to 1824. The Kaaba hall showcases models of its kiswah wrapping of the ancient days in addition to its old doors and a pillar, which is believed to have been removed around the 65th year of Hijra.
Another hall houses rare photos including the photos of Makkah and Madinah donated by the late Prince Sultan, former crown prince.
The photos were taken in 1879 and 1890 by Egyptian photographer Sadeq Bek. Another fascinating section of the exhibition is the Manuscripts hall, which showcases a copy of the Othmani Mushaf, which was prepared during the time of the third Caliph Uthman bin Affan, (peace be upon him). The hall also houses some other rare manuscripts of the Holy Qur’an, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The attractions at the Prophet’s Mosques hall includes a door of the Othmani pulpit dating back to 1589, and other interesting pieces of furniture. The Zamzam hall contains parts of an old top of the Zamzam well, replicas of the well and supplies details about the well.
Another attraction in this hall is a sun dial from 1614, and the first clock installed in the Grand Mosque during the reign of King Abdul Aziz in 1933.
Visitors can view the exhibition in both morning and evening sessions.
Makkah exhibition features historical aspects of Two Holy Mosques
Makkah exhibition features historical aspects of Two Holy Mosques
Gigi Hadid introduces sun-washed knitwear in new Guest in Residence drop
DUBAI: US Dutch Palestinian model Gigi Hadid this week released the first drop of her brand Guest in Residence’s spring/summer collection.
The pictures she shared with her 79.5 million followers on Instagram showed that the new offerings lean into relaxed, sun-washed dressing, blending the brand’s signature knitwear with a more playful, resort-ready mood.
The collection features lightweight cardigans, cropped knits and long-sleeve tops paired with knit shorts, relaxed trousers and soft lounge pieces designed for warm weather.
A palette of coastal blues, butter yellow, soft red, cream and pastel tones runs throughout, complemented by subtle stripes and textured finishes.
Across the images, knits are layered over swimwear or styled as coordinated sets, aligning with the collection’s casual, seasonal direction.
Hadid wrote on Instagram that the newly launched products are now available in stores and retailers worldwide.
The model and entrepreneur’s latest drop was a collaboration with Moon Boot, the Italian snow boot brand. Released in November, Hadid and the brand dropped 16 designs for winter.
A week before that, she launched her winter collection that expanded Guest in Residence’s knitwear offering with cold-weather staples designed for layering.
The range included chunky scarves with fringe finishes, ribbed beanies, knitted socks, striped sweaters, zip-neck tops and relaxed knit polos, alongside straight-leg trousers and casual separates.
A muted winter palette of red, cream, brown, forest green and blue ran throughout, with stripes and textured knits adding visual contrast.
Hadid launched her clothing label, which features soft, colorful knitwear, in September 2022.
“Over the last handful of years, I didn’t want to be backed into starting my own line just because there was an offer on the table or a deal to be made,” she wrote to her followers on Instagram at the time.
“The earliest days of Guest in Residence came about when I started to question the cashmere market, and those answers gave me a path,” she added.
“I believe that because of its sustainable qualities — natural and made to cherish and to pass down — cashmere is a luxury that should be more accessible.”
Celebrities including Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Swift and Bradley Cooper have been spotted wearing the label’s designs.
