8 Interesting Facts about the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

7th January 2016: On my recent visit to Abu Dhabi, I was captivated by the magnificent Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It's well worth a visit as part of your city break just to admire its sheer size and the fabulous craftsmanship.

1. Construction began in 1996, and wasn’t completed till 2006. During this time more than 3000 workers took part in its construction.

2. It’s made up of mostly natural materials such as marble, stone, gold, crystals and semi-precious stones.

3. It’s the largest Mosque in the United Arab Emirates, measuring 960ft x 1,380ft and covering approximately 30 acres.

4. The carpet in the main prayer hall is said to be the largest single piece of handmade carpet in the world, measuring around 67,570 square feet and weighing around 35 tonne. With around 1,200 carpet knotters contributing, it took approximately 2 years to create, using wool from New Zealand and Iran.

5. The Mosque contains seven chandeliers, each are made up of millions of Swarovski crystals. The largest of these is the second largest in the world, measuring 33ft in diameter and 49ft high.

6. There are 96 marble pillars in the main prayer hall, each delicately inlaid with mother of pearl. It also contains a Qubla wall, facing Mecca, which has 99 names for Allah inscribed on it.

7. The five pillars of belief for those using the Mosque are:

There is only one God – Allah
To pray 5 times a day and cleanse the body by washing before prayer
To walk to Mecca at least once in a lifetime
To adhere to Ramadan – fasting between sunrise and sunset
To give 2.5% of their money to charity each year

8. When the Mosque is not in use for prayer it is open to the public, there are however very strict dress codes. Women must be completely covered, including long sleeves to the wrist, trousers or a long skirt to the ankle, and a scarf or wrap to cover your head.