Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
| Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque | |
|---|---|
جَامِع ٱلشَّيْخ زَايِد ٱلْكَبِيْر | |
View of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque from the courtyard, 2018 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Location | |
| Location | Abu Dhabi |
| Country | United Arab Emirates |
Location within the UAE Location within the Middle East | |
| Coordinates | 24°24′43.2″N 54°28′26.4″E / 24.412000°N 54.474000°E |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | Yusef Abdelki |
| Style | Islamic |
| Groundbreaking | 1996 |
| Completed | 2007 |
| Construction cost | Dhs2 billion (US$545 million) |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 41,000+ |
| Length | 420 m (1,380 ft) |
| Width | 290 m (950 ft) |
| Dome | 82 domes of 7 different sizes |
| Dome height (outer) | 85 m (279 ft) |
| Dome dia. (outer) | 32.2 m (106 ft) |
| Minaret | 4 |
| Minaret height | 104 m (341 ft) |
| Website | |
| مركز جامع الشيخ زايد الكبير | |
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (Arabic: جَامِع ٱلشَّيْخ زَايِد ٱلْكَبِيْر Jāmiʿ Aš-Šaykh Zāyid Al-Kabīr) is a mosque located in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. It is the country's largest mosque, and is the key place of worship for daily Islamic prayers. There is a smaller replica of this mosque in Surakarta, a city in Indonesia.
The Grand Mosque was constructed between 1994 and 2007 and was inaugurated in December 2007. The building complex measures approximately 290 by 420 m (950 by 1,380 ft), covering an area of more than 12 hectares (30 acres), excluding exterior landscaping and vehicle parking. The main axis of the building is rotated about 12° south of true west, aligning it in the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The project was launched by the late president of the U.A.E., Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who wanted to establish a structure that would unite the cultural diversity of the Islamic world with the historical and modern values of architecture and art. In 2004, Sheikh Zayed died and was buried in the courtyard of the mosque.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center (SZGMC) offices are located in the west minarets. SZGMC manages the day-to-day operations and serves as a center of learning and discovery through its educational cultural activities and visitor programs. The library, located in the northeast minaret, serves the community with classic books and publications addressing a range of Islamic subjects: sciences, civilization, calligraphy, the arts, and coins, including some rare publications. The collection comprises material in a broad range of languages, including Arabic, English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Korean. For two years running, it was voted the world's second favourite landmark by TripAdvisor.
The Grand Mosque has been a significant destination for visiting foreign leaders during official state visits to the UAE. Notable visitors include Elizabeth II, the then US Vice President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.