The first thing you notice is the sound-the low, steady thrum that begins in your chest and blooms into the sky. A helicopter rises lightly from the pad, and with that effortless lift the city rearranges itself below you. This is the magic of a helicopter tour over Bluewaters Island: the familiar becomes new, and the new becomes unforgettable.
Bluewaters appears almost like a diorama at first-precise edges, clean lines, and a palette of silvers and sun-warmed stone set against water so intensely blue it feels hand-painted. From above, the island's geometry reveals its secret order: promenades like arteries, terraces stepping down toward the sea, and the dramatic arc of the coastline curving away toward Jumeirah Beach Residence. Ain Dubai, the giant observation wheel that has already become a defining landmark, anchors the scene. From the ground, it is colossal; from the air, it is a piece of fine engineering etched with light and shadow, its spokes fanning out like a gleaming compass.
The helicopter banks easily along the shore, and Bluewaters sits in context-the perfect punctuation at the end of a glittering sentence. To one side, the marina unfurls like a mirrored canyon, towers stacked close together, glass catching the sun with a thousand small flares. To the other, the open Gulf breathes and heaves, a sheet of moving silver dotted with boats that leave white stitches on the water. The pedestrian bridge that links Bluewaters to the mainland becomes a ribbon from this height, delicate and deliberate, a reminder that this island was designed as a place to wander as much as a place to live.
Part of the thrill lies in the feeling of discovery. You watch patterns emerge: the way roads arc to meet at precise angles, how parks and plazas hold space for air and light, how restaurants cluster near the water to catch both the breeze and the view. A helicopter tour gives you the scale that street-level can hide. You see the city's grand gestures and the island's intricate details in a single glance-the macro and the micro held together by the simple fact of altitude.
Helicopter tour Dubai palm views
On a clear day, the horizon is a lesson in contrasts. The desert sits patient and pale in the distance, while the city rises from it in sharp, improbable lines. Swing farther along the coast and the Palm unfurls like a calligrapher's flourish, each frond meticulously ordered. Pivot back toward Bluewaters and the wheel returns to center stage, its circular form a counterpoint to the angular skyline. Burj Al Arab glints like a sail; farther off, the needle of Burj Khalifa marks the heart of Dubai, a compass point for both air and imagination.
Yet Bluewaters holds the eye. There's something about islands that keeps us looking-maybe it's the promise of arrival. From the helicopter, you can see people moving along the boardwalks, small as punctuation marks in the text of the city. You spot cafes tucked into corners, shaded courtyards, art pieces that turn into patterns only when you see them from above. The water changes color with depth-teal near the shore, inkier blue beyond the breakwater.
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Sunlight blades off the surface and paints the hulls of moored yachts with quicksilver.
What does the air add that ground-level can't? Perspective, certainly. But also narrative. From above, you can read the story of Bluewaters Island: conceived as an urban oasis, stitched seamlessly to the mainland, built to hold both spectacle and daily life. It's engineered beauty, yes, but it is also lived-in-strollers pushed along railings, conversations over late breakfasts, the low rush of waves below the promenade. Helicopter tour Jumeirah Beach . The helicopter lets you hold those scenes in your mind at once, like flipping through a book at speed and somehow catching every page.
If you're thinking practically-and you should-aim for morning or late afternoon. The light is kinder then, shadow carving texture into the city and sea. Midday can flatten things; golden hours make them sing.
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Dress comfortably. There's a good chance your seat will be assigned by weight, so be flexible about which side of the cabin you'll occupy. If you're taking photos, a polarizing filter helps, but more important is patience: shoot slightly off the glass to avoid reflections, and let the helicopter's gentle turns bring the view to you. Sometimes the best images happen when you stop trying and simply watch.
Many people search “Helicopter tour Bluewaters Island” expecting only a checklist of landmarks. You do get those: Bluewaters, the Marina, the Palm, Downtown sparkling in the distance. But what stays with you isn't a list-it's a feeling. There is a quiet moment that often happens mid-flight, when the headset hum fades into the background and you think about how improbable it all is: an island drawn onto the sea and made real, a city that keeps inventing itself, and you, held up by air, seeing it in a way you never have before.
Then comes the descent.
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The city tilts back to its familiar angles. The rotors wind down. You step onto the tarmac a little unsteady, not from the flight but from the sudden return to scale. Bluewaters is no longer a perfect composition in blues and whites; it's a place you can walk, somewhere to order coffee and watch the wheel etch its slow circle against the sky. The helicopter tour doesn't replace that ground truth. It frames it. It plants a map in your memory so that when you do walk along the island's edge, the breeze on your face and the glare off the water carry an echo of the view from above.
