miss b loves....the Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi

I'm back from my travels! So many photos..... Let's start with the highlight of this trip .....Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque which has been on our must-visit list for so long...... 

So perfect against the cloudless blue sky!

Words and photos just cannot really convey the true beauty of this architectural work of art but I'll try ..... There was one word we couldn't stop repeating though......Wow!

We were immediately awestruck by the sheer size and spectacle of this stunning pure white marble covered mosque, one of the largest in the world with a capacity for 40,000 worshippers. 

There are so many unique and special elements ....The vast courtyard above with its floral design is considered to be the largest example of marble mosaic in the world....

An amazing 82 domes and over 1000 columns ....

The marble clad columns are inlaid with mother of pearl and semi-precious stones including amethyst, red agate and lapiz lazuli .....

 Inside the mosque there's a true sense of calm. One of the world's largest chandeliers hangs in the main prayer hall....10 metres in diameter and 15 metres high, gilded with 24 carat gold and adorned with millions of Swarovski crystals ........

The hand-knotted Iranian carpet is the largest in the world ...and it took 1200 artisans two years to make ...... beautiful and so soft and luxurious to walk on ....no shoes inside the mosque. 

The 96 columns in the main prayer hall are inlaid with mother of pearl ....exquisite!

There are seven imported chandeliers from the company Faustig in Munich, Germany but this blue vestibule chandelier really caught my eye.... definitely my favourite!

Built by the Italian company, Impregilo, materials for the mosque and artisans came from many different countries. Walls, windows and floors are all exquisitely decorated and the craftsmanship is so impressive.  

Visitors are asked to dress modestly but abayas for women and thawbs......for men can be borrowed free of charge. 

Stunning, reflective mirror pools surround the mosque and seem to enhance the beauty of the columns ..... 

Of course there were many visitors but we were still able to find and enjoy quiet, tranquil areas.

The mosque, built between 1996 and 2007, was the vision of Sheikh Zayed, the late President of the United Arab Emirates. The first ceremony at the mosque was actually his funeral and he is buried in the grounds.

So many photo opportunities .....

Time for a stroll around the manicured gardens ......

...before returning my abaya.....

........and as we turned to leave, there was one final... WOW!