The last battle at the Kul Sharif mosque. Kul Sharif Mosque: everything about it. Appointment on the eve of the kurultai

What associations do you have when you hear the word “Kazan”? Tatars, the Kremlin, the capital’s magnificently celebrated millennium, the Kul Sharif mosque, unique in its architecture and unusual history. 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, a memorial sign was laid. A year later, in the spring, the foundation of the mosque is laid. Interior design is underway for the next three years. And 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 an important moment for Tatarstan, which 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, the carpets covering the floor of the mosque (2,000 square meters long) were donated by the Iranian government, granite and marble to decorate the eight-minaret cathedral were brought from the Urals, and a colored chandelier from the Czech Republic.

11. The Kul Sharif mosque, opened in the summer of 2005, 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. The idea of peace between the two faiths of the republic - the Muslim and Orthodox communities - was expressed through architectural elements.

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

Basic moments

Inside the Kul Sharif mosque there can be one and a half thousand people at the same time, and in the area adjacent to it there can be even more - 10 thousand. And even if we assume that for some reason you won’t be able to get inside, you won’t leave here disappointed. This iconic building is so beautiful and expressive that once you see it at least once, you will never forget it again.

The mosque is a symmetrical composition. In the center of the courtyard is the Kul Sharif building itself, and on the sides are two pavilions. They connect the mosque complex and the building that once housed the cadet school, giving the entire ensemble citywide significance and, thereby, enriching the panorama of the historical, architectural and art museum-reserve “Kazan Kremlin”.

Some religious ceremonies are held in Kul Sharif. Here you can also consult on theological issues, but you should remember that imams have practically no free time, so they cannot always pay due attention to believers. This fact upsets many, but there is still no need to despair. From time to time, the Kul Sharif mosque hosts meeting-lectures covering various areas of Islam, where you can get answers to questions that you would like to ask the imam in a personal consultation.

Meetings with famous Islamic figures representing different countries are organized here every year. Such events usually have a wide resonance and attract a large number of participants not only from among Muslims. This amazing place, where the spiritual heart of the Tatar people beats, can be visited by anyone by signing up for an individual or group excursion.

History of the Kul Sharif Mosque

On October 2, 1552, well-armed troops of the Russian Empire under the command of Ivan the Terrible broke into Kazan. This event was preceded by a long defense, called heroic by historians. And it is no coincidence: after all, the huge 150,000-strong Moscow armada was opposed by only 30,000 soldiers, as well as cavalry. The Kazan ruler Ediger-Khan and the head of the local clergy did their best to inspire and inspire the townspeople, not even allowing the thought of surrendering their capital. However, Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, who in the popular Soviet film “changes his profession,” in those early years remained faithful to his offensive strategy, using the latest technical equipment at that time. Thanks to this, Russian soldiers were able to break into the burning city.

Everything and everyone was engulfed in fire. The mosque in the capital of the Kazan Khanate also completely burned down. It was the center of religious education and scientific progress of the Middle Volga region in the 16th century and was also known for its majestic minarets. The Kazan people, whose leader was Seyid Kul Sharif, desperately resisted at its walls. In the last battle, all the city’s defenders died, including the leader himself, and Kazan appeared completely defeated before Ivan the Terrible. The city fortifications and many beautiful palaces survived the brutal siege, which the Moscow ruler looked at with surprise and admiration. However, the beautiful multi-towered mosque no longer rose on the hill.

Years, decades, centuries passed. The Russian Tsardom, and then the Russian Empire, disappeared. In the Soviet Union, formed after the collapse of the latter, democratic processes unfolded in the second half of the 80s of the last century, and the public began to raise the issue of restoring the legendary Kul Sharif mosque. The then President of Tatarstan, Mintimer Shaimievich Shaimiev, could not ignore such sentiments, because the Tatar people had dreamed of reviving the mosque for many centuries. And so, in the fall of 1995, the head of the republic issued a decree that ordered the restoration of the famous monastery - literally from scratch.

