An early evening approach from the east to the Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi presents a hazy view of an enourmous backlit, brilliant white mosque set against the skyline of Abu Dhabi. Hit it at the right time in the evening, and the sun looks like it’s setting on Tatooine as it’s light struggles to cut through the oppressive humidity.
The Grand Mosque sits on the south side of the sprawling city of Abu Dhabi. It’s huge, white, modern, grand, and beautiful all at the same time. Funded by the father of the UAE, Sheik Zayed, it was completed in 2007 after his death. In fact, he is burried to one side of the mosque. Like just about everything else in the UAE, it’s scale is overwhelming. The carpet is measured in tons and the capacity is measured in the tens of thousands. And if it were a person, it’s ethnicity would be diverse. The designers, builders, and materials came from all of the world. It’s visitors do too.
Visiting Abu Dhabi? TripAdvisor isn’t lying. The Grand Mosque is a top attraction and worth a visit. If you’re going in the summer, plan you trip in the evening if you want to minimize sweating. There’s a dress code, too. Men must wear pants and women an abaya and hijab which you can borrow. Bring your camera, but don’t take a picture of the Sheik’s tomb. Also, it’s worth the extra money to get on a tour that will take you out on to the carpet. Otherwise you’ll be restricted to a doorway with the view only. Plan for a minimum of one hour.
