Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – Abu Dhabi, UAE
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi unites Islamic culture through a combination of modern and historical art and architecture. More than 3,000 artisans planned and crafted the facility using materials from 14 countries. The mosque is readily distinguished by its solid white Macedonian marble, a color that founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan felt represented purity and piety.
The white marble provides a perfect palette for the facility’s 22 light towers and the variety of reflection pools. Designed to echo the phases of the moon, the mosque’s appearance is bluish gray at the moon’s early stages. It gradually becomes more brilliant as the full moon approaches.
Spanning 30 acres, the mosque has 82 domes and can accommodate more than 40,000 worshippers. Domes aid in the direction of prayers and the main prayer hall hosts the structure’s largest dome. The carpet in the main prayer hall weighs 35 tons and took two years to knot. The hall also contains 96 columns clad with white marble and inlaid with mother of pearl. On the Qibla, visitors will find the 99 names, qualities or attributes of God (Allah).
Based on TripAdvisor traveler ratings, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is world’s second most favorite landmark two years in a row. It hosted more than 5.2 million visitors in 2016.
FLASH PRODUCT USED IN ABU DHABI
The minarets on the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque are lit with Flash Technology’s FTB 310 medium intensity xenon lighting system.