A competition for the best project was announced already in the winter; the territory of the former cadet school was identified as the location where the shrine would be located. Then a memorial sign was laid, and in the spring of 1996 the authorities announced the completion of the competition. In the summer of the same year, Russian President Boris Yeltsin visited the construction site of the mosque, promising to allocate some funds from the federal budget. Since that time, both Kazan residents and the entire Tatar people have been imbued with the legendary image of this monastery and the personality of the heroic leader of the city’s defenders, Seid Kul Sharif.

The foundation of the Kul Sharif mosque was laid in the spring of 1997. The design of the temple interiors was started by architects I. Saifullin, Sh. Latypov, S. Shakurov, A. Sattarov and others in 1998, and all work on it was completed in 2001. In the same 1998, the ground floor was rebuilt and cast in concrete monolithic frame. In 1999, domes and metal structures of towers (minarets) were manufactured. And by the summer of 2001, the spiers and domes were finally installed. In total, about 400 million rubles were spent on construction, donated by 40 thousand citizens and many organizations.

The choice of the construction site turned out to be, without exaggeration, successful: believers do not even doubt that it was suggested by the Almighty himself. If you take into account that Kul Sharif in some unusual way found itself away from the geological faults, failures and landslides that abound in the rest of the Kazan Kremlin, you involuntarily begin to believe in such an assumption. And thanks to the satellite, the mosque complex is oriented towards Mecca with amazingly high accuracy.

Architecture and interior decoration

The Kul Sharif Mosque, lined with granite and marble, was built over nine long years, from 1996 to 2005. The architectural appearance of the shrine is similar to the 13th century Al-Kabir Cathedral Mosque, a symbol of the Muslims of the Volga region. It was located in the city of Bulgar and was destroyed many centuries ago. An artistic element such as a tulip is organically woven into the architectural appearance of the Kul Sharif mosque. This flower, in the shape of which the windows on the dome are made, symbolized revival and prosperity in medieval Volga Bulgaria.

The plan of the five-story building, in the decoration of which marble onyx and serpentine (serpentine) were also used, looks like two squares 22 by 22 meters. They intersect at an angle of 45 degrees in the form of “Blessings of Allah” - this is the name of one of the signs in Islam, widely known not only to followers of this religion. The lobby of the main entrance to the mosque is located near the premises occupied by the imam. A prayer hall and a balcony-gallery for women are also nearby. The stylobate of the building is formed by the central floor, where ablution rooms, a separate lobby for the fair sex and a dressing room are concentrated. Separately, it should be said about the Museum of Islam: it is located on the same floor, but was opened a little later, on February 21, 2006. Two halls are allocated for the museum, their total area is 566 square meters.

The Kul Sharif Mosque is decorated with eight crescents - the number of minarets in the ancient predecessor monastery, dating back to the 16th century. The dome of the mosque looks very beautiful, located at a height of 36 meters and resembling a hat-crown - it is better known as the “Kazan hat”. Its diameter is 17.5 meters. This similarity is not accidental; similar headdresses were once worn by the Kazan khans. Something similar can be seen in Moscow, namely at the famous St. Basil's Cathedral: as you know, Ivan the Terrible built it in honor of the capture of Kazan. The crown of the medieval rulers of the city can be seen on the exhibition of the Armory Chamber. According to one version, it is genuine and was taken to the Mother See after the fall of the capital of the Khanate. According to another theory, this is a copy made by order of Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich by Eastern craftsmen after the rebellious Tatar city was taken.

In the domed building of Kul Sharif you can see four main minarets located in the corners - all this splendor is the heart of the composition conceived by the architects. The presence of minarets has a deep symbolic meaning: they show that not just a mosque was being built, but the above-mentioned Al-Kabir, an ancient Volga symbol of the Muslim religion, was being restored. The height of each main minaret is approximately 57 meters, and the capital of Tatarstan is convinced that their mosque is the tallest in Europe. Due to the fact that they are painted turquoise, the image of the monastery appears bright, sublime, pleasing to the eye and encouraging purity of thoughts and deeds.

