The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, which took 11 years to design and build with inspiration from Mughal, Ottoman, and Persian architecture, welcomed 4,379,258 worshippers and visitors in the first half of this year. This marks a 31% increase from the same period last year. This total includes 1,765,698 worshippers and those observing fasting, 2,584,425 visitors, and 29,135 users of the jogging track.
During the first half of the year, the mosque hosted 149,666 worshippers for Friday prayers, 348,573 for daily prayers, and 617,458 for prayers during Ramadan, Eid Al Adha and Eid Al Fitr.
On 5 April, the 27th day of Ramadan, the mosque recorded its highest attendance ever, with 87,186 worshippers, including 70,680 who observed the special 27th night of Ramadan.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre strengthened its global cultural tourism position, with 81% of visitors coming from outside the UAE and 19% being residents.
Asia was the top region for visitors, accounting for 52%, followed by Europe at 34%, North America at 7%, and Africa and South America each at 3%. Australia had the smallest share at 1%.
Among the top countries, India led with 22% of the total visitors, followed by China with 11% and Russia with 8%. Germany and the USA each contributed 4%, while France, Italy, the UK, and Pakistan each made up 3%. The Philippines accounted for 2%.
The highest number of visitors was recorded on the second day of Eid Al-Fitr, with 32,722 people.
Recently, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque has been recognised as a leading global cultural and historical landmark due to its numerous initiatives and projects. According to the 2024 TripAdvisor report, this iconic Abu Dhabi landmark has secured top global rankings as one of the most esteemed cultural and historical sites.