Jens De MaereAlthough quite far away (18km) from the famous Corniche Road (what could be called Abu Dhabi’s beating heart), you absolutely cannot leave Abu Dhabi without having seen the Sheik Zayed Mosque. So take a taxi – which are generally cheaper than in Dubai – put on a black abaya with hood (loaned for free in the basement) and let this majestic piece of art bowl you over! Sheikh Zayed Mosque
Unlike the other mosques in Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is open daily for public except during prayer times. You can either wait for one of the guided tours to start (45 to 60 min), or just stroll around between the white marble pillars yourself just like I did. Sheikh Zayed Mosque
“Don’t leave Abu Dhabi without visiting the Mosque, an absolute must-see”
Did you know that:
- The Sheikh Zayed Mosque was initiated by the late president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the principal driving force behind the formation of the UAE.
- The goal of this piece of grand architecture was to unite the cultural diversity of Islamic world, the historical and modern values of architecture and art.
- The Sheikh Zayed Mosque was constructed between 1996 and 2007.
- It is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates. The building complex measures approximately 290 m (960 ft) by 420 m (1,380 ft), covering an area of more than 12 hectares (30 acres), exclusive of exterior landscaping and vehicle parking.
- They used artisans and materials from many countries including India, Italy, Germany, Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, Iran, China, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Greece and United Arab Emirates.
- Over 100,000 tons of pure white Greek and Macedonian marble were used in the mosque’s construction.
