Unique Mosques of the Middle East
Located in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed Mosque is a great architectural work of the UAE, attracting millions of visitors every year since its inauguration.
|
| Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the third largest mosque in the world. The entire structure covers 22,412 square meters, equivalent to the area of 4 professional football fields. Photo:CNN. |
|
| Construction of this religious building began in 1996, but it took 12 years to complete. The total investment in construction was announced nearly545 million USD. Image: |
|
| Sheikh Zayed Mosque can accommodate more than 40,000 people at a time and currently holds three world records, including: Largest hand-woven carpet, largest chandelier and largest dome. Photo:The National. |
|
| The mosque is named after the first president of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed, who was also the initiator of this massive religious shrine. According to the president's wishes, his body was buried in a mausoleum inside the mosque, after his death in 2004. Photo:CNN Travel. |
|
| The architecture of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is one of the most unique, with every detail meticulously designed. The entire structure has a total of 1,096 supporting columns on the exterior, 96 columns in the main hall covered with many layers of precious stones and 7 24K gold-plated chandeliers, along with millions of gorgeous Swarovski crystals. Photo:CNN Travel. |
|
| The interior of the church is covered with white marble, creating a pure, ethereal look with sophisticated, elegant motifs. In addition to its official name, this place is also known as the "diamond on the crown" of the United Arab Emirates. Photo:CNN. |
|
| In 2017, Sheikh Zayed Mosque welcomed 3.4 million tourists from many countries around the world, especially Muslims. Also in this year, this place was ranked by prestigious travel websiteTripadvisorvoted the second favorite destination on the list, surpassing the rankings of St. Peter's Basilica (Vatican) and the Taj Mahal (India). Photo:Design Morocco. |
|
| This famous Middle Eastern location has been visited by many world-famous figures such as Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla. Famous figures in the art world such as supermodel Gigi Hadid, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber... have also given many compliments when visiting this place. Photo:The National. |
|
| Sheikh Zayed Mosque is open to visitors free of charge from 9am to 10pm every day, except Mondays, when it opens at 4:30pm. To better understand the culture, religion and grand architecture of this place, visitors are advised to sign up for a free 1-hour guided tour. Photo:CNN Travel. |
|
| In addition, the most ideal time to take sparkling photos at Sheikh Zayed Mosque is at sunset. Visitors are encouraged to register for the tour at 5pm to experience the magnificent space of the mosque under the sunset. Photo:Radisson Blu. |
|
| All visitors to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque are required to dress modestly. Women must wear clothing that covers their legs, arms and head, and men must wear long pants. The mosque also provides free traditional abayas for visitors who have not prepared. Furthermore, all shoes must be left outside before entering. Therefore, if you do not want to go barefoot while visiting, prepare socks before coming here. Photo:Radisson Blu |
