The house that three faiths built

A mosque, synagogue and church will make up the Abrahamic Family House facility 

“[it is]… a powerful metaphor, this safe space where community, connection and civility combine.”Sir David Adjaye, architect.

The Middle East’s newly unveiled plans for an interfaith complex in Abu Dhabi is a beacon of unity. 

The huge facility, dubbed the Abrahamic Family House, will feature a mosque, a church and a synagogue, all with separate buildings that share the same basic shapes, but the orientation and façade of each reflecting the religious, cultural and spiritual histories. The buildings share a garden, underground museum and education centre. 

The plans were prompted by Pope Francis’s visit to the UAE in February last year, where he met with the Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb to discuss interfaith harmony. The resulting A Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together asks leaders to “work strenuously to spread the culture of tolerance and of living together in peace.”

The facility is due for completion in 2022 – read more about the Abrahamic Family House here.