Travel With Me To World's Famous Landmark, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque at Abu Dhabi
During my recent visit to Abu Dhabi, I was mesmerized by the magnificent architecture and the rich history of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Regardless of you're an advanced traveler of it's your first time to visit Abu Dhabi, it's well worth a visit as part of your city interval to admire this remarkable craftsmanship.
Despite the meticulous work at every corner of the mosque. You'll also be surprised to find so many interesting facts about this prestige mosque. These undeniable charms from the mosque earn its title of being the World's second most famous landmark that comes after Angkor Wat.
Having to achieve this recognition for the two years consecutively from 2016 onwards as the most remarkable architectural monuments in the world. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque offers more than just that. The exceptional attention paid to detail and the top-notch service provided marks an unforgettable experience for all visitors. Last year in 2017, this mosque has a total of over 5.2million visitors worldwide. This makes it one of the most visited landmarks in the UAE.
Honestly, I must say that Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the best places to visit in Abu Dhabi. Even the skyscrapers are magnificent looking but, this grand mosque is no far behind from those tall buildings. This mosque perfectly presented an example of a modern Islamic architecture. As interesting as the history is to you, here are some fascinating facts about Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Largest Mosque in UAE
There are many mosques in the UAE, however, this is the largest one that covers approximately 30 acres. This means it's about the size of 23 standard sizes of a football field. The area is so big that it fits up to 41,000 worshipers at the same time in this mosque. While the main prayer hall accommodates approximately 10,000 people.
A Decade-Long Building Period
It is not a surprise to know that this massive mosque took such a long time to be built. The project started back in the year 1996 and completed in 2006. In order to persist in this project, there are more than 3000 workers took part in this construction.
Unique architecture
This mosque incorporates different influences from The Persian, Mughal and Egyptian style on its architectural. This results in the outstanding building of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque that attracts visitors from all across the world.
Symbolic Pillars
From far, this mosque is widely surrounded by the domes and pillars. In the main prayer hall, there are 96 marble pillars where each of them are delicately inlaid with mother of pearl. To look closely at those pillars, every pillar are carved with 99 names for Allah and it also contains a Qubla wall that is facing the Mecca.
Interesting Lighting Construction
By using the light towers built within this mosque, it changes according to the phases of the moon every night. The 22 light towers project a soft blue and grey color on the exterior of the mosque. While the shallow pool was built to reflect light around the mosque through the natural lighting from the sun.
One of the Biggest Chandelier in the Mosque
Sheikh Zayed Mosque has a total of seven crystal chandeliers. With all of the chandeliers, it is imported from a German company (Faustig) that specialized in crystal chandeliers. Each of the chandeliers is made up of millions of Swarovski crystals. At the main prayer hall, the biggest chandelier is presented with the weight of 12 tons and is measured to be 33ft in diameter and 49ft high. This chandelier has recorded to be the second biggest chandelier that comes after the one in Oman.
Natural Materials are Used Everywhere
This mosque is built with sturdy materials and it's mostly natural. Materials like marbles, natural stones, golds, and crystals can be found commonly everywhere like the walkway, pillars, walls, and as for decorations.
Biggest Carpet Ever
At the main prayer hall, there lies the world's biggest hand-knotted carpet with the wools from New Zealand and Iran. This 3 tonnes weight of carpet was weaved by 1,200 workers and it took almost 2 years to complete. Within this time, the construction of the carpet is broken down into 8 months to design, 12 months to knot and 2 months to transport, trim and weave the pieces together. Making it have the record of being the biggest carpet in the world!
Named after the First President of UAE
This mosque is named after the founding father of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It is said that his final resting place is located just beside the grand mosque.
Photographer's Favourite Spot
This mosque is absolutely magnificent looking. Every corner of the mosque is a perfect spot to be photographed. However, since this is a holy place, everyone is bound to respect the rules and regulation. Strict attire is implemented to pay respect to the Islamic religion.
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