Adjacent to the main part is a semi-cylinder, which has two floors, where pseudo-minarets are located. They highlight the entrance, above which is the second floor. The latter seems to hang over, resting on several round columns. The fire department building is located south of the mosque, but it is an integral part of its complex, since both buildings are connected by the same style. For example, it can be seen in the shape and color of the dome, and the marble finishing of both buildings.

The architects of the Kul Sharif mosque - they, by the way, represented the Tatinvestgrazhdanproekt company - set themselves the task of reflecting, through modern methods, the traditions of Tatar architecture, which date back a whole millennium. The idea was embodied in very beautiful, exclusive designs of pointed arches. They are framed with a unique ornament - braids and verses from the Koran. The similarity of the arches with the design of yurts is noteworthy. And this is also no coincidence, because for a very long time they were “portable mosques” for the nomadic Turks. By the way, the mosque was erected by builders from Turkey.

The interior decoration of Kul Sharif is also unique in its decoration. Both the painting and the ceramic panels were made by masters using four-hundred-year-old technologies. The interior is also decorated with carved ganch and hand-carved wood and stone, mosaic elements in the Roman style, as well as colored glass made using baking technology and, of course, unique stained glass windows. There is a lot of gold embroidery and other gilding work inside. And the Kul Sharif mosque is replete with luxurious carpets that were donated by the Iranian government. The Czech colored crystal chandelier also delights visitors: it is simply huge, its diameter is 5 meters and its weight is about 2 tons.

Kul Sharif is a “commonwealth” of three buildings, the site for the construction of which was chosen by 86 (!) experts until they settled on the territory of the former cadet school.
The complex of the mosque buildings itself stretches over 18,946.8 m², and the total area of the site allocated for it is 19 thousand square meters.
The opening of the Kul Sharif mosque took place on June 24, 2005, when Kazan celebrated its anniversary - the 1000th anniversary of its foundation. Of all the objects ever built on milestone dates in the history of the city, this is the largest.
Despite the fact that the spiritual symbol of Kazan and all of Tatarstan is positioned as the largest mosque on the Old Continent (this was announced even at the opening ceremony), in fact it is not such either in area, or in the height of the minarets, or in other indicators .
The main hall of Kul Sharif is also a repository of books in which the names of all donors for the construction are written. Here you can also see gift copies of the Koran, published in various languages of the world.
The ceiling was decorated by craftsmen from the State Art Fund of Tatarstan. The technology was as follows: the drawings were first made on canvas, and then they were raised to the ceiling.
Not only the largest chandelier, but also the rest of the lighting fixtures inside the mosque were made in the Czech Republic, but according to sketches by Tatar artists. In addition to colored glass, crystal and gilding were used in their manufacture.
The interior cladding of the Kul Sharif mosque is marble; this natural material was delivered from the Chelyabinsk region. But without exception, all the doors of the Muslim monastery were made on site, but from Krasnodar oak.
At the Museum of Islam, visitors can see an interesting and educational stand. It is dedicated to the five pillars of the Muslim religion: faith in Allah and the fact that Muhammad is his messenger, the obligation to perform namaz (prayer) five times a day, the need to fast in the month of Ramadan, the obligation of Zakat - an annual tax in favor of the needy and poor and for distribution Islam, as well as the pilgrimage to Mecca, better known as Hajj.
On the inside of the dome is inscribed in Arabic script “Ikhlas” - one of the surahs of the Koran. The names of Allah, and there are no less than 99 of them, are repeated on the walls of the mosque. The names of the prophets of Islam can be read in Shamail.

How to get there

The Kul Sharif Mosque is located at the address: Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, Kazan Kremlin, 13.

You can get there on foot from the Kazan-1 station, heading along Burkhan Shahidi Street. When you reach Chernyshevsky Street, turn left. On Kremlevskaya Street you make another turn, and also to the left. The entire journey will take you approximately 25 minutes.

From the capital's station No. 2 and the Northern bus station you can get there by metro. You make a stop at the Kremlyovskaya station.

You can also get to the Kul Sharif Mosque by bus. Bus No. 6 departs from the Central Bus Station and go to the “Central Stadium” stop. Take bus number 22, leaving from the Southern Bus Station, to the stop “st. Baturin”, and take number 37 to the “Central Stadium” stop.

