Historic siteFree entry

Al Bidya Mosque

The UAE's oldest known mosque, around 1446: four domes on a single central pillar.

Address: Al Bidya, Dibba Road, Fujairah
Time to allow: 45 min
Website: tourism.fujairah.ae

What's special

★One of the UAE's oldest mosques, around 1446
★Four domes on a single central pillar
★Watchtowers on the hill nearby
★Free entry

A small mosque of stone and mud brick on the east coast, built around 1446 and long regarded as the oldest in the UAE. The prayer hall is only about 53 sq m, with four helical domes resting on a single central pillar. Two watchtowers stand on the hill nearby, with a view down to the mosque and the sea. Entry is free and the mosque is in use; non-Muslims may step inside outside prayer times.

Tips

Dress modestly: long sleeves and trousers, a headscarf for women, shoes off at the door. Do not enter during prayers. Climb up to the towers for the view over the mosque and coast.