Kul-Sharif mosque in the Kazan Kremlin. The Kul Sharif Mosque in Kazan is a symbol of the religious traditions of Tatarstan

Address: Kremlevskaya street, 13

Opening hours: 9.00-19.30

Today, a magnificent architectural structure - the famous Kul-Sharif Mosque is perhaps the most important calling card of the city of Kazan. Located in a well-chosen location and installed in a very respectable angle, the white marble mosque is perfectly visible from anywhere in the city as far as 20 km away, as if floating above the walls of the ancient Kazan Kremlin.

Today, the mosque, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, has become a center of pilgrimage for Muslims from all over the world and one of the main tourist attractions of the city.

History of creation

In the 90s, the revival of previously lost religious historical buildings began in our country. Revived from the ashes and numerous new ones were built Orthodox churches, churches and cathedrals, and in Tatarstan, of course, along with the Orthodox, a whole scattering of Muslim religious buildings appears. Of course, the main structure of this type becomes one of amazing beauty. Kul Sharif Mosque, built on the western lands of the Kremlin memorial complex.

The mosque is being erected as a kind of monument to the tragic events of 1552, in October of which, during the storming of the Kazan fortress by numerous detachments of Ivan the Terrible, the majority of the bravely defending population died a heroic death in bloody battles. The spiritual inspirer of the city’s defense also died that day. Kul Sharif- rector of the main mosque of the Kazan Khanate.

Today he is listed as a direct descendant Prophet Muhammad and the mosque was named after him. For his time, Kul-Sharif was a well-educated person who knew many sciences, including astronomy, and was interested in history and politics.

All religious buildings of the Tatar Khanate, after the conquest of Kazan and the establishment of Moscow's power, gradually began to be destroyed, and in their place were erected orthodox churches and monasteries. The population was subjected to forced baptism. The unbaptized surviving Tatar population was evicted across the Bulak River, where a Tatarskaya Sloboda, preserving the Muslim traditions of the region.

In the 19th century, the famous Tatar educator and philosopher Sh.Marjani, as a result of his historical research, managed to lift the foggy veil of centuries and recreated the historical picture of the Tatar period of Kazan. He wrote that the Kazan Kremlin was once decorated main mosque, which was the center of Muslim education in the Volga region in the 16th century.

And now, four and a half centuries later, historical justice was restored. The main Muslim mosque has returned to the high Kremlin hill.

Architecture

The place for the construction of the most luxurious Kazan mosque was chosen very well. In the yard of the former cadet school, which remained behind the temple, and now zonally separates the territory of the mosque, in front are only the Kremlin walls and the descent from the Kremlin hill. The mosque seemed to soar with its minarets over the hill, becoming a city dominant.

The designers ideally fit the proportions of the mosque into the ensemble of the Kremlin white-stone citadel, built by Pskov craftsmen in the mid-16th century. In front of the mosque there is a large area that can accommodate holidays up to 10 thousand worshipers. It also contains Memorial stone dedicated to the foundation of the mosque, and Fire department b, built in the style of the mosque itself.

The construction of the most beautiful mosque in the city was carried out in 1996-2005, mainly on voluntary donations. In one of the halls of the mosque today you can see books in which everyone who contributed funds to this monumental construction of the century is written - which amounts to more than forty thousand organizations and individual citizens.

Precisely oriented mosque structure to Mecca, organized by two squares located relative to each other at an angle of 45 degrees. This is a repetition of the symbolic sign of Muslims - “the blessing of Allah.” The central eight-rayed domed mosque is surrounded by four 55-meter minarets.

The main dome, as conceived by its designers (Latypova Sh.Kh., Sattarova A.G., Safronov M.V. and Sayfullina I.F.) was supposed to look like "Kazan hat"- the legendary crown of the Kazan khans. The outside of the mosque is lined with white Ural slabs of marble and granite, and the central dome and the caps of the minarets are turquoise. Appearance mosques repeats the Bulgarian Al-Kabir Mosque- a symbol of Volga Islam before the period of the Kazan Khanate.

