Guards on horseback escorted Francis' tiny Kia car to approach the palace where a marching band, complete with bagpipers, was on hand for a red-carpet welcome at the massive, domed structure in Abu Dhabi.
The capital's powerful crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, welcomed Francis, the first pope to visit the Arabian Peninsula.
The highlight of Francis' day comes on Monday afternoon when he is to meet privately with a group of Muslim elders and then address faith leaders in a show of religious tolerance in a Muslim region known for its restrictions on religious freedom.
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His 40-hour trip to Abu Dhabi culminates on Tuesday with the first-ever papal Mass on the Arabian Peninsula - a gathering expected to draw some 135,000 people in a never-before-seen display of public Christian worship here.
