The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a must see attraction in Abu Dhabi. If you are thinking of visiting this beautiful mosque here are 10 tips to make the most of your visit and have a great experience. Even if you have visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the past, a few things have changed in the last few years.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.This means if you make a purchase using one of these links we may earn a small commission. As always thank you for your support.
Admission to the mosque is free. Free guided tours are available.
Visiting hours are normal on Saturdays and Thursdays. The mosque is open from 9:00am to 12:00pm and from 3:00pm to 10:00pm on Fridays.
Make sure to check the official website if you want to visit during the month of Ramadan.
Cultural tours are offered at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The tours are led by SZGMC guides who explain the architecture and Islamic culture to the visitors.
The tours last for 30 and 45 minutes. If you show up at the beginning of the tour, you don't have to register. The link to the mosque's website is here. The mosque has a sign that tells you when the next tour is.
If you can, take the tour if you can. The tour gives you the chance to visit parts of the mosque that are not open to the public.
We were allowed to walk on the carpet in the Main Prayer Hall while other people were not allowed in.
Visitors are expected to follow the dress code which is posted on the mosque website and is strictly enforced.
A headscarf is required for women to wear long loose fitting trousers, dresses or skirts. Men can't wear shorts or sleeveless shirts.
The mosque used to give women abayas, but that is no longer the case. If you're not covered up, you can buy an abaya at the store on the way to the mosque.
Visitors don't have to remove their shoes when walking on the outside grounds of the mosque. Unless you are on a guided tour, shoes are not allowed in the mosque.
Unless you are going to the Grand Mosque after sunset, you need to bring sunglasses. The sun reflects off the white marble at the mosque which makes it bright.
If you've been to the mosque in the past, you'll see that it has changed a lot.
You can get to the mosque by entering through a glass dome, taking an escalator down, and then walking through an underground passageway to another glass dome. You will need a ticket from one of the kiosks to get through the metal detector at the end of the passageway.
It takes at least 10 minutes to walk through the underground passageway and reach the mosque from the entrance. If you want to get to the mosque in time for a tour or the sunset, you should allow enough time to walk. If you can't walk on your own, there are several airport style people moving to help you.
Visitors are not allowed to bring food or drinks to the mosque in order to make sure the mosque is not damaged.
You don't have to worry about dehydration when visiting the mosque because there are water fountains.
If you need to eat before or after visiting the mosque, several restaurants are located in the underground passage way that connects the mosque to the entrance.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is an active place of worship and should be respected and followed the rules. Don't make gestures, sit or lie on the ground, or take disrespectful photos, as well as adhering to the dress code. The singer was asked to leave the mosque for taking pictures that were not appropriate.
There are a lot of security guards walking around the grounds making sure the rules are followed.
There is a sign at the mosque.
It's best to visit in the morning after the mosque opens or before the sun goes down. It can get very hot in the middle of the day, so avoid it.
The golden hour before sunset is one of the best times to take photos of the mosque because the light is soft and you can stick around to take pictures.
I ended up visiting twice, the first time before sunset and the second time in the morning, because I didn't know which time to go. I think both times were good.
The mosque is located around sunset. The mosque was crowded with tourists and the lighting was good. The courtyard in front of the mosque is closed to the public so you can't take a photo with other people in it.
I wasn't able to take many photos during the golden hour before sunset because I was inside the mosque for part of the time.
The mosque is open in the morning After the mosque opened at 9am the next day, it was less crowded and we stopped by again. The temperature did not feel as hot as it did during the day. There are pictures of the mosque in the morning.
The mosque looks different at different times of the day. If you have time, you can visit in the morning and at sunset.
About halfway between the Abu Dhabi Airport and the Corniche, is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. You can take a taxi to the mosque if you are staying in Abu Dhabi.
You can go to the mosque if you stay in the city. It will take at least twice as long as driving if you take the bus and transfer there.
You can either rent a car, take a taxi, or book a private transfer from the mosque, which is about 90 minutes away.
If you have 1 or 2 people, a guided day tour might be a better value than a taxi. The mosque is visited by a few day tours from the city.
Hopefully these tips will give you a good idea of what to expect when visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
