UAE residents with Emirates ID to pay AED 5; international tourists AED 10 — Prayer visitors can enter free
Abu Dhabi: Visitors to the iconic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi will now have to pay an entry fee. The fee is AED 5 for UAE residents with an Emirates ID and AED 10 for international tourists. Entry remains completely free for those visiting the mosque for prayer. Visitors above 60 years of age, children below three, and people of determination are also exempt from the fee. Those planning to visit can book their tickets in advance, up to one month ahead, through the official website of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre.
From Saturday to Thursday, visiting hours are from 9am to 8:30pm. On Fridays, visitors can enter from 9am to 11:30am and again from 2:30pm to 8:30pm. A special cultural exhibition lasting around 30 to 45 minutes will also be available for visitors, highlighting the mosque’s history and its messages of tolerance and coexistence. During the first six months of 2026, the mosque welcomed 3.12 million visitors. More than 1.8 million came for prayer, while around 1.2 million were tourists from different countries. Asians accounted for 52% of visitors, with Indians making up the largest share at 21%.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the largest mosque in the UAE, was built as part of the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE. Its major attractions include 82 white marble domes and minarets, more than 1,000 columns, large crystal chandeliers and the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet.
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