Cave of Thor, Religious cave in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia

The Cave of Thor is a hollow in the rock on Mount Thawr, about 760 metres above sea level and roughly four kilometres south of the Grand Mosque in Mecca. The cavity is 1.25 metres high, with two openings: the western one, used by the Prophet and Abu Bakr, and an eastern one. Its mouth is painted green with a red and white band and white Arabic inscriptions, including the date 10.2.2003.

In 622, Prophet Muhammad and his companion Abu Bakr took shelter here during their migration from Mecca to Medina. They spent three days inside the cave waiting for their pursuers to give up.

The name Thawr comes from the Arabic word for bull, referring to the shape of the mountain that rises above the cave. Pilgrims visit the site today as part of their spiritual journey and see it as a testament to faith and shelter.

The cave is a hollowed rock 1.25 metres high, with two openings: the western one, used by the Prophet and Abu Bakr, and an eastern one. Visitors duck to pass through the low, narrow interior. The site lies on Mount Thawr, about four kilometres south of the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

Legend tells that a spider web at the cave entrance fooled the pursuers into believing no one had entered recently. A dove is also said to have built a nest nearby, adding to the illusion.