UAE National Day special: Look at the 7 iconic buildings in the 7 emirates

This architectural tour of the UAE’s seven emirates shows how confident change has often been combined with sensitive awareness of the country’s culture. These seven buildings illustrate how the nation is moving forward to an exciting future, very different from anything that could have been imagined when the country was founded. Above: Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque is Abu Dhabi’s most imposing building. It is the largest mosque in the UAE and the eighth largest in the world. The stunning detail in its four minarets, 82 domes and 1,000 columns make the building a work of art.

Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest building, 828 metres high, is visible everywhere in Dubai. It was opened in January 2010 and immediately became a global landmark and major tourist attraction. Its most popular feature is its observation deck, At the Top, the second-highest in the world at 452 metres.

Al Qasba, a 10,000-acre cultural and recreational destination, is the heart of Sharjah. It features a theatre, library, art centre, parks and lagoons and a kilometre-long canal with boats and bridges. This illuminated section showcases Al Qasba’s centrepiece, the 60-metre-high observation wheel, Etisalat-Eye of the Emirates.

Overlooking the creek on one side and the sea on the other, Umm Al Quwain Fort was the Ruler’s home before it became the headquarters of the emirate’s police force and eventually a museum. It now contains imports artefacts and collections of old jewellery and weapons.

Situated in the centre of town, Fujairah Tower dominates the city’s skyline. The modern, 46-storey, blue-tinted glass tower was the tallest building in the emirate for some years, and symbolizes the east coast emirate’s booming economy.

The astonishing Waldorf Astoria in Ras Al Khaimah was inspired by the palaces of the Arabian Peninsula. The 346-room luxury resort has two pools, an 18-hole golf course and a 350-metre private beach on the calm waters of the Arabian Gulf.

The stately white architecture of the Kempinski Hotel Ajman is a dramatic focal-point of the bustling city of Ajman and has become the social centre of the emirate, attracting visitors from all over the country.