R. Doug Wicker's Blog, page 18

Fun Photo Friday —Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Favorites 3

Today I present the last of three Fun Photo Friday favorite shots of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Next week it’s on to our next Abu Dhabi attraction. Until then:

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

For additional information on the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque see:

● Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
● Mosques
● Domes
● Minarets
● Prayer halls
● Islamic architecture
● Abu Dhabi
● United Arab Emerates
● A...

Abu Dhabi — Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Part 6

Main prayer hall — Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

We’ll continue today and in this week’s Fun Photo Friday with a photographic tour of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. After that it will be time to move on to our next Abu Dhabi sight, which will take up another three weeks’ worth of articles. I’ve mentioned a few times now the ginormous hand-knotted prayer rug that fills the main prayer hall here. And in photos of it I may have left you with the impression that it’s predominently green. We’ll that’s not...

Abu Dhabi — Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Part 5

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

The interior views of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque are stunning, and there is much here to capture the interest of any photographer. Last Wednesday I showed you the largest handmade rug in the world, with over 2.25 billion hand-tied knots. I also showed you the third largest chandelier in the world, which also happens to be the second largest found in any mosque. Today I’ll show you more views of the rug and other chandeliers, as well as many other decorations throu...

Fun Photo Friday —Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Favorites 2

Minaret Framed

Here is today’s Fun Photo Friday selection of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque favorites:

For additional information on the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque see:

● Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
● Mosques
● Domes
● Minarets
● Prayer halls
● Islamic architecture
● Abu Dhabi
● United Arab Emerates
● Arabian Peninsula
● Middle East

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

Abu Dhabi — Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Part 4

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque main prayer hall and mihrab

Today we’re heading inside the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. If you thought the exterior was impressive, what until you see today’s photographs. We’ll start with the entrance hall, which leads into the main prayer hall. In the entrance hall you’ll find more marble, walls once again decorated in floral designs using semi-precious stone, and a seriously impressive chandelier.

The entryway into Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

The chandelier you s...

Abu Dhabi — Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Part 3

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

There are informational plaques along the collonades surrouding the courtyard. Today I’m presenting some of those plaques, as well as images of the features to which they refer. I’ll also show you more images of courtyard views, including this fun panoramic:

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque courtyard panoramic

Let’s begin our plaque tour with the 1096 columns running along the arcades:

Plaque describing the columns surrounding the courtyard The six-sided columns w...

Fun Photo Friday —Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Favorites 1

Ursula Checking Off Another Bucket List Item

Today I present the first of three Fun Photo Fridays featuring Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, as the first of six highlighting architectural wonders in Abu Dhabi:

For additional information on the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque see:

● Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
● Mosques
● Domes
● Minarets
● Prayer halls
● Islamic architecture
● Abu Dhabi
● United Arab Emerates
● Arabian Peninsula
● Middle East

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

Abu Dhabi — Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Part 2

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque complex entrance (right)

Today I’m going to take you into the courtyard of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque complex. Here you’ll get a glimpse of just some of the many reasons why this immense undertaking took some eleven years to complete. You’ll also get a sense of the meticulous detail that went into the design and decoration of this magnificent example of Islamic architecture. I’m also going to do something I’ve not done in a while. As there is so much to learn abou...

Abu Dhabi — Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Part 1

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emerates

Ursula and I left beautiful, cosmpolitan Istanbul, Turkey on 23 April 2024 and flew to our next destination. This next stop would take us deep into the Middle East, deposit us onto the Arabian Peninsula, and situate us into the United Arab Emerates. Specifically, we were now in the capital city of the UAE, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is the second largest city in the UAE and here Ursula was keen on visiting two particular sites — the ...

Fun Photo Friday — Topkapi Favorites 3

Topkapi Palace

Today’ Fun Photo Friday concludes our April visit to Istanbul, one of our favorite cities. Beginning next week it’s on to our next destination — Abu Dhabi.

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)