The island of Abu Dhabi, located off the mainland in the northeastern part of the Persian Gulf, was uninhabited until the mid-18th century. It is not surprising that there are no ancient structures on the territory of the largest federal district of the UAE. The extremely rich and developed capital of the country clearly needed a building, the mere sight of which would take everyone’s breath away, without exception, and would have no analogues in the whole world.

The Sheikh Zayed Mosque was built on the island of Abu Dhabi, in the capital of the same name in the UAE, which is located in Persian Gulf twenty-five kilometers from the continent (you can find it at the following coordinates: 24° 24′ 43.2″ N, 54° 28′ 26.4″ E).

Currently, the island is connected to the mainland by three road bridges, so getting to the capital to see the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is easy. For example, from the main city of Dubai, the emirate neighboring Abu Dhabi, despite the fact that the distance between the cities is just over 140 km, you can get to the mosque by bus in just 2.5 hours (the trip will cost $20).

From Dubai to the capital goes minibus(it goes faster, but you will have to pay ten dollars more). If you manage to take a transit bus (you need to catch it on the highway) that goes to Abu Dhabi via Dubai, the trip will cost only $15. The most expensive trip from Dubai is by taxi - about $70.

Great Sheikh Mosque

Despite the fact that the Sheikh Zayed Mosque was built only a few years ago, in 2007, it was almost immediately recognized as one of the most beautiful mosques on the planet: unlike other discreet and laconic temples in the capital, this building rather resembles a luxurious palace, which is the most a real work of art.

This shrine is primarily notable for the fact that here, for the first time, during the construction of a mosque, the traditions of Islamic culture were harmoniously combined with the cultural trends of the whole world.

The Sheikh Zayed Mosque received its name for a reason: the initiator of the unique project was the first President of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, a man who played an important role in the history of his country. He managed to unite six independent principalities (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Ras al-Khaimah, Umm al-Qaiwain, Fujera and Arjah) into one country, creating the UAE federation. After this, he was able to achieve independence from Great Britain, and with the help of oil proceeds, make the country a rich and prosperous state.

In gratitude for his contribution to the development of the country, in particular, the island of Abu Dhabi and the emirate of Dubai, the sheikh, who did not live to see the opening of the temple for some three years, was buried on the right side of the mosque, and over his grave from the day of the funeral, ministers spent 24 hours a day They read the Koran non-stop.

Planning and construction

For the planning and construction of one of the most ambitious structures of the United United Arab Emirates it took more than twenty years and five hundred million dollars. Competition for the temple project, which was first announced in the UAE and others Arab countries, quite quickly acquired an international scale and its competition works, and architects began sending proposals from all over the world. More than 3 thousand workers and 38 organizations were involved in the construction of the mosque.

At first, it was decided to build the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in the Moroccan style, but already during the construction process the project was slightly changed, elements of Arabic, Persian and Moorish styles were added, and the external walls of the temple were made in the classical Turkish style.


In order for the Sheikh Zayed Mosque to retain its original architectural appearance for as long as possible, only the highest quality materials were purchased for the construction of the temple. Construction Materials, primarily Macedonian marble, and gold, ceramics, precious and semi-precious stones were used for decoration on both the inside and outside gems, gems, multi-colored crystals, crystal.

After the opening of the temple, which took place in 2007, it turned out that the shrine, whose area exceeds 5627 m², is one of the six largest mosques in our world and can accommodate more than 40 thousand believers.

Every month more than 300 thousand tourists come to see the unique shrine: unlike other mosques, entry here is open not only to Muslims, but also to representatives of other faiths. Thus, it became the second place of worship in the UAE open to non-Muslims: the first is the Jumeirah Mosque (Dubai).

The only requirement for tourists is to be dressed according to accepted canons (if a woman comes in an outfit that is inappropriate according to their standards, she must be given special clothes to visit the temple).

What does the Great Mosque look like from the outside?

The Sheikh Zayed Mosque has a spacious courtyard lined with white marble slabs with large floral patterns, the area of ​​which is about 17 thousand m². It also performs a practical function, which is important for the hot climate of the UAE: its numerous colonnades (and there are more than a thousand of them outside) create a light warm breeze.

