The foyer before entering the mosque proper was simply stunning, and everybody was taking pictures. I couldn’t wait any longer to take this as I was already holding up the line of people waiting to get in. On the right is something resembling a lit up flower, which looks a bit out of place. It actually lists the six prayers that are said throughout the day along with the date according to both the Gregorian and Hijri calendars (close-up to come later).

The Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque can accommodate up to 40,000 worshippers, has four minarets, more than 80 domes and 1,000 pillars holding it all up. The interior has elements from Turkey, Morocco and the Taj Mahal exhibited in marble, gold, semi-precious stones, crystals and ceramics. It hosts the world’s largest Persian carpet, which took 2.000 artisans two years to complete and seven gold-plated crystal chandeliers. (Summary from Lonely Planet’s “Oman, UAE & Arabian Peninsula”)

The main picture is the scene one sees upon going through this door: