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INSIDE WORLD'S THIRD BIGGEST MOSQUE
1 March 2024
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Abu Dhabi, where the first-ever Hindu temple was inaugurated by PM Modi, also hosts the world's third largest mosque
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The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is Abu Dhabi's star attraction, attracting millions each year
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According to CNN, the work on the mosque started in 1996 and took 12 years to complete at a cost of $545 million
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It is spread across 22,412 square metres, covering an area equivalent to nearly four football fields
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The mosque holds more than 40,000 worshippers and has three Guinness World Records
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The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque has 82 white marble domes and 1,096 exterior columns, said the CNN report
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It also has 96 jewel-encrusted internal columns and seven 24-carat gold plated Swarovski crystal chandeliers
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The mosque is named after the UAE's first president, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who conceived the idea
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The spectacular monument was designed by Syrian architect Yousef Abdelky who got inspiration from Persian, Mughal and Moorish architecture
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