Kul Sharif Mosque: all about it

Where is the building of Kul Sharif, and why is it so popular among Muslim believers? Answers to the questions you will find in the materials of the article.

Where is it located?

The structure of Kul Sharif (from the Tatar word "Kol Shirif mchechet" or "Qol Şərif məçete") is the main jum-mosque, which is located in the city of Kazan (Republic of Tatarstan). To be more precise, this temple is located on the territory of the Kremlin (Kazan), where on Muslim holidays many believers come.

The history of Kazan mosque

In 1552 (or rather, October 2), the Russian army, led by Ivan the Terrible, burst into the city of Kazan. Despite the desperate defense of the Tatar army under the command of Seid Kul Sharif, in the course of fierce battles, the multi-purpose mosque was completely burned out. After the assault, all her defenders died, who became national heroes.

Features of the mosque

After a long time after the capture of Kazan, the Tatar philosopher, educator and scientist Mardzhani conducted his own research, during which he found out that once in the Kremlin there was a cathedral church. At the head of the mosque was Seid Sharifol, who enjoyed great respect and respect among other religious figures.

More than four hundred years ago, a magnificent elegant mosque adorned the city of Kazan. Her beauty was indescribable, and the library contained thousands of unique writings. As is known, in his study Sh. Mardzhani noted that this cathedral was not only a center of development of sciences, but also a center of religious dedication of the Middle Volga region of the XVI century. They named the Kazan mosque in honor of Seid Kul Sharif.

The decision to restore the mosque

After the destruction, many residents of Tatarstan dreamed of rebuilding Kul Sharif. But this happened only after the onset of democracy, when the public began to sharply raise the issue of building a once-lost building.

Thus, in 1995 the President of the Republic Shamiev Sh.M. signed the Decree on the re-creation of the mosque Kul Sharif. In the winter of the same year, a contest was announced for the best project. The place under this building was determined where the cadet school was once located.

In the spring of 1996, the contest was successfully completed, and in the summer, President of the Russian Federation Boris N. Yeltsin arrived in Kazan, who approved the construction, and even promised to allocate money for this.

Building

The new mosque in Kazan Kul Sharif, or rather, its architectural design was carried out by a large team, which won the republican contest. They included such specialists as Latypov Sh. Kh., Sattarov AG Safronov MV. And Sayfullin IF

The construction of the new building was mainly carried out on donations, in which about 40 thousand ordinary citizens and organizations took part. The cost of this project was estimated at 400 million rubles (estimated at about 500 million rubles).

As a result of long and hard work, the new multi-purpose mosque was completely completed in 2005 (to the 1000th city of Kazan). Kul Sharif opened for visitors in the summer, June 24.

New mosque

The newly built mosque is not just the most important mosque in Kazan, but it is also one of the largest in Europe. Today Kul Sharif is a symbol of the Republic of Tatarstan and its multi-million-dollar capital. The mosque is one of the national images and an attractive center for all Muslims in the world. One can not ignore the fact that not so long ago it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Architecture

The architects completely restored the structure of the building, trying to convey the beauty and grandeur that the temple possessed before the Russian troops arrived in Kazan. The creators tried to return it to their native Tatar culture. The reconstruction of the structure was of great cultural and historical significance. It symbolized the revival of the Tatar statehood and the memory of the deceased defenders of the city.

The Kul Sharif mosque (photo of the building is presented in this article) consists of 4 main minarets, the height of which reaches 58 meters. The dome of the building was decorated with such forms, which are associated with decorative details and images of the "Kazan Cap" (the so-called crown of the Kazan khans, which was taken to Moscow after the fall of the city).

The architectural and artistic solution to the external appearance of the new mosque was achieved by specialists thanks to the development of those semantic elements that bring the appearance of the building closer to local Tatar traditions. Marble and granite for the construction of the structure were brought from the Urals. As for the interior decoration, it is as beautiful as the whole appearance of the mosque. The carpets were delivered and donated by the Iranian government, a crystal colored chandelier - up to five meters in diameter and weighing about 2 tonnes - was made in the Czech Republic. It is also worth noting that stucco molding, stained glass, gilding and mosaic add special beauty and beauty to the temple.

Inside the mosque, to be exact, on the left and on the right in relation to the main hall are two viewing balconies, which are intended for sightseeing visits.

The complex of Kul Sharif includes not only the religious building itself, but also a museum of history, as well as a room for holding such a wedding ceremonial rite as nikah, and the cabinet of the Imam.

The entire structure and its surroundings have a rather spectacular night illumination. By the way, the inner space of the mosque can accommodate about 1,5 thousand people. As for the square in front of the mosque, it is designed for ten thousand more believers.