But from the eastern bus station you will have to transfer. First, take bus No. 63 or No. 71, get to the “Abzhalilova” stop and change to bus No. 83, which goes to the “St. Baturin."

Before traveling to Kazan, I knew little about this city. And I associated the word Kazan exclusively with the Kremlin. Somehow it turned out that the most beautiful place for me turned out to be this unique object.

The Kremlin hill, surrounded by water on three sides, was ideal for building a fortress. The first fortifications of the Bulgar tribes appeared here, on the high bank of the Kazanka River, at the turn of the 10th–11th centuries. Then there was the Golden Horde, the Kazan Khanate, which built their fortifications. To this day, not a single one of the khan’s buildings has survived.

When the Kazan Kremlin became a Russian fortress in the mid-16th century, Orthodox churches were built on the sites of the “centre of infidelity,” that is, literally on the ruins of Muslim buildings.

Photos and text Anton Petrus

1. After the conquest of Kazan, Ivan the Terrible sent Pskov architects to the city. They began building the Kremlin. At first, the main part of the structures - towers and temples - was built from wood. It is believed that the small church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, erected around 1558, was the first to be built from stone. The main cathedral of the Annunciation appeared four years later, the Church of Cyprian and Justina - in 1596 on the site of a wooden church.

The Pskovites built a wall 300 fathoms long from Volga limestone. It covered the Spassky Gate, the north-eastern part of the Kremlin before turning to the east and part of the north-western wall. The remaining 578 fathoms remained oak and were later replaced with stone. These same craftsmen built the Kremlin towers with round loopholes and battlements.

2. It is believed that the small church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, erected around 1558, was the first to be built from stone. The main cathedral of the Annunciation appeared four years later, the Church of Cyprian and Justina - in 1596 on the site of a wooden church.

3. Over its long history, the temple has gone through many reconstructions. In May 1836, the cathedral was visited by Nicholas I. After imperial orders, the cathedral was expanded and turned into a winter cathedral. He was visited by Peter I, Catherine II and almost all members of the imperial house, as well as Radishchev, Pushkin, Rachmaninov. Fyodor Chaliapin sang in the church choir here more than once.

4. But the Kazan Leaning Tower of Pisa - the leaning tower of Syuyumbike . There is a beautiful legend according to which Ivan the Terrible proposed marriage to Queen Syuyumbika. She, in response, promised to do this in exchange for the tower, with which she wanted to say goodbye to her beloved city for the last time. The tower was built in 7 days (one tier per day, the tower has 7 tiers in total), after which the queen climbed onto the tower and threw herself off it. The tower is tilted in the direction where it fell. Legendary, but beautiful).

5. Cannon yard complex.

6. During the days of our arrival in Kazan, it often rained. But what stories he gave us with reflections)

8. Kul Sharif Mosque. A mosque was built on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin, the grand opening took place on June 24, 2005, just in time for the 1000th anniversary of Kazan. It was the largest facility built for the city's anniversary. At the time of its opening, the mosque was announced as the largest mosque in Europe, however, in reality it was not. It is more of a museum and a symbol of Islam.

9. More than 40 thousand citizens and organizations donated money for the construction of the mosque, which is estimated at approximately 400 million rubles. The height of the four large minarets is 57 meters, there are two more small ones, the central dome of the mosque is 39 meters, its diameter is 17.5 meters, the base of the mosque is 22x22 meters. The total area of the site occupied by the mosque is 19 thousand square meters. The dome of the mosque resembles a cap-crown, the “Kazan cap”. Such hats used to be worn by Kazan khans. The same principle was used to design the domes of the no less famous St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, which was built in honor of the capture of Kazan.

10. We got to the Kremlin on City Day, there were just tons of people. It’s very nice that you can enter the Kremlin territory freely at any time of the day. And at the same time absolutely free.