Traditional Muslim Bulgarian architectural architecture was used in the design of window and door openings. tulip motif, meaning rebirth and prosperity. The arches of the windows resemble Tatar yurts, and the multi-colored stained glass windows contain expressive Tatar ornaments and Arabic script.

The five-story building of the temple consists of three ground floors, a basement and a technical floor. Ground-based ones are available for visits, which have a spacious lobby, a prayer hall for 1.5 thousand people, two balconies for tourists, a publishing center, a museum-library and administrative premises.

The interior decoration of the mosque uses ceramics, painting, thread on wood and stone, Roman mosaic, verses Koran and 8 crescents. Many of the carpets decorating the interior were received as a gift from the Iranian authorities. And above the main hall of the mosque hangs a work of art - a Czech crystal chandelier, up to 5 meters in diameter and weighing more than 2 tons.

To enter and inspect the interior of the mosque, you need to follow only two basic rules of the faithful: take off your shoes when entering and cover your head. You can enter the mosque itself from the north, i.e. from the main prayer square,

and to visit Museum of Islam, you need to go around the mosque and enter from its south side.

The museum's exhibitions, located in two halls, will introduce you to the history of the Muslim religion itself, tell you about its penetration into the Volga region and its role in the life of public society.

You will also be able to examine religious Muslim attributes, for example, rosaries or items required for namaz (prayer). The museum stands display many editions of the Koran and books by famous Tatar educators.

Perhaps all Tatar pride is concentrated in the main temple of Tatarstan- the Kul Sharif cathedral mosque, which is located on the western side of the Kazan Kremlin. And, being passing through Kazan, we could not miss such a miracle that amazed us with its incredible beauty! You involuntarily ask the question: “Is this really Kazan?”

The high walls and main gates of the most impressive landmark of the city - the Kazan Kremlin - are clearly visible from afar. And behind the walls, as if hidden, but nevertheless visible are minarets with crescents and the towering dome of the Kul Sharif mosque.

The mosque seems to have just been built: it all sparkles and looks very modern, and the rich blue color, as it seemed to us, looks very fresh against the background of the Kremlin, which is painted in white.

The construction of Kul Sharif began in 1996 with the goal of restoring the legendary mosque, destroyed in 1552 by troops led by Ivan the Terrible. The temple is named after Seyid Kul-Sharif, and it can accommodate 1,500 people, while about 10 thousand more can be accommodated in the area in front of the mosque. The height of the four main minarets of the mosque is 58 meters. The low building near Kul Sharif is a fire department building, which they decided to stylistically link with the main building of the mosque: the dome is identical in color and shape, as well as the same marble trim.

The construction of the Kul Sharif mosque, the cost of which is estimated at approximately 500 million rubles, was carried out largely thanks to donations. About 40 thousand citizens and various organizations took part in donations. The opening of the mosque took place in 2005 on the 1000th anniversary of Kazan.

Of course, we also went inside. As with most temples, when visiting Kul Sharif, women should not wear skirts above the knees, and men should not wear shorts. Of course, it is customary to take off your shoes in mosques, but this is not necessary here, since shoe covers are sold at the entrance. In general, I think that this is a good solution not only for religious people, but also for local cleaners, because there are usually a lot of people here.

So, first of all, at the entrance you need to go through a metal detector. Then we find ourselves in the first hall, where under glass there is a miniature copy of the mosque with almost all the details. It’s a beautiful thing, so many people take pictures against the background of the layout.

To the right and left of the main hall there are two special viewing balconies. We, along with other visitors to the mosque, squeezed up the narrow stairs. Before the last flight of stairs we had to wait for a group of people to go down.

It immediately catches your eye blue color on a background of white marble and gold- the inscriptions, glass, huge chandeliers are designed here in these tones. The interior of the Kul Sharif mosque is very richly decorated with Roman mosaics, wood and stone carvings, and unique stained glass windows; a lot of gold embroidery.

And on the ground floor is located museum of islam, consisting of two halls. This museum contains collections of objects related to the history of Islam and Muslim culture of the Middle Volga region. The first hall is the history of religion and prophets. There are also books about the basics of religion, the primary sources of Islam, and so on. But the exhibition in the second hall talks mainly about the development of Tatar culture.