That's the gift of this kind of experience. It doesn't just show you where things are.
Helicopter tour Dubai Dubai Marina views
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Dubai helicopter coastline panorama
It teaches you how they relate: sea to city, spectacle to everyday life, you to the places you inhabit or visit. For a brief time, the borders loosen, and the world widens. And long after the thrum of the rotors has faded, the shape of Bluewaters Island will remain, hovering in your mind like a bright idea made visible.
About Jumeirah
For the hotel chain, see Jumeirah (hotel chain).
Community in Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Jumeirah (Arabic: جُمَيْرَا, romanized: Jumayrā Emirati pronunciation: [dʒʊˈmeːrɐ]) is a coastal residential area of Dubai, United Arab Emirates mainly comprising low rise private dwellings and hotel developments. It has both large expensive detached properties and more modest town houses built in a variety of architectural styles. The area is popular with expatriates working in Dubai and is familiar to many visiting tourists.
History
[edit]
See also: History of the United Arab Emirates and List of Ancient Settlements in the UAE
Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al Sheif (مَجْلِس غُرْفَة أُمّ ٱلشَّيْف)
Archaeological excavations at Jumeirah Archaeological Site,[2][3][4] which was discovered in 1969, demonstrate that the area was inhabited as far back as the Abbasid era, approximately in the 10th century CE. Measuring about 80,000 m2 (860,000 sq ft), the site lay along a caravan route linking India and China to Oman and Iraq.[2][3][4]
Historically, Emirati people living in Jumeirah were fishermen, pearl divers and traders. At the turn of the 20th century, it was a village of some 45 areesh (palm leaf) huts, inhabited mainly by settled Bedouin of the Bani Yas and Manasir tribes. At the time, Jumeirah was 'about 3 miles southwest of Dibai town'.[5]
In modern times (1960 onwards), Jumeirah was the principal area for western expatriate residences. The beachfront area was previously called "Chicago Beach",[6] as the site of the former Chicago Beach Hotel.[7] The locale's peculiar name had its origins in the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company which at one time welded giant floating oil storage tankers called "Kazzans" on the site.[6] The old name persisted for a time after the old hotel was demolished in 1997. "Dubai Chicago Beach Hotel" was the Public Project Name for the construction phase of the Burj Al Arab Hotel until Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced the new name: Burj Al Arab.[7]
The Theatre of Digital Art (ToDA) opened in 2020 at Souk Madinat in Jumeirah as an exhibition space for digital art.[8]
See also
[edit]
United Arab Emirates portal
Jumeirah Beach
Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Jumeira Baccalaureate School
Palm Jumeirah
Jumeirah Mosque
City Walk
References
[edit]
^https://www.dsc.gov.ae/en-us/EServices/Pages/geo-stat.aspx. Dubai Statistics Center
^ ab
Al Amir, Khitam; Cherian, Dona (2020-01-09). "Look: Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid visits Jumeirah Archaeological Site". Gulf News. Retrieved 2020-01-12.
The Palm Jumeirah (Arabic: نخلة جميرا) is an archipelago of artificial islands on the Persian Gulf in Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is part of a larger series of developments called the Palm Islands, including Palm Jebel Ali and the Dubai Islands, which, when completed, will together increase Dubai's shoreline by a total of 520 kilometres (320 mi).[3] It has a population of over 25,000[4] as of 2022.[5]
The islands were created using land reclamation. They were created to resemble a palm tree when seen from the air, and are roughly divided into three areas: "trunk", "fronds", and "outer crescent". The trunk is a mixed commercial and residential area, the fronds are reserved for residential homes and villas, while the outer crescent is used for luxury and upscale resorts.[6]
The Palm Jumeirah was constructed by a Dutch specialist dredging company, Van Oord. The same company also created The World Islands.
Construction
[edit]
The Palm Jumeirah Dubai, Villas on a frondThe Palm Jumeirah Dubai's frondThe Palm Jumeirah Dubai aerial view on 5 January 2013Shoreline Beach in The Palm Jumeirah Dubai
Construction of The Palm Jumeirah Dubai island began in June 2001 and the developers announced handover of the first residential units in 2006.[7]
In October 2007, 75% of the properties were ready to hand over, with 500 families already residing on the island.[8] By the end of 2009, 28 hotels were opened on the Crescent.[8]
In 2009, The New York Times reported that NASA's laser altimeter satellites had measured the Palm as sinking at the rate of 5 mm (0.20 in) per year.[9] In response the developer, Nakheel Properties said they had received no reports of structural problems of a type that would be expected if there were any subsidence, and pointed out that the laser satellites had a measurement resolution of only 50 mm (2.0 in).[10]
Transportation
[edit]
The Palm Jumeirah Dubai's Monorail
The Palm Jumeirah Monorail is a 5.4-kilometre-long (3.4 mi) monorail connecting the Atlantis Hotel to the Gateway Towers at the foot of the island.[11][12] The monorail connects The Palm Jumeirah Dubai to the mainland, with a planned further extension to the Red Line of the Dubai Metro.[13] The line began operating on 30 April 2009.[14] It is the first monorail in the Middle East.[15]
Environment
[edit]
According to a study published in the journal Water in 2022, the construction of this island has had an effect on increasing water-soluble materials, changing the spectral profile of water and also increasing the temperature of the water surface around the island.[16]
The outer breakwater was designed as a continuous barrier, but by preventing natural tidal movement, the seawater within the Palm became stagnant. The breakwater was subsequently modified to create gaps on either side, allowing tidal movement to oxygenate the water within and prevent it from stagnating, albeit less efficiently than would be the case if the breakwater did not exist.[17][18]
In the summer seasons, jellyfish frequent the beaches surrounding the Palm.[19] In early 2020, due to the reduction of human activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in wildlife, such as dolphins, around The Palm Jumeirah was observed.[20]
Housing density
[edit]
After launching the project, it was revealed that the developer increased the number of residential units on the island (with a concomitant reduction in the amount of physical space between individual properties) from the originally announced 4,500 (comprising 2,000 villas purchased early in the expectation of greater separation between properties[21]). This increase was attributed to the developer miscalculating the actual cost of construction and requiring the raising of additional capital, although they had never commented publicly on the matter.[citation needed]The New York Times reported in 2009 that many people had bought houses before they were built and are furious about the space available now and the way they seem to be living on top of each other.[9]
Residential properties
[edit]
Palm Jumeirah has a varied array of buildings, ranging from townhouses to hotels to apartments and villas. The apartments are mostly concentrated on the Trunk, while the Fronds are bordered with villas.
Apartments range in size from 375 to 11,774 square feet (34.8 to 1,093.8 m2), from studios to 6-bedroom layouts. Each apartment normally has a large living space, en-suite bathrooms, fitted kitchens, and balconies or patios.
The community has villas with sizes between 4,000 and 35,000 square feet (370 and 3,250 m2) ranging from 2 to 10 bedrooms. There is direct beach access from these villas, which range in style from classic Arabic designs to modern high-tech alternatives.[22]
Notable residents
[edit]
Grigory Anikeev, one of the wealthiest deputies of the Russian State Duma, bought a $13 million penthouse apartment in the Serenia Residences of Palm Jumeirah in March 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[23]
Mykola Zlochevskiy, a Ukrainian oil and natural gas businessman and oligarch who was Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources in the Viktor Yanukovych administration, owns two apartments in the W Residences worth $11 million.[24] Ukrainian authorities accused Zlochevskiy of embezzlement, leading him to plead guilty while transferring ownership of the properties to his daughter.[24]
Balvinder Singh Sahni, Indian businessman[25]
Joseph Johannes Leijdekkers, a Dutchman who goes by the name 'Chubby Jos', and is on European Union's Most Wanted List for alleged narcotics trafficking, is a resident in the Grandeur Residences of Palm Jumeirah.[26]
Danilo Vunjao Santana Gouveia, a Brazilian who goes by Dubaiano, and was indicted in Brazil for fraud and moneylaundering in relation to a Bitcoin pyramid scheme, is a resident in the Palm Tower Dubai.[26][27]
Obaid Khanani, a Pakistani national who was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2016 for alleged moneylaundering for drug traffickers and organized crime groups, is a resident in Five Palm Jumeirah.[27]
The ruling Aliyev family of Azerbaijan owns multiple properties in the Palm Jumeirah.[28][29]
Samuele Landi, an Italian fugitive businessperson, owns a villa in the Palm Jumeirah.[30]
Rasul Danialzadeh, an Iranian steel magnate sentenced to 16 years in prison for bribery, owns a villa in the Palm Jumeirah.[31]
Hotels and resorts
[edit]
As of 2024, The Palm Jumeirah Dubai has around 30 hotels, located in the trunk and outer crescent of the palm.