The pools and canals surrounding the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, whose total area is almost 8 thousand m², affect air cooling. The reservoirs are placed in such a way that they reflect the picturesque view of the mosque in all its glory (the display of the mosque at night looks especially gorgeous). They also have a symbolic meaning, since their appearance speaks of the hospitality of the local culture, giving travelers life-giving moisture among the arid sands of the desert.

Since the walls of the temple were lined with slabs of white marble, during the day the Sheikh Zayed Mosque shimmers under the sun's rays with white and golden colors, and at night the temple is illuminated by lighting that changes its color depending on the phase of the moon (from white to dark blue).

Particularly beautiful at the mosque are the 82 baths made of white marble in the Moroccan style, decorated at the top with golden crescents. Rising at a height of 85 m, the main dome of the temple, whose diameter is 32.7 m, is considered the largest dome of its type in the world.

At the corners of the temple, the builders erected four minarets, the height of which exceeds 107 meters. In the tower, located on the north side, a library was installed, which contains a huge collection of both modern and ancient books dedicated to science, culture, art, and calligraphy.


What does the Great Mosque look like inside?

The Sheikh Zayed Mosque can accommodate more than forty thousand believers. There are three spacious rooms for worshipers. The central prayer hall is intended only for men and is designed for 7 thousand believers. Two adjacent rooms are equipped for women, with each room accommodating 1.5 thousand people.

The halls are lined with marble panels and decorated with semi-precious and precious stones. The walls of the halls are decorated with golden mosaics, and the floral ornaments climbing throughout the building attract attention. There are 96 columns inside the structure, most of which are installed in prayer rooms.

In the central hall there is an openwork wooden pulpit for the imam, inlaid with jewelry and white gold. Ninety-nine names of Allah are written on the Qibla wall, which is 50 m wide and 23 m high. The wall has fiber optic lighting, designed so as not to distract believers from prayer.

In the central hall there are seven steel chandeliers, completely covered with the thinnest sheets of gold and decorated with Swarovski crystals (they were made by the German company Faustig). In the same hall is the largest chandelier in the world that has ever been installed in a mosque: its diameter is 10 m, its height is 15 m, and its weight is 12 tons.

On the floor central hall lies the largest carpet in the world: its area exceeds 5.5 thousand m², and its weight is almost 50 tons. It was made by hand, according to a sketch by an artist from Iran, Ali Khalikiya. More than a thousand weavers worked on the unique carpet for two years, using about 35 tons of wool and 12 tons of cotton.

This work of art, created in the 20th century, can only be compared with a beautiful white pearl. It shimmers in the sun, is beautiful at night, beautiful at sunset. A miracle of the world, and nothing more!

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After the first impressions left from the grandiose outer shell, there seems to be nothing left to be surprised about. You are wrong. The inside is even more luxurious than the outside. The chandelier, listed in the Guinness Book of Records for its size, hangs under the central dome and illuminates the main prayer hall. There are other “simpler” chandeliers:

  • German made of gold
  • crystal chandeliers made in Austria by Swarovski
  • Italian glass chandeliers

On the floor of this room lies a carpet, also included in the book of records due to its size. The carpet was woven according to the sketch of the Iranian artist Ali Khagili from 35 tons of wool, 12 tons of cotton over 2 years by 1200 artisans.

On the famous qibla wall, the lighting subtly enhances the beauty of the gold and glass mosaics. The 99 qualities of Allah are written there in traditional Kufi calligraphy.

How to behave

Respect the traditions of this people. In order not to desecrate sacred feelings, you need to know the rules of behavior on the territory. You can find out about this before visiting the temple. Clothes should be modest accordingly. Men's arms and legs must be covered. At the entrance, women are required to be given a sheila (black headscarf) and an abaya (floor-length black robe). After each woman, all this is washed, ironed and hung on hangers. At the entrance to the mosque there are shelves for shoes. There you take off your shoes, leave your shoes, and on the way back you go out and pick them up. Excursions here are completely free.

