The main tourist attraction, the first shrine of the locals stands in the heart of Fujairah City. The largest mosque in the emirate and the second largest in all of the UAE, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was erected in 2015. Since then, it has won the love of the world with its white pristine beauty. Even though only faithful Muslims can enter the mosque, thousands of tourists gather here every year to pay tribute to this holy abode and take the best photos with it.
Hundreds of architects from all over the Islamic world took part in a huge competition, each of them dreaming of creating a fantastic project that would cost more than 50 million dollars. After the 700-days construction, the magnificent sacral monument of architecture opened its doors, and His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi said his first prayer within its walls. The new majestic mosque, like its famous «relative» in Abu Dhabi, was named after the founding father of the UAE, the great Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The mosque of white marble and granite skillfully combines Moorish and Ottoman styles. The magnificent construction covers a huge area of about 40,000 square meters. Sixty-five domes and six slender minarets, reaching a height of about 100 meters, can be seen from almost every point in the city. Besides, its dazzling white color reflects hundreds of rays of the high southern sun. It can accommodate up to 28,000 worshippers and around 14,000 people at a time in its delightful courtyard gardens with fountains.
The walls of the mosque's main entrance are elegantly painted with verses from the Koran aimed at rejuvenating the souls of all faithful Muslims. Some windows are decorated with colorful stained glass. And the carpet of the main prayer hall resembles a wonderful flowering garden. The upper levels are decorated in red and gold, indicating the mosque's close connection with the royal family.