Mosques of the UAE: Blue Mosque's stepped design is just one of its many striking facets

The colour blue holds profound significance in Islamic aesthetics. From the vibrancy of sapphire to the calming softness of pastel or the rich and serene shade of midnight, across its many hues, blue has been used in Islamic architecture, clothing, art, pottery, ceramics, and even in designing and writing the Quran.

It’s a colour associated with the impenetrable vastness and depth of the universe, a concept that directly relates to the power and majesty of God’s creation.

Blue is also the colour one of the most distinct mosques in the UAE.

The Ali Mohammed Sadeq Albulushi Mosque, often referred to as the Blue Mosque, uses the colour in a variety of ways – for the structure and its interiors.

Located in Al Samha, Abu Dhabi, near the E11 highway, the mosque is also considered by many travellers between Dubai and Abu Dhabi as a half-way marker in their journey between the two cities.

Opened in 2017, it can accommodate about 2,000 worshippers, and includes a separate ladies prayer area.

One of the first noticeable elements of the structure is the contrast between the height of the two large minarets and the much lower stepped roof that has a comparatively smaller dome. Often in many mosques, the dome acts as the a central element of the structure, with its large shape and ornate design to draw the eye of the viewer in.

However, the Blue Mosque's the smaller dome draws attention to the negative space between the minarets and the much lower roof, particularly the elaborate and stepped design. This contrast proves more powerful and eye-catching at night, when the stepped roof and minarets are lit up in blue and their tips in a warm orange glow.

The mosque draws from modern design influences seen through the strong, clean geometric lines of the steps, as well as some traditional designs, such as the tall arched entry ways and the ornamentation of the minarets, which include eight pointed stars, hexagons and decagons. This combination creates an overall unique combination that makes the blue mosque a notable landmark, even when it is not lit up at night.

The six-stepped roof that sits on the base structure of the mosque also recalls an architectural element that was designed and used by various cultures in ancient Mesopotamia in modern day Iraq, which includes the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians and Assyrians.

Called ziggurat, the distinctive architectural structure is characterised by a stepped temple tower. These were monumental constructions that often featured a rectangular base that ascends in a series of levels or terraces, on top of which is a flat platform that often housed a shrine. In fact, the word ziggurat comes the Akkadian word ziqqurratum, which means to build high or height.

Ziggurat has influenced many contemporary architects, and elements of its design can be seen in varying structures around the world. The Blue Mosque, in particular, has very cleverly taken that concept and incorporated it within more traditional Islamic design, where the high flat platform is used as a base to build the mosque’s dome.

During the day, the mosque doesn't have a distinct blue colour, but the white stone used to build the mosque appears to have a blue pallor reflected from the blue in the sky, aided by the fact that the mosque sits unobstructed by any other buildings surrounding it.

The inside of the mosque is a visual feast that combines blue with gold and taupe accents, as well as plenty of wood. The wooden ceiling of the mosque is beautifully designed, following the ascending shape of the stepped roof. It includes graphic designs, which like the minarets of the mosque and entrance, include eight pointed stars, hexagons and decagons, all of which surround a large geometrical minimally designed chandelier.

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