Finally found a moment to visit the Blue Mosque or the Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque as it is actually named. There is not much out there in the way of information on tours so we took a chance one morning and were thrilled to be shown round. I tried to obtain more information from the guide but I don't think it is set in stone like the Sheikh Zayed Mosque tours. I suggest 10-10.30 am is a good time to go there although when we finished at around 11.30 the guide took a group of French tourists round just before mid day prayer. Although I prefer that type of architecture I think the tour itself is not as informative as the one at Sheikh Zayed Mosque, that may be because tours are a relatively new thing. Guests will be lent abayas and khandouras if needed. There is an art to wearing the veil which I have still not mastered, next time I will bring hair clips to keep it in place.
When you live in Dubai and when, in my case, you are married to a muslim you learn the basics of Islam quite quickly and so I would prefer to move up a class and learn something new but I suppose it has to remain basic for the tourists and those who know nothing of Islam.
Not much was said of the benefactors of the Mosque, in this case funded by businessman Khalef Al Habtoor, read more here and here
I feel it is so important to remember that it is only with the grand ideas and gestures of such individuals that heritage is born. Here or anywhere else in the world.
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| Centre dome and Mihrab at the back |
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| Centre ceiling |
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| Ceiling |
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| Intricate hand cut glazed mosaic work |
The mosque is certainly beautiful, in particular I love the white and blue of its outside. It is inspired by 17th century Sultan Ahmed Mosque aka Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The doors we were told are bronze, I am not entirely certain of this but the design itself is charming. There are lots of beautiful details of Ottoman and Andalusian influence. The plasterwork was produced, on site, by a team of 60 skilled crafstmen from Fez, Morocco.
Like all mosques there is a wonderful sense of calm inside and around the grounds, a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of Dubai.
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| Bronze door |
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