But the most unforgettable sight awaited us in the evening - mosque illuminated at night. In a word, a fairy tale!

The majestic building keeps its doors open for everyone who wants to come inside and touch the Tatar people. The main Tatarstan Juma mosque is also considered one of the largest in Europe. The area of ​​the attraction is 10,000 m2.

History of the Kul Sharif Mosque

The modern building of the main religious attraction of the Kazan Kremlin is not a historical structure. The famous Kul Sharif mosque in Kazan was destroyed in 1552 by the troops of Tsar Ivan the Terrible during an assault on the city. On the Tatar lands, only the glorious memory of the majestic building remains, and no one knows what it looked like in 1552. After many centuries, from 1996 to 2005, its restoration was carried out. The opening was timed to coincide with the millennium of Kazan.

History of the name. Imam Kul Sharif

The name was given as a memory of the last imam of Kazan, Kul-Sharif. He really lived during the time of the Kazan Khanate, this is evidenced by both historical chronicles and the memory of the people. For the Tatars, he was a great man, he was called "seid", which among Muslims means an honorary title for the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. Therefore, the name of the mosque after him is not surprising.

Construction of the Kul Sharif mosque

The architectural project was developed from scratch, since there was no information about what the building looked like in the 16th century. It is believed that it had eight minarets as a reminder of the eight provinces of Volga Bulgaria and was located on the site of a former cadet school. The Kazan Kul Sharif mosque was built mainly with donations from residents of Tatarstan and Russia. 400 million rubles - this is how much was spent on restoring the national pearl. On June 24, 2005, a religious complex was opened, which became a symbol of Kazan.

Description and architecture of the mosque

The building project was developed by architects Sh. Kh. Latypov, M. V. Safronov, A. G. Sattarov, I. F. Saifullin. They managed to emphasize the former grandeur of the destroyed mosque. It has 5 floors, including the basement and technical: on the ground floor there is a prayer hall for men, an imam's office, on the second there are observation platforms in the form of balconies for tourists and a prayer area for women. On the ground floor there is an Islamic museum, wardrobes, and ablution rooms. The mosque complex also includes a library and a publishing house. The small building with a blue roof near the mosque is the fire department building.

The façade of the building is lined with marble, granite, onyx and serpentine. Thanks to the blue color of the tops of the minarets and the dome, the religious landmark is popularly known as the “blue mosque”.

The height of each of the minarets and, accordingly, the mosque is 57 meters.

You can enter the prayer hall from the north side, and the Islamic Museum from the south.

The building's capacity is 1.5 thousand people, and the area in front of it can accommodate another 10 thousand worshipers. Green squares on the asphalt mark places for worshipers.

With the skillful hands of craftsmen, the landmark became not only a symbol of faith, but also a monument to the thousand-year-old traditions of the people. Inside you can see arches with verses and ornamental braids.

The architects did not forget about the glorious flower that signifies “rebirth” - the tulip. It can be seen in the window openings. Eight symbols of the Muslim faith - crescents - identify the eight minarets of the past.

The interior displays unique types of work and finishing. They were made in accordance with sixteenth-century technologies. Alabaster (ganch), wood and stone were used in construction. Everything was processed by hand. Also surprising are the gilded elements that enrich the main attraction of the Kazan Kremlin from the inside.

The beauty of the interior is enhanced by stucco, stained glass and mosaics.

The carpets on the floor of the mosque are a gift from the Iranian government, and the colored crystal chandelier weighing about two tons was made in the Czech Republic.

Cost and visiting rules

To visit the building, you need to follow some rules:

• closed clothing, head, whole body must be covered;
• no shoes, everyone takes off their shoes before entering the building, you can put shoe covers on your feet;
• during prayer, one must not disturb those praying; women cannot go to the men’s half; they pray on the second floor;
• You need to show tolerance towards the people around you who are believers. Do not rush them, do not make noise, do not take photographs of people during prayer;
• You can watch the people praying from one of two observation platforms for excursion groups and individual tourists.

Visiting the mosque itself is free, and for entry to the Museum of Islamic History, located on the ground floor, adults pay 50 rubles, students and pensioners - 40 rubles, schoolchildren - 20 rubles.