How to get there on your own

To begin with, right on English language Let's decide where we're going - Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque. In Dubai, not far from the Al Ghubaiba metro station, there is a bus station of the same name. Regular buses leave from here every half hour to the bus station in Abu Dhabi. Ticket price per person is $6.8. An hour and a half drive and you are there. Make sure the bus has a green lane. These buses all pass by the mosque. But to avoid mistakes, it is better to take buses numbered 32, 44, 54. The ticket costs $1.1 per person. Get off at Zayed Mosque stop. In general, you will see this magnificence for yourself. You won't pass by.


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White Mosque Sheikh Zayed in Abu Dhabi impressed me more than all the wonders of neighboring Dubai combined. This monumental structure made of snow-white marble looks like something from the tales of the Thousand and One Nights! I've seen photos of it before and to be honest I thought they exaggerated the beauty of the mosque a bit. Imagine my surprise when I realized that the photographs did not convey all the subtle beauty of this magnificent building.

// levik.livejournal.com


I will say right away that my photographs will not fully convey it either; you need to see this mosque with your own eyes in order to fully appreciate its elegance and the skill of its builders. But I’ll still tell you a little about her.

The first thing that caught my eye was how much this mosque resembles the palace of the Sultan from Disney's Aladdin. That is, the comparison with One Thousand and One Nights is completely justified.

I admit that I have a far from ambiguous attitude towards huge religious buildings. I am an atheist, and on the one hand I feel a little sorry to see how humanity spends a huge amount of time and resources on building great temples to worship a higher power that, it seems to me, does not exist. On the other hand, it is difficult to argue with the fact that many of the most beautiful and interesting buildings, created by humanity over its history, these are religious buildings. Cathedrals Notre Dame of Paris and Saint Peter in the Vatican, Egyptian pyramids- all these great monuments of humanity were built precisely for religious purposes.

And what monumental buildings did secular society build? No, of course they exist, but they are usually less impressive than religious buildings.

Christians in past centuries built magnificent cathedrals, but today they have to save. Even the century-long construction of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is evidence of this. The new parts of the cathedral are much simpler and more utilitarian than the old ones. What would these great monuments of Christian architecture look like if they were built today, using the latest technology, but with the same astronomical budgets? Who knows. Today only Muslims are capable of such amazing extravagance.

I’m not a big expert on mosques; of the big famous mosques in the world, I’ve only been to the Blue Mosque of Istanbul before. I remember she impressed me, but what I saw here in Abu Dhabi is much cooler!

The Sheikh Zayed Mosque, popularly called the White Mosque, was built relatively recently. Construction took more than ten years and required half a billion dollars. Over 3,000 craftsmen from all over the world took part in it! As a result, the mosque was opened in 2007. This huge complex made of white marble. The mosque has four hundred-meter minarets, a huge courtyard and 82 domes! From above it looks like this:

// levik.livejournal.com


Sorry, I don't have a helicopter, so the photo is satellite

The territory of the mosque is also impressive, both in its size and the degree of grooming.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is named after. It is one of the few in the Emirates where non-Muslims are allowed entry. Anyone can get here, and it's free. The authorities wisely decided that such a treasure should not be hidden from representatives of other religions. Predictably, visitors are asked to dress conservatively. Anyone who has more skin visible than expected will be given special clothing to cover their shame.

Already at the entrance you can see beautiful domes and minarets.

// levik.livejournal.com


The mosque building is surrounded by shallow pools with clean water. Notice the wall cladding - it is made of marble slabs of different sizes.

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The shady galleries look as if they extend into infinity. The columns here are decorated with patterns of climbing plants.

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Through the arches of the gallery you can see the courtyard and the main building of the mosque.

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Minarets mark the corners of this courtyard, which is also entirely covered in marble.

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Agree, this is the spitting image of the Sultan’s palace!

// levik.livejournal.com


By the way, the floor of the courtyard is not only marble, but also lined with multi-colored flowers - this pattern is considered the largest marble mosaic in the world.

// levik.livejournal.com


Look at the quality of work! The pieces of colored stone are so precisely set into the surrounding white marble that not the slightest crack is visible. There is no cement here either. This high quality The work is visible wherever you look in the mosque. This is what makes it stand out from the background of many other modern mega-buildings, which, if you look closely, you will notice many flaws.

// levik.livejournal.com


Let's go inside. As you know, you cannot enter a mosque wearing shoes. There are shelves in front of the entrance where you can take off your shoes and leave your shoes.

