Abu Dhabi Attractions. Where to Go? An Eastern Fairytale – the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
The capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, keeps pace with its modern and rapidly growing neighboring emirate, Dubai.
Abu Dhabi is considered the greenest emirate, and significant resources are invested in maintaining its greenery. After all, the capital is home to the parliament, government building, and the presidential palace. Diplomats from around the world come here, as Abu Dhabi is where the UAE president lives and works.
The capital, like the rest of the country, boasts the very best. In this article, we'll discuss one of the largest mosques in the world—the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
The mosque is impressive in its scale, occupying an area of 12 hectares and able to accommodate 40,000 worshippers.
Opened in 2007, every detail has been carefully considered, taking into account local geography and modern technology.
There's a large parking lot adjacent to the mosque. But to avoid the scorching sun from your car to the mosque, the entrance is underground.
The glass-domed entrance is an escalator that takes you into an entire underground city. It has everything from cafes and restaurants, including McDonald's, to various shops.
There are clothing stores here that you can purchase to enter the mosque. The mosque has a strict dress code. Security inspects every inch of your clothing. Bare legs are not allowed inside—this applies to both women and men. Women must cover their arms and hair—a long-sleeved, hooded dress or a headscarf.
Remember the rules and know what to wear for the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, as failure to comply will result in you not being allowed inside.
After walking through long underground corridors, we reach the mosque itself.
The entire mosque building and the surrounding square are made of white Italian marble. This material was chosen for a reason: Italian white marble does not heat up. Therefore, even in the intense summer heat, the square or the mosque itself is comfortable.
At the entrance to the first hall, we see the first chandelier.
It's the smallest of all the chandelier displays, but it's designed in a distinctive style, unlike the chandeliers in the main hall.
The photo above shows two Guinness World Record holders.
The first is the central chandelier. It's the largest chandelier in the world. It weighs 12 tons and is 15 meters high. The photo doesn't convey the scale, but for comparison, imagine that the average five-story building is 15 meters tall. The chandeliers are made of gold leaf and Swarovski crystals.
The second record holder is the world's largest carpet. It was woven in Iran and delivered to the mosque in sections. The sections were sewn together on site, so it now forms one large, seamless carpet. The carpet weighs 47 tons, and the total cost was $8 million.
Only worshippers may step on the carpet, entering the hall through a separate entrance. Tour groups can only admire the view from a designated passage.
There are three chandeliers in the hall. The central one is the tallest, and two smaller, identical ones are on the sides. They are designed in the same style.
Around the perimeter of the mosque are decorative "pools" of water. As the guide explained, the water here symbolizes wealth. However, this is simply a design decision, as the water is located near the columns, and in the evening, when the columns are illuminated, they are reflected in the water, visually making the mosque appear brighter, larger, and more opulent.
The grounds are landscaped: lawns, bushes, and trees are everywhere. It's mind-boggling how much effort must have gone into maintaining this oasis in the desert.
Summary
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the main attractions of Abu Dhabi and the entire United Arab Emirates. Muslims from all over the world come here to pray.
The opulence, luxury, and beauty of the mosque are astounding. The scale of the structure cannot be conveyed in photographs, so I highly recommend everyone visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.