The story of Sheikh Zayed Mosque

The courtyard under your feet is considered the largest example of marble mosaic in the world: about 17,000 square metres, with coloured marble inlaid in curling floral patterns. British artist Kevin Dean chose flowers of the Middle East, such as tulips, lilies and irises.

This is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates, built between 1994 and 2007 and inaugurated in December 2007. The project was launched by the country's late president, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who wanted it to unite the cultural diversity of the Islamic world; after his death in 2004 he was buried in its courtyard. The mosque has 82 domes, more than 1,000 columns and four minarets about 107 metres high, and it can hold over 40,100 worshippers.

The main prayer hall holds what is considered the world's largest hand-knotted carpet, with more than two billion knots, made by around 1,200 to 1,300 knotters over about two years.