// levik.livejournal.com


Look at this huge gate. They are two and a half human heights high, and lead to the “anteroom” of the mosque. The interiors of the premises are air-conditioned, as in Abu Dhabi, as in Dubai heatwave. Therefore, these gates are constantly closed. They work on a photocell. There is something almost magical about how quietly and smoothly this door opens automatically when a person is about to pass through.

// levik.livejournal.com


In the dressing room, the walls are also covered with mosaic vegetation.

// levik.livejournal.com


There is a chandelier hanging here. All chandeliers in the mosque were made in Germany, using Austrian crystal from Swarovski. Pay attention to the ceiling. Incredibly complex patterns in the mosque are found on almost all surfaces, you just have to look closely. The only place where I have seen anything even resembling such complexity of ligature before is the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.

// levik.livejournal.com


Another giant gate on a photocell leads from the vestibule into the mosque.

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This is what the room looks like inside. More columns, another German chandelier. It's all obviously very rich, but it's also obviously tasteful.

// levik.livejournal.com


Again, the level of detail is amazing!

// levik.livejournal.com


There is a huge Persian carpet on the floor. It was specially woven for this mosque in Iran. It was delivered in nine separate sections, which were connected here, on site. Visitors to the mosque walk on it barefoot - it is fabulously soft, it is a very pleasant feeling for the feet.

// levik.livejournal.com


The walls of the main hall are decorated with patterns of semi-precious stones. Notice that some of them glow!

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These are translucent stones with lamps installed behind them. The effect is as if the stones emit an inner glow.

// levik.livejournal.com


On the main wall, among the luminous curlicues, 99 titles of Allah are written. These inscriptions were made by one of the most famous masters of Arabic calligraphy. There is also a recess in this wall for the preacher. Every Friday the main sermon of the country is heard here.

// levik.livejournal.com


By the way, in the United Arab Emirates the state controls all imams through the department of religion. Every week the department announces the topic for the Friday sermon, and each imam must come up with a speech on this topic and deliver it during Friday prayers. The imams are monitored so that none of them tries to radicalize their flock. For calls to violence and other fundamentalism they face prison or deportation.

// levik.livejournal.com


Here even the shelf for Korans is decorated with mother-of-pearl!

Free tours of the mosque are available for tourists in different languages. To avoid shouting, the presenter has a microphone, and visitors are given receivers.

// levik.livejournal.com


Let's go take a walk outside...

Address: Sheikh zayed Grand Mosque Airport Road - أبو ظبي - United Arab Emirates.
Coordinates: 24.412586; 54.475098.

There are many examples of construction in the Muslim world most beautiful buildings cult purpose, dedicated to especially revered and beloved people. These include Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which is one of the largest mosques in the world and is rightfully considered an unsurpassed example of Islamic architecture in beauty. She's in the city Abu Dhabi and bears the name of the first president of the UAE, who created a modern, prosperous state on the lands of poor Bedouin tribes, which has become a recognized center of business activity. This mosque also has other names: Grandiose, Big, White.

The history of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque

The idea of ​​building a Grand Mosque arose back in the 80s of the 20th century.
The initiative to create such a majestic structure belongs to Zayed ibn Sultan Al-Nahyan himself. It took more than ten years to develop and approve the unique project. Initially, the architects leaned toward the Moroccan style, but in the final version, Turkish traditions won, although the building construction technologies were quite modern.
The construction of the mosque took another ten years and cost the equivalent of 600 million euros at today's exchange rate. The best specialists from all over the world were involved in the work. Marble, ceramics, precious stones and gold were widely used to decorate architectural details and create a unique design.
The first president did not have time to see his brainchild in all its glory. He was buried in 2004 on the territory of the mosque, which by that time had completed the construction of building structures. Its grand opening took place in 2007. Since then, it has been named after Sheikh Zayed, like many other outstanding buildings in Abu Dhabi.