There are several fascinating facts about this attraction:

1. The attraction is not one continuous building, but a large complex. The central dome reaches a height of about 39 meters.
2. It was and is believed that Kul Sharif is the largest mosque in Europe, but this moment she is not.
3. The library contains a book with the names of everyone who donated money to restore the landmark.
4. The dome resembles a hat.
5. The museum, housed in two halls, was opened a year after the official opening of the complex, in 2006.
6. The decoration of the ceiling was done by Tatarstan artists on canvases, which upon completion were raised to the ceiling.
7. In the Kul Sharif mosque you can conduct nikah - Islamic marriage according to Sharia law. Due to the growing popularity of holding nikah within the walls of a building, it is recommended to choose a date at least 3 months before the event.

Address, opening hours, how to get there

The mosque is located on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin museum-reserve. You can visit the famous landmark either independently or during.

The main mosque of the city is open to the public from 9 am to 6 pm. Within a few hours you can explore all its attractions.

To get to the attraction, you need to take the metro and go to the Kremlevskaya station or public transport get to the “TSUM” or “Palace of Sports” stop.

A visit to the complex will leave many positive emotions and admiration for many years. Touch the centuries-old cultural heritage of Tatarstan, restored by talented builders, artists and architects of the republic.

What associations do you have when you hear the word “Kazan”? Tatars, the Kremlin, the capital’s magnificently celebrated millennium, unique in its architecture and unusual story Kul Sharif mosque. A city that contains not only a centuries-old history and years of bloody battles, but also unbreakable international friendship and interfaith unity. All this is united by the Kul Sharif mosque, which turned ten years old this year. You and I will take a virtual tour of it today and learn several secrets that were previously shrouded in darkness.

Only the lazy don’t know the history of the creation of the most significant and recognizable Tatarstan mosque.

Let's go back to the tragic year 1552, when Ivan the Terrible went to war against Kazan. Seyid Kul Sharif fought heroically for his native land, but died during the assault. His brainchild, a multi-minaret mosque, also perished, burned to the ground. The central mosque of the capital of the Kazan Khanate was completely destroyed, and the city itself lay in ruins, the fires did not stop. Only at the end of the 20th century was it decided to restore the famous mosque. And so, in 1995, the first president of Tatarstan, Mintimer Shaimiev, signed a Decree on the reconstruction of the mosque. A competition was announced, the results of which were announced the following year.

It is worth noting that architects from all over the world sent their works, but Kazan specialists won. From this day on, the whole people begin to live the legendary images of the mosque dear to their hearts. In the winter of 1996 it was laid down memorial sign. A year later, in the spring, the foundation of the mosque is laid. Interior design is underway for the next three years. And so in the summer of 2001, spiers and domes were installed on the mosque. The grand opening took place on June 24, 2005.

The new mosque became something special. This is not just the main mosque of Tatarstan and one of the largest mosques in Europe. This is not just a place for worship and connection with the Almighty. Kul Sharif has become a symbol of Kazan and the entire republic, an attractive place for Tatars from all over the world. The memories of the heroic defense of the mosque and its destruction are still alive in the memory of the people. The architects tried to recreate all the beauty of the unique mosque, to return it to culture and history. The reconstruction was based on two ideas. Firstly, the reconstruction of the legendary mosque was important point for Tatarstan, which has regained its statehood. In addition, this is a memory of the defenders of the Fatherland. The Kul Sharif Mosque is symbolic and has unusual shapes in its architecture, which only attract the eye even more and fascinate.

11 symbols and secrets shrouding the Kul Sharif mosque

1. The main symbol is the place chosen for the reconstruction of the mosque, as if at the prompting of the Almighty. The courtyard of the Junker School became the new home for the Cathedral Mosque. As it turned out later, the mosque bypassed all the failures, faults and landslides that abound in another part of the Kremlin. The entire complex is oriented towards Mecca with amazing precision. In addition, the school, military parade ground and barracks symbolize military strength. Now the Kul Sharif mosque rises here, as a symbol of the change of eras.

