About Mina
Mina covers about 16.8 km² inside the sacred boundaries and, according to Saudipedia, is inhabited only during the hajj season. It is where the rites of the hajj begin, on the 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah, and where pilgrims return on the morning of the 10th, after Arafat and Muzdalifah, to spend the days of tashreeq. The tents, made of Teflon-coated fiberglass and fire resistant, cover about a fifth of the area and shelter around 2.6 million people.
Mina is also home to the three pillars of the Jamarat, inside a five-story complex built for about 300,000 pilgrims per hour, and to the al-Khayf mosque. Outside the hajj season, the valley is usually seen in passing, with the group, to get to know the place where these rites take place.
