Saturday, January 9, 2010

Mosques of Dubai

Dubai is a modern Islamic country, A tourist to Dubai must not miss the opportunity to see amazing Islamic architecture in the form of numerous mosques of the emirate. Although non Muslim tourists can not enter any mosque in Dubai other then the Jumeira Mosque the rest of the mosques must been seen to truly understand Dubai, its religion and its culture.

The Grand Mosque in Bur Dubai is home to the city's tallest minaret. It might appear to be a beautiful example of restoration work, but was in fact built in the 1990s in the style of the Grand Mosque, which dated from 1900 but was knocked down to make way for another mosque in 1960. Ah, the perils of progress, always perceived too late. But the new Grand Mosque's sand-colored walls and wooden shutters blend perfectly with the surrounding old quarter of Bur Dubai.

Other mosques are also worth a look, particularly the Jumeira Mosque , known for its size and elaborate design. The best time to see it is at night, when it is spectacularly lit up. The stunning Iranian Mosque has incredibly detailed blue mosaic work typical of Persian building design. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter mosques in the UAE.

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