Al Mushrif: Cathedral, Mosque & Park: a walk in Abu Dhabi

A short walk through Al Mushrif, where a cathedral and a mosque renamed for Mary stand side by side, ending with a lap of Umm Al Emarat Park's 1.2 km running track.

Best time: Morning or evening, outside prayer and Mass times. Walk from November to March. From May to September midday heat is dangerous, so walk only in the early morning.

The route, stop by stop

1
St Joseph's Cathedral
Seat of the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia; ~15 min.
Seat of the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia (present church 1983); the city's first church, from 1965, stood on land along the Corniche given by Sheikh Shakhbut. Pope Francis…
2
Mary, Mother of Jesus Mosque
Mosque renamed in 2017 for Mary; viewed from outside; ~10 min.
Built in 1989 as the Mohammed bin Zayed Mosque and renamed in 2017 to honour Mary as a sign of coexistence; it stands right beside St Joseph's Cathedral and St Andrew's Church.
3
Umm Al Emarat Park
Enter the park; walk the 1,200 m running track loop and visit the petting zoo; ~50 min.
Residents come to the former Mushrif Park (opened 1982, once women-and-children only) for a 1,200 m running track, an amphitheatre for outdoor concerts and film screenings, food…

Walking directions

Al Mushrif: Cathedral, Mosque & Park

The route, stop by stop

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