Grand Mosque, Bur Dubai

Look up. The minaret in front of you, about 70 metres tall, is the tallest in Dubai, and for centuries a tower like this was the highest thing you could see when arriving along the Creek. Here, religious architecture shaped the skyline long before the skyscrapers did.

1From school to grand mosque

This site has a long history of prayer and learning. Around 1900 a first mosque was built here that also served as a Quranic school, the kuttab, where local children learned to read and recite the Quran sitting on the floor. In 1960 that building was replaced by another, and in 1998 it was rebuilt once more, this time in a style closer to the original.

2Domes and Friday prayers

The roof is covered by 54 domes: nine large and 45 small. Because of its size, the mosque became the main venue for Friday prayers in Bur Dubai, and today it gathers worshippers from very diverse backgrounds, a reflection of a city where the vast majority of residents are foreigners.

Mosque, fort and souk side by side: the classic pattern of power, faith and trade in the towns of the Gulf.

Access to the interior for non-Muslim visitors is limited, so it is best enjoyed from outside and with respect, especially at prayer times.

3What to look for

• The minaret, which you can use as a landmark to find your way around the whole area.
• The 54 domes: try to tell the large ones from the small.
• The latticework on the windows, which filters light and heat.