^"Palm Jumeirah". Visit Dubai. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
^"The Palm Jumeirah". thepalm.ae. 2006. Archived from the original on 17 February 2007. Retrieved 11 February 2007.
^ ab"Dubai's Palm and World Islands – progress update". AMEInfo. 4 October 2007. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 28 October 2007.
^ abLaid-Off Foreigners Flee as Dubai Spirals Down, The New York Times, 11 February 2009
^"Nakheel: Palm Jumeirah is 'not sinking' – Real Estate". Arabian Business. ArabianBusiness.com. 9 December 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
^Nice and Easy, but Fares Not So Fair
^"Home". palmmonorail.com.
^"Middle East's first monorail to start services in Palm Jumeirah by April". Gulf News. 7 August 2008. Archived from the original on 16 July 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2008.
^"Palm monorail tried and tested – The Knowledge News". Time Out Dubai. TimeOutDubai.com. 6 May 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
^"ME's 1st monorail to begin services in April". MENAFN.com. 8 August 2008. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2008.
^Mansourmoghaddam, Mohammad (January 2022). "Mansourmoghaddam M, Ghafarian Malamiri HR, Rousta I, Olafsson H, Zhang H. Assessment of Palm Jumeirah Island's Construction Effects on the Surrounding Water Quality and Surface Temperatures during 2001–2020. Water. 2022; 14(4):634. doi.org/10.3390/w14040634". Water. 14 (4): 634. doi:10.3390/w14040634.
^"Palm Island Dubai FAQ".
^"MegaStructures – National Geographic Channel episode guide". Archived from the original on 24 November 2005.
^"Jellyfish along UAE coastline". Ecocoast. 15 August 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
^"Rays, sharks, and dolphins enjoy new freedom as humans retreat from the oceans". 29 April 2020.
^Moye, Catherine (20 August 2005). "Palm before a storm?". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 20 October 2007. Retrieved 21 May 2010.
^Palm Jumeirah Area Guides, Bayut.com, 27 August 2024
^"Russians bought up $6.3 billion in Dubai property after 2022 Ukraine invasion, report finds – ICIJ". 22 May 2024.
^ abOvsyaniy, Kyrylo; Andrushko, Serhiy; Tolstyakova, Kira (17 May 2024). "Dubai Unlocked: How Yanukovych-Era Ukrainian Officials Poured Millions Into Secretive U.A.E. Real Estate". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
^"Who is Balwinder Singh Sahni, Indian billionaire jailed for money laundering in Dubai?". News18. 10 May 2025.
^ abReport (14 May 2024). "Global players feature in Dubai property leaks". Dawn. Pakistan.
^ ab"How Dirty Money Finds a Home in Dubai Real Estate – OCCRP". How Dirty Money Finds a Home in Dubai Real Estate – OCCRP. 2024.
^"How Dirty Money Finds a Home in Dubai Real Estate: Leyla, Arzu, and Heydar Aliyev". How Dirty Money Finds a Home in Dubai Real Estate – OCCRP. 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
^"How Dirty Money Finds a Home in Dubai Real Estate – OCCRP". How Dirty Money Finds a Home in Dubai Real Estate – OCCRP. 14 May 2024.
^Abrahamian, Atossa Araxia (7 January 2025). "A Fugitive Businessman, Done In by One Law He Couldn't Dodge". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
^"Convicts, Wealthy Iranians With State Ties Implicated In Leaked Property Data". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. 2024.
^"Dukes the Palm, a Royal Hideaway Hotel | Luxury hotel in Palm Jumeirah".
^"First look: Aloft opens first hotel in Dubai". 21 January 2018.
^"Visit Atlantis the Royal now: New massive hotel opens on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah after grand reveal – Arabian Business: Latest News on the Middle East, Real Estate, Finance, and More". Arabian Business. 10 February 2023.
^"Th8 Palm Dubai Beach Resort". th8palmdubai.com.
^"Th8 Palm Beach Resort review: Dubai hotel has family-friendly facilities and ocean views". The National. 15 July 2025.
^"Waldorf Astoria Palm Jumeirah set for January opening in Dubai". GulfNews.com. 27 December 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
^"Nakheel Mall on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah to open on 28 November 2019". nakheel.com. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Palm Jumeirah Dubai.
The Palm Islands Multimedia website
The Palm Tower website
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About Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the U.A.E.
