Serenity, Spirituality and Swarovski at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Mosques, churches, monasteries, and temples – places of worship have, since their storied inception, been able to bestow an indescribable sensation on all those who enter. A sensation that goes far beyond what modern, ancient, record-breaking or even gravity-defying structures have ever been able to emanate or evoke.

The particular brand of magnificence that these houses of faith possess has proven time and time again that places honouring faith are uniquely capable of spreading a certain kind of grounded yet – at the same time – elevated sense of spirituality amongst followers of the same faith or otherwise. It’s the feeling of being connected, whether to a higher power, to oneself or to the world at large.

One such structure that renders all who venture into its premises speechless, embraced and enthralled by the powerful surrounding serenity, is Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

As one of the largest mosques in the world, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s brainchild intentionally and artfully blends different Islamic architectural schools – from Mameluke and Moroccan to Andalusian, Ottoman and Fatimid – in the spirit of embodying a monumental message of peace and tolerance.

Despite its 82 domes, over 1,000 columns, and 24-carat-gold gilded chandeliers, including one of the largest in the world, the mosque’s crowning jewel is, quite surprisingly, not one of precious stones but one of interwoven threads – the world's largest hand-knotted carpet, handcrafted by 1,200 artisans over a period of two years.