This weekend my family and I had a little "staycation." We essentially spent the night at a hotel in Abu Dhabi [only an hour's drive from Dubai] and enjoyed what the hotel had to offer. This morning, we toured the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which is something I've wanted to do for years. It's an architectural wonder, and I had a blast taking photos and learning a little about the history.
Construction began in 1996, and the mosque was opened eleven years later, in 2007. The outer architecture is inspired by the Mughal Empire. That's why the domes look very similar to the Taj Mahal.
We had a very funny and charismatic tour guide who wasn't afraid to add personal anecdotes into his tour! He made the experience lively.
This is a crystal chandelier imported from Germany. In total, there are seven throughout the entire mosque - and this one is the smallest!
This carpet is the largest hand-made tapestry in the world. It's 5,700 square meters and took just a year to complete.
This wall is filled with words that describe or name Allah, such as "The Almighty One," "The First," "The Last," and so on.
This is the largest chandelier in the mosque, weighing in at around 12 tons.
There are a total of eighty-two domes of various sizes.
Floral patterns were prevalent throughout the mosque, including in this colorful mosaic!
The Grand Mosque is one of the largest in the world, and can hold up to 50,000 worshipers at a time. It certainly lives up to its name!
I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero
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