Over the years, satellites and astronauts have captured images that show the stunning architecture of mosques.
From striking views of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi to the largest mosque in Sharjah — these places of worship can be spotted in great detail from space.
Masjid Al Haram, the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, is perhaps the most photographed one from space. It is the largest mosque in the world and the most sacred site in Islam.
Hazza Al Mansouri, the first Emirati astronaut in space, shared an image of the mosque during his stay at the International Space Station in 2019.
“An incredible image of Makkah from the ISS,” he said on Instagram at the time.
KhalifaSat, the UAE’s first domestically built satellite, has been capturing images of mosques in the UAE and Saudi Arabia since it was launched in 2018.
“This image, taken by KhalifaSat, shows Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque characterised by its unique architecture featuring 82 domes, and more than 1,000 columns,” the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre tweeted in April of last year, along with a picture of the mosque.
Last year, the satellite also took a photo of the Sharjah Mosque, the emirate’s largest mosque.
The building opened its doors in 2019 and was inaugurated by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah.
Located in the Al Tay area of the emirate, it was built at a cost of Dh300 million.
“The fascinating domes of Sharjah Mosque from space. This photo, taken by KhalifaSat, shows the Sharjah Mosque which can accommodate more than 25,000 worshippers,” the space centre said on Twitter.
“The mosque is considered a unique model of Islamic architecture.”
