Simply Abu Dhabi XXIX

1 0 5 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Verses from the Holy Quran are inscribed inside the mosque’s 82 domes, while the more than 1,000 columns in the arcade are embellished with golden palm fronts, inlaid floral patterns, and semi-precious stones, using techniques that date back to 16th-century Italy. The columns themselves are in the shape of palm trees, which have strong significance in the Emirates as symbols overcoming the harsh desert conditions to prosper in unity. Across the courtyard, constructed of 30 types of marble from all over the world, more inlaid flowers sprawl out over 17,000 square metres. As Baba Zayed envisioned, it is a product of a global union of artistic styles, materials, cultural influences, unified in the spirit of peace, brotherhood, and worship. In the main prayer hall of the Grand Mosque lies the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet, designed by Iranianmaster carpet maker, Ali Khaliqi. Amasterpiece of craftsmanship, the 5700- square metre carpet’s construction took 1,200 artisans from the Khorasan Province in Iran nearly two years to complete. The utterly vast carpet weighs 12 tonnes and comprises more than two billion individual, hand-tied knots. The dominant colour, green, was said to be Baba Zayed’s favourite colour. What’s more, like the palm tree, it holds significance in the Emirates as a symbol for rich and abundant life in the desert, while at the edges, a beige border evokes the sand around an oasis. Beyond being an artistic marvel and symbolic statement, the carpet was designed to serve a practical purpose as well: subtle raised lines across the surface help guide