Discover the Abrahamic Family House: A TIME-Recognised Must-Visit Destination In Abu Dhabi
The Abrahamic Family House has been recognised in TIME Magazine's annual list of the World's Greatest Places, which showcases 100 remarkable destinations to visit and stay. This recognition highlights the site's significance and appeal.
To create this list, TIME gathered nominations from its global network of correspondents and contributors. They considered places offering new and exciting experiences, including hotels, cruises, restaurants, attractions, museums, and parks.
According to TIME, "Abu Dhabi's Abrahamic Family House, combining a mosque, synagogue, and church aiming to promote mutual understanding, feels more important than ever. Opened to the public in March 2023 with a focus on peaceful coexistence and inter-faith learning and dialogue, the centre is also an active place of prayer for the United Arab Emirates' Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities, hosting more than 250,000 worshippers and visitors in its first year and upward of 250 community events."
A Unique Interfaith Complex
The Abrahamic Family House was unveiled in 2019 as part of the UAE's 'Year of Tolerance’. It consists of three cubic buildings representing a Jewish synagogue (Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue), an Islamic mosque (Imam Al-Tayeb Mosque), and a Catholic church (His Holiness Francis Church). These structures form an interfaith complex designed to foster mutual understanding.
Located in Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Cultural District on Saadiyat Island, the complex spans 6,500 sq m. Each building is a cube measuring 30 metres but can accommodate different numbers of worshippers. The church seats 300 people in pews; the synagogue holds 200 due to the central Bimah; the mosque fits 322 people shoulder to shoulder.
Visiting the Abrahamic Family House
The Abrahamic Family House welcomes individuals from diverse backgrounds to exchange knowledge and practice their faith. It encompasses a mosque, a church, a synagogue, and a Forum for gathering and dialogue.
The three houses of worship are designed of equal stature, size and materiality to eliminate any sense of hierarchy. The three structures border an elevated landscaped garden that becomes a shared space for gathering and connection.
The Mosque is oriented towards Mecca, the Church towards the East and the Synagogue towards Jerusalem.
Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque
The Mosque's namesake is the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb.
ُThe mosque honours many features of traditional mosques, while also achieving harmony with the neighbouring Church and Synagogue.
The Mosque's exterior is made up of seven arches, reflecting the importance of the number seven in Islam. The Mosque's main internal architecture consists of nine ascending vaults, each rising to form a sail vault at their apex.
One of the most widely admired features of Islamic architecture is the mashrabiya: a screen or wall of delicate latticework designed to allow the light to filter through. It is carefully calibrated to preserve the privacy of those inside whilst also maintaining a connection with the outside world. А series of more than 470 operable panels аre individually finished by hand.
St. Francis Church
The Church is dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi, a 13th century friar who dedicated himself to a life of radical poverty. The Church faces the direction of the rising sun, as light is considered symbolic of divinity. Its forest of columns is orientated in this direction to maximise the eastern light and emphasises verticality to express the concepts of incarnation (or descent) and resurrection (or ascent) that are central to the Christian faith.
The timber battens are inspired by rays of light and reference the altar at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. More than 13,000 linear metres of timber form the Church's vaulting.
Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue
The Synagogue's name honours the 12th century Jewish philosopher Moses Ben Maimon.
The Synagogue symbolises the traditional shelter for prayer. It includes a crisscross diagrid façade and soffit which represent the palm trees used to build a Sukkah, which is used as shelter during Sukkot, the Festival of Shelter. It provides protection from the sun and allows the stars to be seen at night.
The bronze chainmail represents the tent-like structure of the Sukkah, and the skylight references a chuppah, a temporary structure used during Jewish marriages for the couple to stand under fabric beneath a sea of stars.
Visitors can reach the site via public transport or car/taxi. Public bus route 94 drops visitors at Gate B. For those driving from Abu Dhabi City or Dubai on E11 or Yas Island, Google Maps provides directions to the Main Entrance and Parking. Free parking is available on site.
Visitor Guidelines
There is a dress code for visitors. Clothing should cover from neck to elbows to ankles. Tight clothing should be avoided. Women must cover their heads when entering both the mosque and synagogue. Scarves are available at the Welcome Centre Reception Desk if needed.
This interfaith complex stands as a testament to Abu Dhabi's commitment to tolerance and understanding among different religious communities.
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