11. Spasskaya Tower - the main tower of the Kazan Kremlin. Initially, it and the front part of the wall, which is shown in the photo, were built by Pskov craftsmen before anyone else. Originally there was a church there. For a long time there was a large ditch in front of it, which was filled in in the 18th century.

12. This beautiful building is the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Tatarstan. It is very clearly visible from the observation deck, behind the Annunciation Cathedral. Before City Day, a stage was installed there.

13. Traditional view of the cathedral and mosque. Two religions in one bottle.

15. The central exit (also the entrance) to the Kremlin is the Spasskaya Tower.

16. is one of the most beautiful places in Kazan that we were able to visit. The architecture of the mosque recreates the cathedral mosque al-Kabir (13th century), which was destroyed many centuries ago, which was located in the city of Bulgar.

The Kul-Sharif mosque complex has become not so much a cult, but a cultural and educational complex and a scientific center: its premises include the Museum of Islamic Culture of the Volga Region, the Museum of Ancient Manuscripts with a research part, and a library.

17. The mosque was built with sponsorship, budget funds and donations from citizens. The names of all donors, both individuals, more than 35 thousand of them, and organizations, more than 600, are included in the 5-volume Book of Memory. The mosque is open to visitors all the time.

18. The main prayer hall is simply incredibly beautiful. It's light and easy to breathe. It amazes with its size.

19. The mosque can accommodate about 1,500 people, and the square can accommodate up to 10,000 people. An element of the artistic image, organically woven into the architecture of the building, was the ancient Bulgarian sign of revival and prosperity - the tulip.

20. More than two thousand square meters of the mosque are covered with Persian carpets - a gift from the Iranian government. It is worth mentioning separately that the carpets are handmade. Two thousand square meters!

21. The ceiling in the mosque was decorated by artists from the Art Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan. The drawings made on canvas were subsequently raised to the ceiling.

22. The mosque houses part of the kiswa - the traditional Kaaba cover made of black silk with a pattern of gold threads, covering the walls of the Kaaba.

23. The windows in the hall are high and narrow, at the ends there are pointed arches, which are filled with colored stained glass.

24. On the dome inside the mosque, the sura of the Koran “Ikhlas” is inscribed in Arabic script, and all 99 names of Allah are repeated on the walls, and the names of the prophets are listed on the shamails.

25. All lighting fixtures, including the huge chandelier that hangs under the dome (the weight of the chandelier is 2.5 tons), were made in the Czech Republic (this is the famous Czech glass) according to sketches by Tatar artists. In its manufacture, colored glass and crystal were used, some petals are gilded.

The Kul-Sharif Mosque in Kazan recreates the appearance of the main mosque of the Kazan Khanate, destroyed in 1552 by the troops of Ivan the Terrible. Its opening was timed to coincide with the 1000th anniversary of the city in 2005.

It received its name (Tat. Kol Sharif machete, English: The Kul Sharif mosque) in honor of the last imam of the city Kul Sharif - a descendant of Muhammad, warrior, poet and thinker. It is considered the largest in Europe and the world, its capacity is 1500-1700 people. Very beautiful outside and inside. The function of the mosque is to represent Tatar Islam in the world.

Tour of the Kul Sharif mosque in Kazan

We visited the Kazan Kremlin and the Kul Sharif Mosque with an individual tour “”. Guide Sergey is a professional historian and a wonderful storyteller! Listening to him is interesting and exciting. This is not a monotonous boring lecture, but a thoughtful and pleasant immersion in the history of old Kazan. There are over 260 positive reviews of his excursion on Tripster, and we gave him an A-star too!

Sergei has about seven variations of this excursion. We chose a sightseeing tour of the Kazan Kremlin with a visit to two main temples: the Annunciation Cathedral and the Kul-Sharif Mosque. There is an additional cost for entrance to the territory of the Kazan Kremlin: 100 rubles per person. for adults, 70 rub. for schoolchildren. If you go to the Kremlin without a guide, admission is free. Free entry to the Kremlin territory, incl. for groups, after 20:00.

