Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi
Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was completed in 2007. It took 11 years to build and is a “must-see” when visiting Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan's vision was that the mosque would be a gathering point for all cultures and faiths of the world.
The sheik did not live to see the completion of the mosque as he passed away three years before its full completion. His final resting place is adjacent to the mosque.
We arrived late afternoon in time for a 5 pm tour. Before we were allowed entry to the mosque, we were led through an underground parkade to a wardrobe facility where female visitors were outfitted with an abaya and headscarf.
To enter the mosque, Islamic women had to observe traditional rules and dress codes. The tour guide thanked the women for conforming to the rules while at the mosque.
The mosque offers many jaw-dropping moments, such as the main courtyard, which has enough room for 31,000 worshippers, the main prayer area, which has the largest one-piece hand-made carpet in the world, the six-ton heavy chandeliers, over a thousand columns, and 82 domes.
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The photos in this article are made using a Fujifilm X-T1. Lenses: XF 14mm f/2.8 R - XF 35mm f/2 R WR (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done with Lightroom and I have made use of Fujifilm’s film simulations in some of the photos.
