Jumeirah Mosque

Jumeirah Mosque is one of the most photographed buildings in Dubai and one of the very few mosques in the city that non-Muslim visitors can enter. Construction began in 1975 and it opened in 1979. Built from white stone, it draws on the medieval Fatimid and Mamluk architecture of Cairo, with a central dome, two slender minarets and finely carved surfaces. It can hold up to 1,200 worshippers.

Visits are run by the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, whose motto is Open Doors, Open Minds. Tours take place every day except Friday at 10am and 2pm and last about an hour and a quarter. No advance booking is needed: registration opens 30 minutes before each tour at the mosque, and light refreshments are included. Inside, an Emirati host explains the architecture, demonstrates how prayer is performed and answers questions about Islam and daily life in the UAE. The question-and-answer part is often the most valuable, and nothing is off limits as long as it is asked respectfully.

Modest dress is required: arms and legs should be covered, women need to cover their hair, and shoes are removed before entering the prayer hall. Loose, long clothing is sensible in any case given the heat. Arrive early in the cooler months, when tours fill up with visitors from cruise ships and coach groups. Tours do not run at prayer times, which is why the schedule is fixed.

The tour suits curious travellers of any age, and it gives useful background for anyone visiting the region for the first time. Couples and families are welcome. If you only have time to see the building from outside, it is attractive at any time but particularly when it is lit after dark, and the street outside is a popular place for photographs.

The mosque is on Jumeirah Road in Jumeirah 1, opposite Palm Strip Mall, and a taxi is the easiest way to get there. The Etihad Museum, the J1 Beach seafront and the cafés along Jumeirah Road are close by. For a fuller picture of Emirati culture, combine the tour with a cultural meal at the centre's base in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.