Architecture of Sheikh Zayed Mosque


Grandiose mosque spread over an area of ​​more than 22,000 square meters. It can accommodate 40,000 people within its walls. The prayer halls accommodate 9,000 men and 3,000 women.
The design of the external appearance of the mosque is dominated by White color, ideally in harmony with the greenery of the gardens surrounding the building and the constant blue of the Arabian sky. The courtyard is covered with magnificent mosaics. A huge number of different columns and arches give the entire structure lightness and airiness. The building is surrounded by pools and canals, in the surface of which more than eighty domes covered with dazzling white marble are reflected. The main dome has a height of 87 meters with a diameter of 33 meters. There is no equal to it anywhere in the world. The four minarets surrounding the complex pierce a height of one hundred and fifteen meters.
The impeccable lines, incredible scale and fabulous wealth arouse the admiration of visitors. You can admire the architectural ensemble not only during the day, but also at night. A well-thought-out lighting system complements the snow-white walls with a play of shadows and shades. Sightseers who arrive at the mosque shortly before sunset will be able to compare impressions of its daytime and evening appearance.

Uniqueness and originality

The builders of the mosque and the Abu Dhabi authorities, who financed the project, managed to create a majestic architectural ensemble, decorated inside with unique works of technical thought and art. Amazing luxury main entrance with a 12-meter glass door, it invites you to visit the treasury from “1000 and One Nights”.The prayer halls are illuminated by seven custom-made lamps. They are decorated with gold and Swarovski crystals. The main one, with a diameter of 10 meters and a height of 15 meters, is one of the three largest on the planet.The floor of the main prayer hall is covered with a unique carpet, the size of which no one in the world has ever managed to exceed. Its area reaches 5,600 meters and it weighs 47 tons. Iranian artists and weavers worked to create a miracle carpet from traditional natural threads, creating a unique design.
The courtyard of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, covering an area of ​​17,000 square meters, is covered with mosaics of marble brought from all over the world. Experts distinguish thirty-eight shades in this drawing. Elements made of ceramics and rare minerals are also included in the ornament. There is no such large mosaic anywhere in the world.
IN Arab world water is a symbol of wealth and hospitality, so the creators White Mosque could not do without pools and fountains, skillfully complementing the overall composition. The artificial ponds surrounding the mosque have a surface area of ​​almost 8,000 square meters. They are decorated with dark tiles, so in the dark the water becomes mirror-like, lengthening the lines of the white walls and columns reflected in it. By the way, there are more than a thousand columns supporting the portico located along the perimeter of the courtyard. Each of them is decorated with delicate ornaments.
The Qibla wall is decorated with amazing taste, on which the 99 names of Allah are written in the tradition of Arabic calligraphy. Mosaics with fiber optic lighting are integrated into the overall design of the hall, but attract the attention of visitors.
The thoughtfulness of the overall design and the precision of installation of every detail of the interior of any room, including the toilet, is striking.The Grand Mosque also has a unique repository of books, in which you can find samples written by ancient and modern authors devoted to various fields of knowledge.

Rules of conduct at the Zayed Mosque

Getting to the Grand Mosque is not difficult. Road from Dubai to regular bus will take just over two hours. Holidaymakers in Abu Dhabi can take advantage of by route transport or taxi.
According to established traditions, only Muslims are allowed to enter mosques. The Great White Mosque is a rare exception to the rule. People of any nationality and religion can visit it, and for free. You can see the sights as part of excursion groups, and independently. Once, during an official visit, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and her husband visited here.
But still, Zayed Mosque- not an architectural monument, not a museum, but a functioning temple with its own rules and restrictions. It is closed to representatives of other faiths during Friday prayers and during the month of Ramadan. Men going to the mosque should wear trousers and a long sleeve shirt. Women's clothing must cover their hair in addition to their arms and legs. At the entrance, employees offer visitors who do not have the appropriate headdress a special cape. Everyone takes off their shoes before entering.
The service staff is impeccably trained, friendly, but strictly monitors compliance with the established procedure. You are not allowed to eat, smoke, leave children unattended, hold hands, or show intimacy in other ways on the mosque premises. Touching the Koran and decorations in prayer halls is not allowed. But all types of filming are allowed everywhere except the tomb of the first president.
When planning a trip to Abu Dhabi, be sure to set aside time to visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, considered one of the modern miracles Sveta. Admiration for the people who created this wonderful monument on a once deserted land will forever remain in your heart.

