Are you a person fond of the architectural wonders of UAE? A very special place that can meet your needs of viewing the cultural as well as architectural wonders is located in Abu Dhabi. Yes, all the points of your mind will lead you toward the world’s most famous and largest mosque Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
There are not many difficulties in going on a day trip to the famous mosque as you are going to explore a blend of modern and old architecture. If you are planning for Dubai, I will recommend you make sure your visit such a beautiful mosque in the Middle East.
The name of the mosque is related to the Founding Father of UAE named Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan with a lot of unique features in it. The mosque is a building of cultural heaven and it involves a cross-cultural partnership.
The design of the Grand Mosque is completely inspired by the Persian as well as Mughal style a charming masterpiece in the history of UAE. The huge area of the mosque can fit almost 40,000 worshippers in it similar to the size of four football fields. But besides this, there are many other features that make it wonderful and different from other mosques in the city like the Grand Bur Dubai Mosque.
Facts that Make Sheikh Zayed Mosque Magnificent
The sublime beauty of the largest mosque will always get you mesmerized whenever you visit the mosque. I found this place to be very calm and special due to the facts that make it magnificent among all cultural places.
A unique artwork that will get your senses refreshed and full of stunning wonders is all about in this mosque. It is my intention to talk about the following facts with the tourists before planning their visit:
The Domes, Pillars, and Minarets – Enhancing Beauty of Mosque
The mosque can never be completed by the beautiful pillars, domes, and minarets in it. There are 82 domes in it of different sizes each one is 85 meters in height and has a diameter of 32.8 meters. These domes are decorated with beautiful Moroccan artwork.
The mosque contains 4 minarets created with the elements of Ottoman, Mamelekue, and Morrocan architecture. There are 192 pillars of the mosque to boost its splendor, 96 of which are located in the interior part of the mosque. The best thing that I remembered during my visit to the mosque is the beautiful precious stone called Mother of Pearl embedded inside the mosque.
Color of Purity – The White Marble Stone
The structure’s white color is another aspect of its aesthetic worth mentioning. Choosing the white marble color is to represent peace and purity in the religion of Islam for foreigners.
There are 100 thousand marble stones brought from Macedonia. This has made the place the pinnacle of cleanliness. The mosque’s façade is composed of white marble, which gives it a distinguishing feature, charisma, and imperial magnificence.
Opulent Design and Everlasting Grandeur
A thing that made me curious about the mosque was its perfection. Yes, I wondered how perfectly it is created! But then I got the answer that there were almost 11 years taken to complete the mosque. Since Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi was completed in 2007 with all its perfection but the Founding Fathers of the mosque couldn’t see it.
The reflective pools of the mosque, marvelous design, and spending marble mosaic courtyard catch the attention of tourists to visit the place once again.
The Emanating Lightening Cycle and Bright Moon Shades
Until my friend shared with me about the location, I wasn’t all that eager to go there. Because I am a person who loves to visit places like Dubai Shopping Mall, Palm Jumeirah Beach, and Dubai Marina to enjoy vacations.
But then my curiosity increases to feel the peace and bright moon shades that were discussed by my friend. Then I made the decision to make the trip and tell everyone all I endured there. The amazing lunar illumination can never be ignored when you are visiting the place at nighttime. I visited the mosque twice on both day and night so I saw the brighter moon shades in the full moonlight.
Arabic Architectural Styles – Spectacular Fusion
The best Islamic Structure has given by the Syrian Architect named Yousef Abdelky in the form of the Grand Sheikh Zayed Mosque. When designing the mosque, the architect drew influence from the Mughal and Persian grandeur with traces of Moorish forms.
This thing added a distinction to the place among all mosques of UAE. Moreover, you will see that the Arabian Architectural style is followed in the design with Moroccan, Mameluke, and Andalusian Heritage.
Largest Hand-Knotted Carpet – Unbreakable Record
Another feature that makes the masjid more remarkable is the beautiful Persian carpet in the central prayer Hall. It is the largest hand-knotted carpet, written in the Guinness World Record.
The area of the carpet is about 5700-meter squares and it required two years for its completion. This was not the work of a single person to accomplish the task, instead, 1200 workers were divided into nine distinct pieces to assemble the carpet and then wove it.