There are also group sightseeing tours of the Kremlin with a visit to the Kazan mosque. They cost less, prices start from 600 rubles, but there will be more people in the group. They are conducted by other guides, not Sergei. On such excursions you will learn a brief history of Kul Sharif and take photos inside the mosque.

Address of the mosque and where it is located

Kul Sharif is located in the very center of Kazan, in the western part of the Kazan Kremlin and is visible from many points in the city. You can get there by public transport to the stops "Central Stadium", "Palace of Sports", "TSUM" by buses: 6, 15, 29, 35, 35a, 37, 47, 74, 74a, 75, etc. Or by metro to the station " Kremlevskaya".

Address of the Kul Sharif mosque: st. Sheinkman, Kazan, Rep. Tatarstan, 420014.

Opening hours

The mosque is open to the public from 9:00 to 19:30. If you book an evening tour (only accompanied by a guide), you can visit until 20:30.

Opening hours of the Kul Sharif Mosque on New Year's holidays:

December 31 from 8:00 to 18:00 (from 17:30 to exit);
January 1 from 10:00 to 20:00 (from 19:30 on departure);
January 2-8 - as usual.
Ticket price to Kul Sharif: free.

Kul-Sharif was built and designed in our days by architects Sh. Kh. Latypov, M. V. Safronov, A. G. Sattarov, I. F. Saifullin. The mosque is a symmetrical structure, at the base of which two squares intersect at an angle of 45 degrees - the Islamic symbol of Bismillah - “In the Name of Allah”.

The walls of the structure consist of eight pointed arches. The windows are decorated with stained glass. The façade of the building is lined with marble, granite, onyx and serpentine. The mosque is crowned with eight crescents, all of them facing Mecca. A small building with a blue roof near the mosque is the fire department building.

The mosque in numbers

Height of the minarets: 55 m (in some sources 58 m);
Height of the dome in the shape of the Kazan cap (crown of the khans): 36 m;
Dome diameter: 17.5 m;
Mosque capacity: 1500-1700 people;
Capacity of the square in front of the mosque (places for worshipers are indicated by green squares): 10,000 people;
Number of floors: 5.

Rules for visiting the Kul Sharif mosque

At the entrance to the mosque you are given scarves and skirts. There is no need to take off your shoes. Inside there is a large foyer and an area for tourists with benches. There are also viewing balconies from where you can see the prayer halls.

In the mosque, the live recitation of the Koran does not stop 24 hours a day. Hafiz reads in Arabic from the time of the Prophet Muhammad in the mid-7th century AD. The reading is broadcast on the Internet, you can join. The only time when this place becomes empty is when prayer is going on in the prayer hall. Already on this basis, Kul-Sharif becomes one of the most significant mosques not only in Russia, but also in the world.

Important items that accompany the daily life of the Kazan Tatars, even those that are not particularly religious, are presented in display cases. Shamail is always a decoratively organized text, the source of which is the Koran, the main shrine for Muslims. Translations of the meanings of the Koran into the Tatar language are presented.

Date seed rosaries serve as reminders so you don't miss anything. You say a word and throw a bone, there are 99 of them on the rosary.

God has 99 names, in general there are 100 of them, but the hundredth is hidden and will appear only on the day of judgment to the righteous. Only they will recognize the hundredth name.

Date is one of the main gifts of Allah to people, the basis of foundations.

The model of the mosque is a work of modern jewelry made of gold and silver, in the traditions of ancient Tatar art, created by Russian craftsmen. Conditional model of the Kul-Sharif mosque on a scale of 1:80. The filigree technique was used - creating patterns of remarkable beauty and complexity from thin silver wire. Combination with enamel - colored enamels, most often turquoise. Also in appearance, white stone with a turquoise dome and minaret tents.

In the photo, benches and panels are the most important symbols associated with the culture of Tatar-Islam. The benches are a legacy of the ancient leather craft - Tatar leather mosaic. Used in making boots - ichig. Each piece is cut out according to a separate pattern and sewn with the others using a special double seam. We see what was relevant until the 20th century. The tulip motif is visible. Also a symbol associated with the ancient source of life is the ram's horn.