In the eyes of uninitiated foreigners, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the main showcase of the untold wealth of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. A kind of illustration for “Tales of 1000 and One Nights”. Thanks to the guidebooks who vying with each other about its extreme luxury. Like, the size of the miracle building is equal to five football fields, its walls are inlaid with pure gold and gems, and the estimate is in ten figures - 2,000,000,000 dirhams.

Meanwhile, any schoolchild in Abu Dhabi will confirm that the mosque is not a showcase at all, but the main monument to the man whose name it bears - Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan an-Nahyan. In the Emirates, His Highness, as in the USSR, is Lenin: beloved “grandfather”, founding father, etc. It was in his head that the brilliant idea came to unite the poor Bedouin principalities into one country - the United Arab Emirates. And during his 40-year reign, these places turned into paradise on earth, and the local camel drivers became the main rich people of the planet.


Subjects began to perpetuate the name of their beloved sheikh during his lifetime. We started modestly, with stadiums and small infrastructure facilities. But the “posthumous” mosque was originally conceived as the most grandiose dedication to the beloved ruler of all that existed on Earth. Construction was carried out on an unprecedented scale. The mosque named after the Arab sheikh was built by the whole world: marble - from Italy and China, carpets - from Iran, chandeliers - from Germany and Austria, engineers - from the States, etc.. The result of global cooperation exceeded all expectations - the giant snow-white mosque immediately became the main one in the UAE and the most luxurious in the Muslim world.


The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is famous for its many unique features: the interior design of the prayer halls is made of white Italian marble, inlaid with floral patterns, gold and glass mosaics, semi-precious stones and crystals. In the main prayer hall, under the central dome, hangs the world's largest chandelier - 10 m in diameter, 15 m in height and weighing more than 9 tons. The temple is also illuminated by golden chandeliers from Germany, Swarovski crystal chandeliers from Austria and glass chandeliers from Italy.

The main hall also houses the world's largest hand-woven carpet. The carpet was woven in Iran according to the design of the Iranian artist Ali Khalighi. 1200 artisans worked on its production for 2 years. The 5,627 square meter carpet, which uses 35 tons of wool and 12 tons of cotton, costs about $8.2 million.



The Qibla Wall, which depicts the 99 names (qualities) of Allah in traditional Kufi calligraphy in gold and glass mosaics, is illuminated by subtle fiber optic lighting integrated into the design.

The super-mosque is the largest dedication to Sheikh Zayed in Abu Dhabi so far, but it is clearly not the last. For example, in 2010, a new bridge, the most modern and beautiful in Abu Dhabi, received the name of the founding father. The authorities of the emirate plan to continue to give his name to all the very, very achievements in the territory under their control.


The mosque is located between Mussafah Bridge and Maqta Bridge in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The front entrance with steps to the front has limited parking. The mosque is open to people of all nationalities and religions, not just Muslims (it is unknown whether Israeli Jews are allowed to visit, since Israelis cannot visit the UAE at all). Visitors can walk around the main courtyard on their own (at any time of day except Friday mornings) and inside the mosque's main prayer hall (limited entry during prayer times, Friday sermon times, and Ramadan).


The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center was established in 2008 to manage day-to-day operations, including education and visitor programs. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is not only a place of worship, but has been a place of learning. Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, also the head of the English Church, visited the Sheikh Zayed Mosque on November 24, 2010 during a visit to the UAE with her husband, Prince Philip. She was the first leader of the non-Muslim world to officially visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque according to the WAM report


Full official name: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque. The mosque is named after the first president and founder of the UAE, who was buried in the mosque after his death on November 03, 2004.


The area of ​​the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is 22,412 square meters. 4 minarets are 107 meters.
Iranian carpets housed in the main prayer hall, woven by about 1,200 Iranian women, cover 5,000 square meters and are the largest hand-woven carpet in the world, made from 35 tons of wool and cotton.
The seven chandeliers in the mosque cost around AED 30 million.
The main dome is the largest in the world and is 87 meters, with a diameter of 32.8 meters. There are a total of 82 domes in the mosque, traditional Moroccan designs.