The stunning Persian rug contains cotton and wool in it with a percentage of 30 and 70 respectively.
How to reach the Grand Mosque Destination from Dubai?
People who visit the place for the first time surely don’t know about public transport and other transport means to reach their destination. There are still a few top techniques that will enable you to get there easily.
- Book a Taxi – The best option for tourists is to book a ride or take a taxi by spending 300 to 350 AED fare that will take them to the place in only 1.5 hours.
- Visit the place by joining a tour group – You may join a tour group if you don’t prefer to visit the mosque by taxi or any other means. But this means of transportation depends on starting site and the number of pickups they are going to take. So it may take 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the destination.
- Choose Self-Drive – Those who love self-drive can take a rental car from Dubai and drive the E11 in case they are skilled drivers.
- Hire a Personal Driver – You may also choose this option if you are planning to visit the place either with your friends or with more than two families. If your financial resources are preserved, you can split the cost of transportation among all the passengers. But it doesn’t take less time, time is the same whether you are hiring a private driver or choosing any other transport option.
- Go for Public Transport – Besides all the above options, public transport is also available for tourists. They only need to reach the nearest metro station and pay a cost of 25 AED for each route leaving for Abu Dhabi from Dubai. There are two route buses that reach the place one from the Al Ghubaiba Bus Station and the other from Ibn Battuta Mall.
Other attractions to see in Abu Dhabi
A worth noting fact for tourists is that if they are going to Abu Dhabi from Dubai, the only destination for them is not specified by the Sheikh Zayed mosque. There are other attractions that will make their visit more special and will give the charm of tourism. So some places that I discovered while visiting Abu Dhabi are listed below;
- Qasr Al Watan- The Palace of Nation: The spectacular cultural icon Qasr Al Watan, a functioning palace in Abu Dhabi will give you the chance to explore the rich legacy of wisdom. Get indulged yourself in the magnificent new structure to match the Great mosque’s elegance.
- The Ancient Louver Abu Dhabi: The Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi has the famous Louver Abu Dhabi museum in it to give ancient and contemporary historical works to tourists. This is the first global museum located in Arab, which translates and promotes intercultural understanding.
- Qasr Al Hosn – Oldest Standing Structure: A location to a historic watchtower that allows stunning pictures. The building is 250 years old and represents the imperial family of the United Arab Emirates. One of the best heritage places to find out a complete schedule of traditional events.
Wrapping it up!
I have tried my best to cover all the aspects of my tour to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi even if you are planning for a single-day trip. Both day and night trips to the splendid mosque give a unique sensation with all its stunning features.
You are free to ask more about the features of the mosque as the tour is guided in both English and Arabian languages. The mosque is open to both Muslims as well as non-Muslims, however, Muslims are free to go there when they want to pray. No doubt, Abu Dhabi has a vibrant culture with deep historical roots.
Frequently Asked Questions – The Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi
What appropriate dress code is required to visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque?
Since a mosque is related to religion so both men and women should wear a full dress and avoid any shorts before visiting the mosque. Girls may wear any dupatta or scarf to fulfill the principles of wearing a mosque.
Why tourists are attracted to visit the largest Grand beautiful Mosque in Abu Dhabi?
The mosque is pictured in the development of a warm, cultural refuge that encourages individuals from all walks of life. So cultural collaboration is the main thing to get attracted to visit the mosque.
Which materials are used as the construction material of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque?
Like all other mosques, there are some construction materials that are used in the design of the mosque including stone, gold, marble, gemstones, semi-precious stones, and ceramics.
What are the famous mosques of Dubai to make a visit?
Those who are interested to explore more mosques in Dubai can visit the following mosques;
- Grand Bur Dubai Mosque
- Al Farooq Omer Bin Al Khatab
- Sultan Qaboos Grand Masjid
- Al Rahim Mosque
- Jumeirah Mosque
When the construction of Sheikh Zayed Mosque started?
The construction was started in 1996 but completed in 2007. There are very precious materials included to build the mosque so the cost was very high about 2 billion dirhams ($545 million USD).
How many tombs are included in the Grand Sheikh Zayed Mosque?
There are 82 tombs in the mosque that preach the message of harmony, tolerance, and cooperation given by Islam.
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