The second very important symbol is the eternal tree of life. A jug as a symbol of the creation of the world. All flowers are different, there are only similar, but not the same. Each leaf is slightly different from the others. It is all thanks to the wisdom of God, who created the world so diverse that nothing will ever be repeated in it. Not a single person will be a copy of another, not a single day will be a repetition of the previous one. In addition, this is a world of joy: the tree is blooming, colorful. It is important to be able to see joy and be grateful every day for the fact that you have the happiness of living in this world and enjoying its delights. There are 4 panels in the hall and all are different.

The tulip came to Tatar culture and the Turkic world from ancient steppe history. Not only leopards live in the steppes, but wild tulips still bloom. On the New Year - Navruz, on the day of the spring equinox, people give each other tulip bulbs as a guarantee of wealth, happiness, success and wishes for health. The Turks saw the tulip, and it came to the Kazan Tatars from fairy tales and legends, which is why it is so clearly expressed in art and architecture.

Balcony

The balcony overlooks the men's prayer hall with a capacity of 800 people, and the gallery just above is for women with a capacity of 300 people. Men and women pray separately. This is a concern for the comfort of a woman. There is a special mat for the mula and then the believers are located in rows. The carpet has a pattern that indicates places for prayer.

Mosque dome

The Kul Sharif mosque has a very beautiful dome, all the texts are Koranic. And all the short texts that we see are part of the 99 names of God. The texts are longer, for example at the base of the dome, in the center - these are the most important suras of the Koran, pronounced at Namaz. The tulip motif is clearly visible on the side surfaces of the dome.

In the center is a chandelier in the shape of a lotus flower made of Bohemian glass - crystal. The diameter is more than 5 meters, the total weight including fastenings is about 1800 kg.

On the right side of the mihrab there is a ladder-raised minbar - the place of sermon.
In Christianity, preaching day is Sunday, while for Muslims it is Friday. The sermon is read in a language understandable to the community, in Kazan this is modern Tatar. The Imam rises to the top, but never stands on the last step.
In addition to the mosque itself, the complex includes a museum of Islamic culture, a library, a publishing center, a tour desk and the office of the imam. Muslim holidays are widely celebrated in Kazan on weekends.

All the mosques in the world face the same direction - Mecca Kaaba. So that people immediately understand which way to face, there is a ledge. It can be very small or larger. You need to pray only facing him and not in any other direction.
Mecca is a city in Saudi Arabia, the hometown of the Prophet Muhammad. The city houses the main shrine of the Kaaba, which is worshiped and marched.
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.
All lighting fixtures of the mosque, including a huge chandelier, were made in the Czech Republic according to sketches by Tatarstan artists.
For the construction of the Kul Sharif mosque, materials were brought from all over the country. All the doors of the mosque are made of Krasnodar oak, and marble brought from the Chelyabinsk region was used for the interior cladding of the building.
The decoration of the ceiling was done by Tatarstan artists on canvases, which upon completion were raised to the ceiling.
The library contains a book with the names of everyone who donated money to restore the landmark.
The tulip is an important symbol in Islamic culture. It blooms for 2-3 weeks, then it dries quickly and everything is overgrown with grass. The bulb is small, goes very deep underground and it seems that the tulip has completely died. But every spring a miracle happens: the tulip is again reborn to life young and beautiful. People look at flowers and think: why does God give such an opportunity to a tulip, but not to people? But the dream of this has been preserved and the symbol that this dream can be a reality is embodied in the tulip flower - which never dies. Flower of victory over death. Flower of God.
The second meaning of the tulip is mystical. If we write Allah - God and lalla - tulip, the spelling in Arabic will be almost identical. For any religion in ancient times, this is a very important point.
In religious art, form is dictated by content. Each sura - chapter (there are 114 suras in the Koran) tells the story of the prophet Nuh - the biblical Noah.
Islam originated in Saudi Arabia, where the date is the bread of the desert. The basis of the diet of the broadest masses of the population.
The model of the mosque, made of gold and silver, received several awards at international exhibitions.