The courtyard has a total of 1048 columns.
About 250 EFO illuminators are lit in the Qibla wall from Fiberstars EFO is a supplier of fiber optics.
Construction materials and components are supplied from Germany, Greece, Iran, and Italy.
About 1,500 workers are engaged in construction
About 40 thousand believers can be accommodated
The main prayer hall can accommodate 5,000 worshipers


The idea for the Mosque was originally floated in the late 1980s. However, final planning, design, and construction site were approved only in the mid-1990s.

The construction start date was November 5, 1996, but after the initial phase of work, construction became stagnant, with varying stories of money circulating, and disagreements between contractors and the Department public works Abu Dhabi. Halcrow took over supervision of construction in October 2001 and the main shell of the mosque was completed by May 2002. The mosque was finally completed at the end of 2007.

The design and construction was carried out by the joint efforts of people from many countries: including Austria (Swarovski crystals in chandeliers), China, Germany (chandeliers), Greece, India, Iran, Italy (glass), Morocco, New Zealand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates (UAE) ), United Kingdom (UK). More than 3,000 workers and 38 contractors were involved in the construction project. The materials used include ceramics, crystals, gold, marble, semi-precious stones, stone.


Maximum capacity is 40,960 people - 22,729 in the open Sahan (courtyard), 7,126 in the main prayer hall, 1,960 in the open prayer hall, 980 in the open women's section prayer hall, 682 in the main prayer hall, 784 in the main anteroom. The total area is 22,412 square meters (comparable to the area of ​​approximately 5 football fields). The yard has an area of ​​approximately 17,000 sq.m. The area of ​​the reflecting pools surrounding the yard is 7,874 sq.m. Domes - 82 domes of Moroccan design are decorated with white marble. The main dome outer shell has a diameter of 32.8 meters, a height of 70 m inside and 85 m outside. It is the largest dome of its kind according to the Research Center for Islamic History and Culture in Turkey.

Columns - The mosque has about 1000 columns in the outer area, decorated with more than 20,000 marble panels, inlaid with semi-precious stones including abalone shell, amethyst, lapis lazuli, mother of pearl, red agate. The 96 columns in the main prayer hall are decorated with mother of pearl. Minarets - There are 4 minarets, each about 107 meters high. The lighting system was designed by architects Jonathon Speirs and Maer to take into account the phases of the moon. The main glass door of the mosque: height 12.2 m, width 7 m, weight about 2.2 tons The chandelier in the main prayer hall is the largest in the world: diameter 10 m, height 15 m, weight about 9 tons. The carpet in the main prayer hall is the largest hand-woven carpet in the world, with 2,268 thousand knots.


Designed by Iranian artist Ali Khaliqi, and handmade by 1,200 artisans in small villages near Mashhadin in Iran. Qibla wall (facing the holy city of Mecca): height 23 m, width 50 m. The Qibla wall features traditional Kufi calligraphy, designed by UAE calligrapher Muhammad Mandi, showing the 99 names (qualities) of Allah. Calligraphy from three styles of Kufi, Naskhi, Thuloth is used in the mosque, developed by calligraphers from Jordan, Syria and the UAE. Cladding - A total of 115,119 square meters of cladding is used on mosques and minarets. Panels - 80 handmade Iznik panels or ceramic tiles, features Thuloth calligraphy style of Sheikh Hassan Celbi of Turkey. Marble - 28 various types The marbles used in the mosque include Siwetz from Greece and Macedonia on the exterior cladding, Lasa from Italy in the interior facades, Makrana from India in the annexes and offices, Aquabiana and Biano from Italy, Eastern White and Ming Green from China.

The mosque is surrounded artificial lakes and canals with a total area of ​​7874 sq. m, decorated with dark tiles, in which the illuminated white temple is beautifully reflected in the evening.

Abu Dhabi has many architectural attractions, among which the most notable are a copy of the sacred Dome of the Rock and the Emirates Palace - the most expensive palace hotel.


Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is open to the public every day from 09:00 to 12:00, except Fridays. The entrance is free.
Visitors must wear conservative, loose-fitting clothing with long sleeves, long skirts and trousers, and women must have a scarf to cover their heads (provided at the entrance). Shoes must be removed before entering.

Visitors will be asked to stay only in permitted areas of the mosque, not to touch the Koran and other architectural elements inside the prayer hall, and smoking and eating are prohibited.
Official website: www.szgmc.ae (English)