"Sheikh Zayed Mosque" redirects here. For other uses, see Sheikh Zayed Mosque (disambiguation).
Location within the Middle East
Show map of Middle East
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
جَامِع ٱلشَّيْخ زَايِد ٱلْكَبِيْر
View of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque from the courtyard, 2018
Religion
Affiliation
Islam
Location
Location
Abu Dhabi
Country
United Arab Emirates
Location within the UAE
Show map of United Arab Emirates
Coordinates24°24′43.2″N54°28′26.4″E / 24.412000°N 54.474000°E / 24.412000; 54.474000ArchitectureArchitectYusef AbdelkiStyleIslamicGroundbreaking1996Completed2007Construction costDhs2 billion (US$545 million)SpecificationsCapacity41,000+Length420 m (1,380 ft)Width290 m (950 ft)Dome82 domes of 7 different sizesDome height (outer)85 m (279 ft)Dome dia. (outer)32.2 m (106 ft)Minaret4Minaret height104 m (341 ft)Website
مركز جامع الشيخ زايد الكبير
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (Arabic: جَامِع ٱلشَّيْخ زَايِد ٱلْكَبِيْرJāmiʿ Aš-Šaykh Zāyid Al-Kabīr) is a mosque located in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates.[1] It is the country's largest mosque, and is the key place of worship for daily Islamic prayers. There is a smaller replica of this mosque in Surakarta, a city in Indonesia.[2]
The Grand Mosque was constructed between 1994 and 2007 and was inaugurated in December 2007.[3] The building complex measures approximately 290 by 420 m (950 by 1,380 ft), covering an area of more than 12 hectares (30 acres), excluding exterior landscaping and vehicle parking. The main axis of the building is rotated about 12° south of true west, aligning it in the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The project was launched by the late president of the U.A.E., Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who wanted to establish a structure that would unite the cultural diversity of the Islamic world with the historical and modern values of architecture and art.[4] In 2004, Sheikh Zayed died and was buried in the courtyard of the mosque.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center (SZGMC) offices are located in the west minarets. SZGMC manages the day-to-day operations and serves as a center of learning and discovery through its educational cultural activities and visitor programs. The library, located in the northeast minaret, serves the community with classic books and publications addressing a range of Islamic subjects: sciences, civilization, calligraphy, the arts, and coins, including some rare publications. The collection comprises material in a broad range of languages, including Arabic, English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Korean. For two years running, it was voted the world's second favourite landmark by TripAdvisor.[5]
The Grand Mosque has been a significant destination for visiting foreign leaders during official state visits to the UAE. Notable visitors include Elizabeth II,[6] the then US Vice President Joe Biden[7] and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.[8]
Design and construction
[edit]
The mosque was built under the guidance and supervision of Sheikh Zayed, who was buried here after his death in 2004. It features 82 domes, more than 1,000 columns, 24-carat-gold gilded chandeliers and the world's largest hand-knotted carpet. The main prayer hall is dominated by one of the largest chandeliers. The mosque was designed under the management of the Syrian architect Youssef Abdelke, and three other architectural designers from Syria who completed the design and worked on developing it, Basem Barghouti, Moataz Al-Halabi, and Imad Malas.[9]
The mosque's architect Yusef Abdelki took inspiration from a number of sources: the Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque in Alexandria, designed by Mario Rossi in the 1920s;[10] the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan;[11] and other references of Persian, Mughal, and Indo-Islamic architecture. The dome layout and floorplan of the mosque was inspired by the Badshahi Mosque. Its archways are quintessentially Moorish, and its minarets classically Arab.
In a joint-venture between Italian contractors Impregilo and Rizzani de Eccher, more than 3,000 workers and 38 sub-contracting companies were conscripted in its construction. The mosque was completed under a second contract by a Joint Venture between ACC and Six Construct (part of Belgian company BESIX Group) between 2004 and 2007.[12][13][14] Natural materials were chosen for much of its design and construction due to their long-lasting qualities, including marble stone, gold, semi-precious stones, crystals and ceramics. Artisans and materials came from many countries including Syria, especially from Damascus and Aleppo, and some other countries such as India, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia, Iran, China, United Kingdom, New Zealand, North Macedonia and the U.A.E.[citation needed] The intricate flower mosaics decorating the courtyard was designed by the British artist Kevin Dean, who embraced Sheikh Zayed’s passionate vision to create a mosque that unites the world, as he chose flowers from the Middle East, such as Tulips, Lilys, and Irises. As inlays of colored marble form exuberant floral patterns that curl and twist gracefully from the edges towards the center adorn the courtyard. While the rest of the Sahan was inlaid with thousands of small pieces of white marble.
