The Kaaba is located in almost the center of the Mataf area.

The Kaaba is the holiest site in Islam. The Qur'an contains several verses regarding the origin of the Kaaba. It states that the Kaaba was the first House of Worship for mankind, and that it was built by Ibrahim and Ismail on Allah's instructions.

Not much is known regarding the histoy of Kaabah before the advent of Islam, but what is for certain is that prior to Islam throughout the Arabian Peninsula, the Kaaba was a holy site for the various Bedouin tribes of the area.

circa 600 CE

Pre-Abrahamic Period
The History of the holy Kaabah in Islamic tradition asserts that the Kaaba was first built by Adam, a prophet in Islam. Scholarhip, since the earliest period of Islam until modern time differs on defining who first built the Kaaba and on how many times it was rebuilt before the dawn of Islam. Some traditions mention the rebuilding of the sanctuary by Šīṯ ibn Ādam (biblical Seth) at some point in his life.

Abrahamic Period (circa 1800-1600 BCE)
The original building constructed by Adam is said to have been lost over time until prophet Ibrahim re-built it with his son prophet Isamil, following a divine command. This would put the date of the constrcution around 1800-1600 BCE, based on the accepted chronology of the Patriarchal Age. The structure itself was most likely constructed from local materials [see notess], including volcanic rock such as basalt. The plan of the structure was somewhat rectangular, unroofed, and had an entrance near the left side of its east wall. The structure built by prophet Ibrahim was significantly smaller [see notess]. The sources, however, do mention the use of a plinth-stone or a scaffolding stone (today known as the Maqam Ibrahim), upon which Ibrahim stood to raise the height of the Wall.

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Since then the Kaaba has been the focal point of religious activity.

The construction of by prophet Ibrahim and Ismail is refered to in Surah al-Baqara, verses وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ ٱلْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ ٱلْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ And ˹remember˺ when Abraham raised the foundation of the House with Ishmael, both praying, “Our Lord! Accept ˹this˺ from us. You are indeed the All-Hearing, All-Knowing. -Baqarah 127 This however, is a religio-historical tradition. The Islamic tradition also provides some details as to the construction and structure of the Kaaba built by Ibrahim and his son. The structure was a simple enclosure, built out of stacked-stone. There's no mention of the use of mortar or even if the stones were hewn or unhewn.

Post-Abrahamic Period
Traditional accounts related that over time the sanctuary of Kaaba built by Ibrahim and Ismail, became a center of pagan and idol-worshipping cults. However, some rites of the original Abrahmic traditions remained, one of these rites was the Hajj, however, its purpose, rituals and other aspects had changed drastically, only retaining some apparent similarities. Traditions mention at least three more times in history, after the Abrahamic construction, when the santuary of Kaaba was rebuilt. First was the reconstruction realized by the 'Amaleeq (Amalekites), second was

Every lunar year, the Bedouin tribes would make a pilgrimage to Mecca. Setting aside any tribal feuds, they would worship their gods in the Kaaba and trade with each other in the city. Various sculptures and paintings were held inside the Kaaba. A statue of Hubal (the principal idol of Mecca) and statues of other pagan deities are known to have been placed in or around the Kaaba.

Pre-Islamic Era
Abraha, the Christian ruler of Yemen, in the Year of the Elephant circa 565 CE, undertook a military excursion aimed at subduing the Quraysh tribe and destroying the Kaaba in Mecca. Abraha, seeking to redirect Arabian pilgrimage away from the Kaaba to a grand cathedral he had built in the historic city of Sana'a, believed that the destruction of this ancient sanctuary in Makkah would solidify his power and influence over the Arabian Peninsula. To achieve this, he assembled a formidable army, including war elephants, which were a significant part of his forces. His campaign, however, faced unexpected challenges as he marched towards Mecca.

The religious traditions associated with this excusion, attribute the defeat of Abrahan's army to divine intervention. However, it is likely that, upon reaching the vicinity of Mecca, Abraha's army encountered resistance from local tribal forces, and the presence of elephants proved unmanageable in the harsh desert terrain. Historical accounts vary on the outcome of the conflict, however, one thing is certain that Abraha's military expedition did not succeed in destroying the Kaaba. According to most records, Abraha's forces were struck by an unforeseen event that led to their defeat, and they were forced to retreat back to Yemen, their campaign unsuccessful.

