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The two holy places in Medina and Mecca (also known as Kaaba) have been receiving pilgrims from all over the world for thousands of years. The shiny white marble that surrounds the pavement of the Kaaba in Mecca is cool even on the hottest days, it surprises pilgrims.
The mosques distinctive choice of building materials is the true explanation for this coolness, despite some people claiming that its because of the underground cold water pipes.
One of the rarest varieties of stones, Thassos white stone, is extracted from an island by the same name in the Aegean Sea, near Kavala in eastern Greece. One of the marble stones with the least degree of heat absorption is Thassos marble, also known as snow white stone or Maya stone, because of its pure white look and excellent light reflection. Since ancient times, this stone has been extracted from this island and is currently in use across Greece.
Some of the most significant historical sites, such as the ancient Macedonian tomb in Amphipolis – the largest tomb ever found in Greece – and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, have walls, floors, and sculptures made of this stone.
This stone is not inexpensive at all, but because of its distinctive qualities, it usually is used in interior design and luxury villas. The Indian stone seller states that the cost of a single tile might vary from $250 to $400 per square meter.
A 2021 study published in the International Journal of Materials Building Construction states that this stone’s thermophysical features allow it to both reflect and rebuff solar heat.
This study revealed that when compared to limestone, another stone that is frequently used in Islamic buildings, Thassos marble has an incredible degree of solar reflectance and high heat conductivity. Generally, these features of Thassos stone have shown its ability to keep its cool surface temperature even in hot summer months and to produce no heat throughout the night.
Marble stone enhances the look and architectural aspects of mosques, providing pilgrims with a unique and unforgettable experience.
Another joint Saudi–Egyptian team’s 2018 study, which was published in the Journal of Arabian Geoscience, named marble “smart heat resistant marble” and explained its pure white color as the result of dolomite-rich crystals.
Expert engineers and technicians carry out routine check-ups and maintenance tasks, replacing aged stones that have lost their ability to cool with new tiles. This marble is a pure natural stone that hasn`t had any additives added to it by Saudi Arabia or Greece, nor it is impure.
Saudi Arabia has imported Thassos marble exclusively for use in two holy mosques for several decades to protect pilgrims’ health and prevent the floor from becoming dangerously hot due to the requirement that pilgrims enter these buildings barefoot.
Fares Al-Saedi, vice president of technical, operational, and maintenance affairs for the presidential palace affairs, told Arab News that Maya marble stays cool in the summertime even in the face of strong heat that can reach temperatures of 50 to 55 degrees Celsius.
Al-Saedi also said: “The leadership of Saudi Arabia has decided to import automatic cooling stones for construction of large yards and playgrounds, which are visited by millions of pilgrims annually.”
This organization’s general directorate is in charge of managing the marble maintenance procedures for the entire region, which include polishing, restoring, and refining marble stone, as well as replacing outdated and useless tiles. Over forty engineers and technicians work 24 hours, 7 days a week, to repair and maintain it. Each five-centimeter-thick marble slab is unique due to its capacity to absorb moisture during the night through its tiny pores and release it during the day, which helps it stay cooler in hot weather.