Dimensions and statistics
[edit]
The mosque is large enough to accommodate over 40,100 worshippers, while the main prayer hall can hold over 7,000. There are two smaller prayer halls, with a capacity of 1,500 each, one of which is the women's prayer hall.[1]
There are four minarets on the four corners of the courtyard which rise about 107 m (351 ft) in height. The courtyard, with its floral design, measures about 17,000 m2 (180,000 sq ft), and is considered to be the largest example of marble mosaic in the world.[1] The exterior and interior are adorned with white marble, giving the mosque a serene and majestic appearance. The marble is inlaid with precious stones like lapis lazuli, carnelian, amethyst, abalone shell, and mother of pearl.
Marble used in the construction included:
Sivec from Prilep, North Macedonia was used on the external cladding (115,119 m2 (1,239,130 sq ft) of cladding has been used on the mosque, including the minarets)
Lasa from Laas, South Tyrol, Italy was used in the internal elevations
Makrana from Makrana, India was used in the annexes and offices
Acquabianca and Bianco P from Italy
East White and Ming Green from China[1]
To compare, the King Faisal Mosque of Sharjah, formerly the largest mosque in Sharjah[15] and country, measures 10,000–12,000 m2 (110,000–130,000 sq ft).[16][17]
Architectural features
[edit]
The carpet in the hall is considered by many [by whom?] to be the world's largest carpet made by Iran's Carpet Company and designed by Iranian artist Ali Khaliqi.[18] It measures 5,627 m2 (60,570 sq ft), and was made by around 1,200-1,300 carpet knotters. The weight of this carpet is 35 ton and is predominantly made from wool (originating from New Zealand and Iran). There are 2,268,000,000 knots within the carpet and it took approximately two years to complete.[1]
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Chandelier
The Grand Mosque has seven imported chandeliers from the company Faustig in Munich, Germany that incorporate millions of Swarovski crystals. The largest chandelier is the second largest known chandelier inside a mosque, the third largest in the world,[clarification needed] and has a 10 m (33 ft) diameter and a 15 m (49 ft) height.[1]
The pools along the arcades reflect the mosque's columns, which become illuminated at night. The unique lighting system was designed by lighting architects Speirs and Major Associates to reflect the phases of the moon. Beautiful bluish gray clouds are projected in lights onto the external walls and get brighter and darker according to the phase of the moon.[19]
The 96 columns in the main prayer hall are clad with marble and inlaid with mother of pearl, one of the few places where one can see this craftsmanship.[citation needed]
The 99 names (qualities or attributes) of God (Allah) are featured on the Qibla wall in traditional Kufic calligraphy, designed by the prominent UAE calligrapher — Mohammed Mandi Al Tamimi. The Qibla wall also features subtle fibre-optic lighting, which is integrated as part of the organic design.
In total, three calligraphy styles — Naskhi, Thuluth and Kufic — are used throughout the mosque and were drafted by Mohammed Mandi Al Tamimi of the UAE, Farouk Haddad of Syria and Mohammed Allam of Jordan.[1]
View from Wahat Al Karama
Exterior
Water mirror and columns
Inner courtyard with minaret
Interior of the main prayer hall
The mosque in 2022
The mosque at night
Outside of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (left)
Mosque walkway
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque At Night
See also
[edit]
List of mosques in the United Arab Emirates
List of cultural property of national significance in the United Arab Emirates
Qasr Al Watan
The Founder's Memorial
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Fujairah
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan's Mosque in Stockholm, Sweden
Emir Abdelkader Mosque
References
[edit]
^ abcdefg
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External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sheikh Zayed Mosque.
The Official Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center website
The Official Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority website
Shah, Pino (2020-03-14). Rood, Carrie (compiler) (ed.). Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: Heaven's Waiting Room. Vol. 1 (of World Heritage Series). Pharr, Texas, the U.S.A.: ArtByPino.com. ISBN 978-0-9979-9844-3. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
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We booked this as a surprise for my son's birthday and we nailed it - he loved the thrill of the helicopter ride itself, but also the spectacular views from above. The pilot was very friendly and knowledgeable. We learned so much more about Abu Dhabi than we would have ever done from walking around - and the views from above of the Mosque and of the palaces are unmatched.It is MUST experience in Abu Dhabi.
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
