TheGrand Mosque (Arabic:مسجد دبي الكبير) is amosque inDubai,Emirate of Dubai,United Arab Emirates. It is located between the textilesouk and theDubai Museum close to a small stream in theBur Dubai area. Originally built in 1900, demolished and built again in 1960, it then underwent a further rebuilding in 1998 (the present one). It now holds up to 1,200 worshippers. Non-Muslims are permitted to enter the Mosque daily from Sunday to Thursday from 9 AM to 11:30 AM for free tours.[1][2] The mosque is the hub of Dubai's religious and cultural life.[3]
The mosque was originally a school devoted to study of theQur'an, known as akuttab, which welcomed its first students in the year 1900 to learn the Qur'an by rote.[2] This building was replaced by a new mosque on the same site in 1960, which in turn was itself rebuilt in 1998, closer in style to the original of 1900.[1][4] This mosque is one of the largest in Dubai and is dominant edifice in the old city.[1]
The tallest feature of the mosque is the 70-metre (230 ft)minaret, the tallest in Dubai, which resembles alighthouse. The sandy-grey walls are generally unadorned, but there is a large Quranic inscription inlaid above the five columns of the entrance facade, which sit at the top of a short flight of six steps.[1][4] The 45 small and nine larger domes with the tall minaret cover the roof of the Grand Mosque.[1] The wooden windows are fitted with hand-made stained glass and blend well with the old town of Bur Dubai, and its minaret is designed inAnatolian architectural style. Visitors to the mosque are advised to dress conservatively.[2] The mosque has a capacity of up to 1,200 worshippers.[5] Nearest metro station isAl Fahidi.
