What to do in Abu Dhabi? The best tips and sights
March 17, 2020
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Visiting the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi will undoubtedly be at the top of your list as fun things to do during your trip. And in our opinion, a visit to the city of Abu Dhabi is also not complete without seeing the world's largest and most expensive mosque with your own eyes. Inside and out. The white marble courtyard with its beautifully inlaid flowers is without a doubt the most beautiful place to behold. Be amazed by the perfect gold details that complete the design of the mosque. Would you like to visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi visit? Here are our tips!
Tips for visiting the Sheikh Zayed Mosque
The Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates. So it is obviously a special experience to be able to walk around here. It's not like you can walk right into the mosque from the parking lot. You will have to have your entrance ticket scanned, store your belongings and dress properly to be allowed into the mosque. This all happens underground. From here you will walk through a tunnel to the starting point of the walking tour of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. The walking tour will take you past 4 points where you can take photos along the courtyard. Please note that you are not allowed to stand still on the walking paths or take photographs. This is really only allowed at the designated locations. The route continues inside, past the prayer area and then to the exit. Depending on the crowds, you can expect to spend about 30 to 60 minutes in the mosque.
1. How do you get to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque?
By far most tourists stay in downtown Abu Dhabi, near the coast. However, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque can be found outside the center of Abu Dhabi. You can drive here yourself with a rental car or arrange a cab. Using a cab in Abu Dhabi is very doable. The cab drivers drive on the meter. For example, for a 6-person cab van from the center to the mosque, we paid 120 AED, which is about €30. The car ride from the center to the mosque takes about 20 minutes.
When you arrive at the Sheikh Zayed Mosque there are several parking lots for coaches, cars and cabs. Then to visit the mosque you walk into the glass dome, through here you come underground. There are stores, restrooms, restaurants and of course the entrance to the mosque here.
2. What are the dress code?
It is important to know that you will face strict dress codes for your visit to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. In fact, women must be completely covered. This means long pants, dress or skirt to the ankles and a long-sleeved shirt. Wearing a headscarf is also mandatory where it is very important that your hair is well hidden. Men must wear long pants. Unlike women, men are allowed to walk around in t-shirts.
Now that you are aware of the dress code, you can take it into account when you visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. In case you don't have a long-sleeved scarf, shirt or vest with you, you can get an abaya on the spot. These are long dresses with long sleeves and a hood. For men, long pants are available. There is no extra charge to use these.
3. What are the opening hours of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque?
The Sheikh Zayed Mosque still hosts daily prayers, so it is important to be aware of the opening hours before visiting the mosque. See below:
Saturday through Thursday: open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m;
Friday: open from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 22:00.
During special holidays, such as Ramadan, there are modified opening hours. You can find these at the website of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque view.
4. How much does a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi cost?
A visit to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is completely free. This applies to Muslims and non-Muslims who wish to visit the mosque during regular opening hours. However, there is a surcharge for those who wish to visit the mosque during prayers. It is useful to buy your ticket in advance. online to "buy. You can then reserve a time slot and you will need to fill out some information. This saves on-site waiting time.
Of course, you can choose to visit the mosque with a local guide. The advantage of this is that during your visit you will learn even more about the construction, as well as interesting facts and trivia. The tours are organized from the mosque itself and are in English and Arabic. By the way, they are also free and advance booking is not necessary!
Tip: Be sure to keep your ticket with you throughout the visit, as it will be scanned multiple times.
5. Be amazed by the architecture
What makes this mosque so unique are its 82 domes, 1,000 pillars and the four minarets that make up the base of Sheikh Zayed Mosque. In total, as many as 40,000 people can pray in the mosque at the same time. That's an incredible number!
The eye-catcher of the mosque is undoubtedly the courtyard. A beautiful large square of white marble inlaid with floral figures, gold leaf and precious stones. Truly a feast for the eyes.
But even inside the mosque, you'll feast your eyes. For here lies the largest hand-woven carpet in the world. The carpet is 5,600 square meters and a fun fact to share is that it was not possible to ship the carpet to Abu Dhabi in one trip. So the carpet was assembled on site. Inside you will also find the largest chandelier in the world. It obviously has to be your taste, but what details. The chandelier is 10 meters in diameter and about 40 meters high.
Open since 2007, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is one of the main attractions of the Middle East. The construction of the mosque cost $545 million, making it the most expensive mosque in the world.
6. Combine your visit with the Wahat al Karama
Opposite the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the Wahat al Karama. A free bus shuttle runs between the two attractions which makes it easy to combine your visit to the mosque with a visit to the Wahat al Karama. The shuttle bus runs every 30 minutes from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and leaves from parking lot D (north parking lot).
The Wahat al Karama is a war memorial to commemorate the fallen Emirati of the United Arab Emirates. The literal translation of the name is "an oasis of dignity." A beautiful name that suits the monument as in the middle of the memorial square you can behold a large circular water pond. In it you can see the unique reflection of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. Besides the beautiful memorial square, here you can also behold the memorial, 31 giant slabs leaning against each other, symbolizing unity, solidarity and support.
7. What is the best time to visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque?
The mosque opens daily at 09:00 and often there are many people waiting to enter the mosque by then. We ourselves arrived at the mosque around 09:30 and then the tour of this time had just left. As a result, the largest crowd of people was already inside. It was crowded, but not too crowded.
Also in terms of temperature, visiting the mosque in the morning or late afternoon/evening is best as it is no longer at its hottest. This makes it a bit more pleasant to walk around.
8. Spending the night near the Sheikh Zayed Mosque? These are our tips
The area around the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is very beautiful and you also have easy and quick access to the vast desert. Are you looking for accommodation near the Sheikh Zayed Mosque? Then these are our recommendations!
Discover Abu Dhabi's most beautiful sights
A visit to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque will undoubtedly be among your highlights of Abu Dhabi. But of course, this metropolis has much more in store for you. From beautiful walks along the Abu Dhabi Corniche to a crazy jeep safari through the desert. Wondering how to get the most out of your visit to Abu Dhabi?
Lois Weeterings
A dreamer and adventure seeker, always on the lookout for new experiences. But also a hard worker with a thousand ideas racing through my mind. As a personal travel consultant and travel blogger, I share my passion for faraway destinations, thrilling adventures, and winter sports. With deep knowledge of places like Namibia, Colombia, the ABC Islands, and the Middle East, I’m here to help you craft a trip you’ll never forget. Through my personal stories and expert tips, I aim to inspire you to explore the world your way. Always with my camera in hand, I’m determined to capture every magical moment and share it with you.
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