2. This is the only mosque with 4 minarets, against the traditional one for Tatar religious institutions. However, a team of architects who worked for many years to recreate the Cathedral Mosque complex tried to bring its artistic image closer to Tatar architecture. The dome of the mosque has a shape reminiscent of the image of the crown khans of Kazan.

3. Kul Sharif is not just a mosque, but a whole complex that includes a mosque, a memorial stone and an administrative building.

4. The Museum of Islamic Culture has been operating inside the mosque since 2006., one of the stands of which is dedicated to the five pillars of Islam, namely: Faith in Allah and that Muhammad is his messenger, prayer, eid, zakat and hajj.

5. The layout of the mosque itself is also interesting.. The plan is presented in the form of two squares intersecting at an angle of 45 degrees and representing the famous Muslim sign meaning “the blessing of Allah.”

6. The mosque is decorated with eight crescents, which corresponds to the number of minarets of the mosque destroyed in the 16th century.

7. In the design of the mosque you can find a traditional element of artistic decoration for Islam and the Tatars - the tulip, which so organically merged into the reconstruction concept. This flower is an ancient Bulgarian symbol of revival and prosperity. The windows on the dome are cut in the shape of a tulip.

8. On the inner dome of the mosque, the Koran surah “Ikhlas” is inscribed in Arabic script., and all 99 names of the Almighty are written on the walls, and the names of the prophets are written on the shamails.

9. The interior decoration and design of the Cathedral Mosque is unique in its essence. Here visitors can find ceramic panels, paintings made using 16th-century technology, Roman mosaics, and hand-carved wood and stone. Stained glass and colored glass, gilding and gold embroidery are unique in their execution and are pleasing to the eye.

10. It is worth noting that, perhaps, the whole world took part in the construction of the main Tatarstan mosque. Kul Sharif was erected by builders from Turkey, carpets covered the floor of the mosque (2000 square meters) was donated by the Iranian government, granite and marble to decorate the eight-minaret cathedral were brought from the Urals, a colored chandelier was brought from the Czech Republic.

11. Open in summer In 2005, the Kul Sharif mosque became not just a man-made monument to the history and skill of Tatar architects, but also embodied the idea of ​​interfaith unity in Tatarstan. Through architectural elements The idea of ​​peace between the two confessions of the republic - the Muslim and Orthodox communities - was expressed.

This year the newly built Kul Sharif mosque turned ten years old. During this time, she delighted the eyes not only of the residents of the republic, but also of the guests of the capital. In truth, from this mosque alone you can trace and read the history of the Kazan Khanate like in a book.

Ilmira Gafiyatullina, Kazan

In the 1990s, the public of Tatarstan raised the issue of restoring the historical Kul-Sharif mosque in the Kazan Kremlin. In November 1995, by Decree of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev, a decision was made to recreate it, and in 1996 construction began. The restoration of the mosque became a national affair.

The imaginative, volumetric-spatial and planning solution for the main mosque of Tatarstan and the Tatar diaspora united the ideas and plans of Kazan architects, winners of the republican architectural competition for the project of reviving the Kul-Sharif mosque: Aivar Sattarov, Iskander Saifullin, Mikhail Safronov, Shamil Latypov and Sergei Shakurov.

Construction was completed on the eve of the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of Kazan. On June 24, 2005, the grand opening took place, attracting a large number of citizens and visitors. More than 450 years had passed since the destruction of the mosque, but the historical memory of the people was alive. People cried without hiding their emotions...

The architecture of the Kremlin of Khan's Kazan is known only from medieval chronicles. Some traces of majestic buildings that once existed have been discovered during archaeological excavations carried out in our time. It is known that within the fortress walls there was a complex of religious and civil buildings erected in the 15th – first half of the 16th centuries.

The famous Kul-Sharif mosque was one of the most revered in Khan's Kazan, the center of religious education and the development of sciences in the Middle Volga region in the 16th century. The prominent Tatar educator Shigabuddin Mardzhani wrote that in the fortress (Kremlin) there was an eight-minaret main mosque, headed by Seyid Sharifkol, who enjoyed great honor.

