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The Sheikh
Zayed Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in the UAE, large enough to
accommodate over 41,000 worshipers at any given time. It’s named after
the country's founder, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
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Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world.
The building complex of the mosque covers an area of more than 12
hectares and measures around 290 meters (960 Ft) by 420 meters (1,380
Ft).
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Around 41,000 worshipers can worship at
the same time at this mosque. The main prayer hall can accommodate
approximately 10,000 people.
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Different building materials were sourced from many countries like
Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Germany, Austria, New Zealand
China, India, and Pakistan.
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The beautiful carpet in the main prayer hall is the world’s largest
hand-knotted carpet. It took around 8 months to design, 12 months to
knot and 2 months to transport, trim and weave the pieces together.
Approximately 1,200 workers turned this 5,700 square meters carpet into
a reality.
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There are 82 domes of various sizes at this mosque, with the largest one
located in the center of the main prayer hall. The inner side of these
domes features traditional Moroccan artwork.
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Sheikh Zayed Mosque features a unique lighting system designed to
reflect the phases of the moon. There are 22 light towers which project
soft clouds of a ‘bluish gray’ color on the exterior of the mosque. This
light changes according to the moon phase every night.
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The design of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque has been inspired by Persian and
Mughal architectural styles. The building is also influenced by the Abu
al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque in Alexandria, Egypt.
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The construction of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque began in 1996. It took
more than 3,000 workers and 38 contracting companies to construct the
mosque. It was opened for worship in 2007.
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Abu Dhabi
Grand Mosque was named after the founding father and the first president
of UAE – late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. His final resting place
is located beside the mosque.
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