The most beautiful mosque

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Saturday, November 12, 2011

Slept till about 9, then headed out around the corner to get a bus (No 102) that we had been told would take us somewhere close to the Mosque. Sure did, we got off at a stop right near one of the entrance gates, just had to cross the road and walk up to it. Absolutely beautiful mosque, so white and clean on the outside, 89 domes, 4 minarets. We were told no photos on the outside until I had a gown and veil on, so we found the main entrance and I went in the ladies changing rooms and got a gown and shawl. The one the lady gave me was enormous, so long that it dragged on the ground, so it was a constant battle trying not to trip over it, and making sure my head was covered at all time, while trying to take photos! We walked around by ourselves for a while, then joined in one of the free tours that run all through the day. It was great, lasted over an hour, he explained all the history and the making of the mosque, as well as some of the religious aspects. Left there and walked back to the same spot to catch a bus (a mammoth walk as we had to head right around the outskirts of the gates). Waited for ages but finally a bus came, it went on a huge loop all through lots of different suburbs, but we got off a couple of blocks away from our hotel. Walked around in the afternoon to Central Market (again not an authentic souk like in Dubai), then found streets with souvenir shops etc, so that filled in the rest of the day.

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Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi	One of the smaller entrance gates	Through the entrance gate	Courtyard
Courtyard and domes	Another view of the courtyard	Courtyard	Courtyard can hold over 22,000 worshippers
Courtyard and some of the 82 domes	Close up of detail on entrance to prayer hall	A group of female tourists crossing the courtyard	Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi
Outside hallways have ove 1000 columns	Magnificent columns of marble	Columns and courtyard	Through the columns into the courtyard
Courtyard	Another view of the columns	Outside arcade	Outside arcade
Yes, that's me all dressed up	From the outside arcade looking into the courtyard	Outside arcade	Outside arcade
Pools outside the arcade	Courtyard and domes	Heading into the main prayer hall	Detail on the columns
Mosaic detail	One of the magnificent chandeliers	Close up of the bottom of the chandelier	Through one of the windows in outer prayer hall
Through one of the windows in outer prayer hall	Through one of the windows in outer prayer hall	Smaller prayer hall, holds 1960 worshippers	Smaller prayer hall
Detail on ceiling in smaller prayer hall	Clock in smaller prayer hall	Main prayer hall	Chandelier in main prayer hall
Another view of one of the chandeliers	Detail on one of the walls	Carpet in main prayer hall	Detail on back wall
Columns inlaid with Mother of Pearl	Main prayer hall	Mike taking a break	Main prayer hall
Stand for the iman	Wall details	Me on the beautiful carpet	Inside main prayer hall, Sheikh Zayed Mosque
Lots of shoes	Shoes outside the main prayer hall	All sorts of shoes!	Prayer call at Sheikh Zayed Mosque
One of the washbasins	Ladies hammam downstairs	Outside view	Outside hammam
Outside view	One of the outside pools	Outside view	Some of the entrance doorways
One of the outside pools	Outside view	Impressive archway	View through the archway
One of the 4 minarets, standing 107 metres tall	A minaret and a column	Another of the outside pools	Courtyard and column
Outside view	Outside view	Outside view	Panoramic view

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