After the accession of Khan Ediger to the Kazan throne, Kul-Sharif became part of the government and actively participated in the daily affairs of the khanate. In the chronicles he is mentioned as one of the influential and respected religious figures. A school - madrasah - was founded at the mosque, and a huge library was collected. It was under Kul-Sharif that the mosque-madrasah complex was turned into a center of education, which was named by his contemporaries after the outstanding seid.

Almost the entire male population of the city gathered here for Friday prayers; ceremonies for the enthronement of khans took place here. Eight minarets surrounded the dome of the mosque, and this unusual number is associated with a reminder of the eight provinces of the Bulgarian state.

The Kul-Sharif Mosque is located in the western part of the Kazan Kremlin, in the courtyard of the former Junker School, and dominates the surrounding buildings. Due to the difference in the relief of the site, the courtyard of the mosque is divided into two platforms - the upper one, for ritual purposes, and the lower one, for museum and excursion events. The complex also includes two pavilions and decorative shade canopies.

The building belongs to the type of central-domed mosque, four main minarets 58 meters high are placed along diagonal axes on the stylobate, two small minarets are located on the north and south sides. The main dome of pointed outlines is placed on the outer drum; its ornamental forms reproduce the tulip motif, popular in the art of the Turkic peoples.

The mosque has four levels. The lower level houses the Museum of Islam in Tatarstan, women's distribution lobby and cloakrooms, men's and women's ablution rooms, administrative and technical rooms. On the ground floor there is a men's vestibule and wardrobes, and the imam's office. Prayer hall with an area of ​​500 sq. meters, designed for 720 people, located on the second floor. Above the hall there is a women's gallery with a capacity of 300 people. The height of the men's hall to the top of the dome is 32 meters, the diameter of the internal support ring is 16 meters.

The facades are decorated with white marble; at the entrance, the walls are decorated with relief Koranic inscriptions. The dome of the mosque and the tents of the minarets are covered with turquoise-colored metal tiles, and the alems of the dome and miarets are made of trinitrotitanium alloy.

The interiors of the Kul-Sharif mosque follow the general principles of Islamic aesthetic norms, Tatar national artistic traditions, as well as modern trends.

The mihrab became the focus of rich decorative decoration, its mosaics and gilding enhance the symbolic meaning of the mihrab as a reminder of Raya-Firdaus. It is decorated on both sides with Koranic inscriptions, and to the right of it is a monumental marble minbar decorated with carvings and mosaics. According to the architects, the carpet in the prayer hall is divided into separate cells, designed together to symbolize the vastness of the ummah.

Carpets self made made in Iran and donated by the country's government. The prayer hall is illuminated by a central crystal chandelier, and the under-dome space is also illuminated separately. The walls of the prayer hall are lined with light-colored marble.

The color scheme is light blue, combined with gold inscriptions. Quranic inscriptions and panels with 99 “Beautiful Names of Allah” - “al-Asma ul-Husna” are placed on the sails of the dome space. Tall and narrow window openings, completed with pointed arches, are filled with colored stained glass.

The support ring of the dome is surrounded by a calligraphic inscription with the text of Surah “Imran”, executed in gold on a blue background. The dome is decorated with decorative paintings, in which motifs of the Tatar ornament sound; the central domed rosette is also filled with calligraphy. In the corner niches of the main hall there are calligraphic panels with the texts of surahs “al-Ikhlas” and “an-Nas” in figured cartouches.

The wooden doors are richly carved, the ceilings are decorated with paintings, the borders of the walls and ceiling beams are lined with decorative ceramic tiles with ornaments. Laconic and strict columns are lined with white marble. In the side niches there are four ornamental panels made of faience tiles with underglaze painting. For the men's lobby, the overall color scheme was ocher-blue, and for the women's, ocher-green.

The imagery of the interior of the Museum of Islam in Tatarstan is based on the idea of ​​continuity of Muslim traditions in the culture of the Tatar people. White marble columns standing in pairs carry a decorative beam structure with the outline of an eight-pointed star. A conical chandelier is installed in the center of the hall. The main relic - an ancient manuscript of the Koran - is placed in a glass display case in the center of the round hall.

Along the perimeter of the room there are display cases with exhibits telling about the adoption of Islam and its modern development on the lands of Tatarstan. A collection of manuscripts and ancient publications is presented here.