Abu Dhabi - Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Abu Dhabi – Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Abu Dhabi – Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The UAE also includes Dubai, for a total of 7 emirates. Abu Dhabi is the less flashy, but richer brother to Dubai. The UAE became a unified nation upon the departure of the British, who managed the territory as a protectorate. The UAE is astonishingly wealthy, with a per capita income of $70,000 (CIA World Factbook 2013). It was an incredibly fast ascent. Abu Dhabi transitioned from an economy based on camel herding and pearl diving in the 1950s to a fossil fuel, exporting powerhouse. Abu Dhabi metamorphosed from mud huts and palm trees to a modern metropolis.

With this incredible wealth, superlative monuments were born. None more spectacular than Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, a glowing white marble structure. It was completed in 2007 after 9 years of construction with artisans from around the world. It is the largest mosque in the UAE and the eighth largest in the world. It can hold over 40,000 worshipers.

Claims to fame include the largest rug in the world, weighing in at 35 tons. Seven chandeliers created in Germany dot the interior of the mosque, festooned with millions of colored crystals. The largest chandelier is nearly 50 feet high, the third largest in the world.

World’s largest carpet in the world, made in Iran

Third largest chandelier in the world

I was staying in Dubai and scheduled a day trip to Abu Dhabi to visit Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. I planned to rent a car and road trip to Abu Dhabi. It is a straight shot on E11 for about a 90 minute commute. The morning started off poorly with a late delivery of my rental car and a defective GPS. I then managed to circle my hotel for nearly 40 minutes, a la Clark Griswold in European Vacation, until I managed to find E11.

Other impediments included 115 degree heat and timing my visit during Ramadan. I highly advise visiting during the winter. I finally arrived in AD, famished after skipping breakfast. I pulled into an ANDOC Petrol Station. I grabbed a Diet Coke and some Sour Cream and Onion Pringles in the lime green can. I brought them back to the car and crouched in the seat and quickly wolfed them down. You are not allowed to eat during day since it was Ramadan.

After a little longer in the car, I spotted the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Despite the oppressive heat and several speed bumps en-route to Abu Dhabi, this is a magical place to visit and a must-see.

Unlike other mosques in Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is open daily to visitors, except on Friday morning, which is for worshippers only. The opening hours are 9am to 10pm (last entry at 9.30 pm) – Saturday to Thursday and 4.30pm to 10pm on Fridays. Complimentary one hour guided tours run (Sun-Thurs) at 10am, 11am and 5pm. Friday times are 5pm and 7pm and Saturday 10am, 11am, 2pm, 5pm and 7pm Details here!