text: The ornate Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is so spectacular that more than 400,000 devout worshippers make the pilgrimage to Abu Dhabi to pray during the annual Eid celebrations. And British photographer Julian John is equally as captivated by the incredible interiors of the biggest mosque in the Middle East. Now living abroad, John visits the intricately designed prayer halls as frequently as possible to snap photographs of what he believes to be 'the jewel in the United Arab Emirates' crown.' Scroll down for video . The breathtaking Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, is the biggest in the Middle East . British amateur photographer Julian John has long been fascinated with the impressive structure and its incredible interiors . Teaching assistant Julian, originally from Brighton, Sussex, but living in the UAE capital for the last four years, is planning an exhibition of his epic photos. Julian said: 'For me, it is the Jewel in the United Arab Emirates' crown. 'It has been described as a masterpiece of Islamic architecture and is truly a modern wonder of the world. 'It is beautiful and serene and the attention to detail is breathtaking with craftsmen from all around the world instrumental in making it so spectacular.' Calling the Grand Mosque the 'jewel in the United Arab Emirates' crown,' John has been snapping photos of it for four years . While the interiors are beautiful, the courtyard is a sight to be seen in and of itself, featuring the world's largest marble mosaic . As well as the stunning courtyard, which features the largest marble mosaic in the world at 180,000 square feet, Julian has also snapped the impressive exterior. The four 350-ft tall minarets, which can be seen across the Abu Dhabi skyline, are lit up in dramatic style against the cloudy skies in one of the photographer's incredible shots. Julian, who uses a Nikon D800 camera with Nikon 24-70mm and the Tamron 70-200mm lenses, was inspired to take up his hobby four years ago when he first moved to the Middle East. He has since set up a photography class at the international school where he works. The mosque's four 350-ft tall minarets, another of John's favourite features, look incredible lit up along the Abu Dhabi skyline . 'There are so many photographic opportunities that you're almost spoiled for choice,' the amateur photographer and teacher explains . The gorgeous structure took almost 10 years to build - and more than 30,000 workers - and was only completed in 2007 . Julian said: 'There are so many aspects to the Grand Mosque from stunning interiors to domes and minarets and fountains to the beautiful pillars with inlaid flowers. 'There are so many photographic opportunities that you are almost spoiled for choice. 'As long as I live in Abu Dhabi, I will always visit the Grand Mosque and continue to photograph it.' The towering structure took almost 10 years to build with more than 30,000 workers starting work on the site in 1996. It was not completed until seven years after the millennium in 2007.
target: The largest mosque in the Middle East, the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is as stunning on the inside as the outside .
  Amateur British photographer Julian John visits the prayer halls as often as he can to capture their ornate beauty .
  The impressive structure took almost 10 years to build and over 30,000 workers, only reaching completion in 2007 .