DUBAI: The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi has been ranked among the world’s top 25 landmark attractions based on reviews and feedback by travelers.
The mosque in UAE’s capital shares the spotlight with noted places including the Taj Mahal in India, Machu Picchu in Peru and Petra in Jordan, according to UAE’s official news agency Wam.
“TripAdvisor recently named the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque as one of the world’s most talked about attractions,” Yousif Al Obaidli, Director General of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center told the news agency.
He was talking about the TripAdvisor’s 2013 Travelers Choice Awards announced recently.
“This is particularly pleasing as the rankings are solely based on reviews and recommendations by the vast TripAdvisor traveling community, thus confirming its place as one of the most important cultural tourism destinations,” he added.
“The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center offers services for worshippers, domestic and international visitors alike, all year round. In 2012, 4.7 million visitors were welcomed to the mosque from all over the world,” Al Obaidli said.
The mosque accommodates more than 40,000 worshippers – 10,000 in the internal areas and 30,000 in the external areas. –PTI