If you are a tad bit interested in exploring the world and the stunning structures it has to offer, we’re sure all the 7 wonders of the world are in your bucket list. And why not! Almost everyone dreams of seeing all of them once in their lifetime. But apart from them, there are tons of unique and breathtaking man-made structures in the world which will leave you amazed. Case in point being the stunning Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the UAE, which is also the largest mosque in the country.
In fact, recently, Trip Advisor’s Travellers Choice Awards awarded it as the ‘third greatest landmark in the world’. The awards included more than 750 landmarks across 68 countries. Cambodia’s Angor Wat bagged the first place while Spain’s Plaza de Espana stood in the second position. Apart from the fact that it’s insanely gorgeous, you still don’t know tons of other jaw-dropping facts about this structure. So read on to know more and get your travels plans already in motion!
Image Source: Unsplash 
Image Source: Unsplash
It’s a structural marvel!
Located in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, it is the largest mosque in the country. It’s a beautiful, huge, and wonderful example of modern Islamic architecture. With more than 80 marble domes on a roof-line held by 1000 pillars and punctuated by four 107 meter-high minarets, it’s definitely a masterpiece! Even its different building materials were sourced from many countries like Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Germany, Austria, New Zealand China, India, and Pakistan.
But as we mentioned, there are certain facts about this mosque which would definitely leave you in awe. So, here are some of the amazing facts about the mosque which will leave you stunned!
- Beautiful Crystal Gold Gilded Chandeliers
- The mosque houses seven crystal chandeliers made by Faustig, a Germany based firm. All the chandeliers are made of stainless steel and brass, along with 40 kgs of 24-carat gold! The main prayer hall boasts of the world’s third-largest chandelier which weighs around 12 tons and is 15 meters in height!
Image Source: Unsplash 
Image Source: Unsplash
- The Largest Mosque in UAE
- It is the largest mosque of UAE, which covers an area of more than 12 hectares and measures around 290 meters (960 Ft) by 420 meters (1,380 feet). Did you know that at one particular time, the Sheikh Zayad mosque can accommodate about 40,000 worshippers? Also, the main hall can accommodate about 7,000 people.
- Houses The Largest Hand-Knotted Carpet
- The Grand Mosque houses the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet spread across 5,700 square meters, it’s designed by Iranian artist Dr. Ali Khaliqi. The carpet weighs 35 tons and has around 2,268,000,000 (if you can count the zeros!) knots. No wonder it took 2 years to complete it!
Image Source: Wallpapers 
Image Source: Pixabay
- Took 11 Years To Construct
- Construction of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque began in 1996. More than 3,000 workers and 38 contracting companies were involved in constructing the mosque. It was opened for worship in 2007.
- Stunning Lighting System
- The entire lighting system at the mosque is inspired by a lunar illumination which means that it reflects the phases of the moon. There are light towers that project soft clouds of a bluish-grey colour to the exteriors of the mosque. According to the moon phase every night, the light changes.
Image Source: Ugo Ci Photography 
Image Source: Wallpaper Flare
- More Than 80 Domes
- The mosque is adorned by 82 domes of various sizes. The dome located in the main prayer room is the largest dome. The outer shell is 32.2 m (106 ft) in diameter and 85 m (279 ft) high.
Well, with that many insane facts about the place, we’re sure it has made it to your travel bucket list already!
Where: Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed St – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
(Featured Image Source: Rove)