Exterior
The Kaaba is a cuboid stone structure made of granite. It is approximately 13.1 meters (43 feet) high (some claim 12.03 meters (39.5 feet)), with sides measuring 11.03 meters (36.2 feet) by 12.86 meters (42.2 feet). Constructed of gray stone and marble, it is oriented so that its corners roughly correspond to the points of the compass. During most of the year the Kaaba is covered with an enormous cloth of black brocade, the kiswah.

Interior
The interior of the Kaaba contains nothing but the three pillars supporting the roof and a number of suspended silver and gold lamps. The floor is made of marble and limestone. The interior walls are clad with tiled, white marble halfway to the roof, with darker trimmings along the floor. The floor of the interior stands about 2.2 meters (7.2 feet) above the ground area where tawaf is performed. One of these pillars dating back to the time of Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, circa 670 CE, is preserved in Two Holy Mosques' Exhibition in Mecca.

Door of the Kaaba
The entrance to the Holy Kaaba is through a monumental golden door, set 2.13 meter (7 feet), above the ground on the north-eastern façade of the Kaaba. The doorjamb and the door of the Kaaba is heavily inscribed with calligraphic inscriptions, floral motifs and geometric patterns. The current door dates back to the 1979 CE. It was constructed out of the 300 kg gold and was made by the chief artist late Ahmad bin Ibrahim Badr, replaced the old silver doors made by his father, Ibrahim Badr in 1942 CE. The door of the Kaaba is usually coverd by an elaborately decorated curtain called, Sitau ul-Kaaba in Arabic, to distinguish it from the Kiswa.

In Islamic tradition, the door of the Kaaba, in addition to the Kaaba itself, is understood by the Muslims as a sanctuary as well.

al-Ḥajar ul-Aswad
The Ḥajar ul-Aswad, "the Black Stone", is located on the Kaaba's eastern corner. It is revered by Muslims as an Islamic relic which, according to Muslim tradition, dates back to the time of Adam and Eve. According to Islamic tradition, it was set intact into the Kaaba's wall by the prophet Muhammad in 605 CE, five years before his first revelation. Since then it has been broken into fragments and is now cemented into a silver frame in the side of the Kaaba.

Hatīm
The Hatīm also known as the Hajr e Ismail (stone of Ishmael), a low semi-circular wall originally part of the Kaaba, opposite, but not connected to, the north-west wall of the Kaaba. This is 90 cm (35 in) in height and 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in width, and is composed of white marble. At one time the space lying between the hatīm and the Kaaba belonged to the Kaaba itself, and for this reason it is not entered during the tawaf.

Mīzāb al-Raḥmah
The Mīzāb al-Raḥmah, is the rainwater spout, made of gold, located in the upper part of the Kaaba's north-western wall. Added in the rebuilding of 1627 after the previous year's rain caused three of the four walls to collapse. It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad supplicated under the Meezab. The first roof over Kaaba was installed during the building by Quraish. Before their construction, there was neither a roof nor a downpipe. Over the years the gutter of Kabah has been remodled, adorned but the dimensions of Sultan 'Abdul Majeed were retained.

Rukan-e Yamani
The Yemenite corner (الركن اليمني‎), Rukan e Yamani. Pilgrims traditionally acknowledge a large vertical stone that forms this corner. This corner of the Ka’bah is called the Rukan Yamani because it is situated on the side of the Ka’bah facing Yemen. It is on the wall opposite to that of the Hajar al-Aswad. According to Muhammad Taahir al-Makki "the stone in the Yemeni Corner goes back to the time of 'Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, and that it has remained until our own times".

Access Stairway
The entry door into the Kaaba is approximately three meters above ground level. A removable stairway is needed to access the Kaaba during cleaning and for occasional visits. Jay Bonner was contracted to design the ornament for this ceremonial portable stairway. The work was produced in carved high relief teak wood with inlaid lapis lazuli stone.

circa 1957 CE

Restoration During the Reign of al-Saud
In 1957 (Muharram 1377 Hj.), King Saud ordered the restoration of the roof of the Kaaba. A wooden curtain was installed during the restoration work, which covered the entire Kaaba except the Hijr Ismail and the Hijr al-Aswad so the pilgrims could continue the Tawaf. The restoration work commenced on February 8, 1958.

circa 1996 CE

Reconstruction During the Reign of Shah Fahad
In 1996 CE (1417 Hj.) the work began on the walls of the holy Kaaba. The reconstruction project included renovation of the roof, replacement of the three internal pillars, reconstruction of the walls, flooring and roof marble. During the entire reconstruction and restoration period, Kaaba was surrounded by a white barrier.