Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque - Islamic Architecture
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dha-
bi is a model and a living reference for the vari-
ous schools of modern Islamic architecture that
links the past with the present. The mosque, which
opened on 20 December 2007, includes 82 domes,
the largest of which is located in the center of the
main prayer hall. The domes feature pure white
marble cladding, onion shaped `crowns' and cres-
cent-shaped finials decorated with gold-glass mosaic.
The minarets of the mosque combined the styles of Is-
lamic architecture in one form that blends art and beau-
ty. The mosque has four minarets, each approximate-
ly 106 meters tall. Each minaret is comprised of three
different geometric shapes. The first is a square that
forms the minaret's base. Its architectural style reflects
that of Moroccan, Andalusian and Mameluke styles.
The second section of the minaret has an oc-
tagonal shape, which is a design that goes back
to the Mameluke era. The third section is cylin-
drical in shape, a design element from the Ot-
toman. The crowning lantern covered with gold-
glass mosaic goes back to the Fatimid era.
The mosque features more than 1,000 columns.
The use of natural multi-colored marble creates nov-
el artistic outcomes, including decorated crowned
columns where the crowns are not located on
the top of the columns but at the bottom. This ex-
traordinary technique is innovative for Islamic ar-
chitecture. The colors of the walls, columns and
the carpet are harmonized in a manner that trans-
forms the mosque into an artistic masterpiece
and creates a symphony of colors and shades.
Milestones
25

---