The Kul Sharif Mosque in Kazan is the main one for Muslims in Tatarstan. This unusual name appeared in honor of the spiritual leader and great figure Kula Sharif. He lived during the Khanate, in the 16th century. This person was the state adviser to the khan. This was a descendant of Muhammad. The individual was respected and revered. There were a total of 5 monasteries on the territory of the Khan’s fortress. Kul Sharif was the imam of the Khan Mosque, which was famous for its rich library.

How to get there

You can visit this and other mosques as part of an excursion group.

The visit can be done independently or as part of a group excursion. It will take several hours to explore the area. Conveniently accessible by metro. Exit - Kremlevskaya station. By bus you need to go to the “TSUM” stop (numbers 22 and 89).

Story

In 1552, the siege of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible began. The defense to protect the fortress was led by Kul Sharif. The king's troops mercilessly attacked the walls. The spiritual leader died along with his soldiers. About 400 years have passed since the decision was made to build a mosque on the territory. Only in 1995 did the construction of the shrine begin on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin. It is known that there was a Khan’s mosque at approximately the same place. However, the exact coordinates are unknown. The previous structure was distinguished by its majesty and delighted with its splendor. But the descriptions are scant. Therefore, it was problematic to completely recreate the overall picture. Then in 1995 a competition of projects was announced. Not only Russian architects, but also specialists from all over the world took part in it. The task was not easy; there were many who wanted to demonstrate their skills.

The future monastery was supposed to combine several symbols. It was supposed to be built in the form of a tent. This type of structure was typical for nomadic peoples. The dome should be sky blue and resemble in appearance the Crown of the Great Khan. Today the headdress is kept in the capital, in the Armory Chamber.

The result exceeded all expectations. The building was faced with white marble, it was brought from the Chelyabinsk region. Surahs were carved on the building material. This is the name given to special inscriptions from the Koran.

Architecture

The shrine turned out to be multi-minaret. It consisted of four large minarets and two small ones. There were also 2 pseudo-minarets. The tallest minarets reached 57 meters in height. The building itself was divided into several parts. The lower tier was allocated for the Museum of Islamic Culture. There were also facilities for ablutions. On the second floor there was an entrance to the monastery and a dressing room for visitors. The third tier is a prayer hall. The fourth floor was intended for women's visits. And the fifth was given over to the observation deck. There are also beautiful balconies here, which are in high demand among tourists.

Interior decoration

When you enter the lobby, you immediately see a model of the monastery in front of you. It is made of silver and precious stones.

This is a fairly spacious room and bright. The ceilings have spectacular floral and geometric patterns. Thanks to this, the hall looks quite dynamic. There are many interesting inscriptions in Arabic on the walls. There are many letters that are made in the shape of some object.

The building itself faces the direction of Mecca. The lobby has many symbolic mosaic panels reflecting this theme. They depict two cities. The first picture shows the Al-Haram Mosque from Mecca. In its central part there is the Kaaba. This was the name of the greatest Muslim shrine. Translated, this word means cube. He is covered with a dark-colored blanket (kiswa). The patterns from the Karan are clearly visible on the bedspread. Every year the kiswa is replaced with a new one. Parts of the old bedspread are passed on to believers, piece by piece. One of the fragments of the kiswa is in Shaimiev’s possession. The panels on both sides have symbolic inscriptions - Allah and Muhammad.

The depiction of the city of Mecca is no coincidence. It was in this city that the Prophet Muhammad was born. From this settlement the spread of Islam began in the 7th century. In 922, the religion reached Volga Bulgaria. The image of the city is presented schematically. The shrine is surrounded on all sides by stone buildings. At that time, the city was considered developed, the infrastructure necessary for life was established. There was its own army, the people were engaged in various crafts. The economy was booming. Today, in search of reliable historical information, scientists conduct archaeological excavations. There are many architectural monuments of the ancient Bulgars, which are being restored bit by bit. Since 2014, all finds have been included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

The vaults of the building's niches deserve special attention. They are distinguished by a beautiful sky blue color. The choice of this color scheme is not accidental. It denotes heaven, the place where Muslims pray. One of them is made in a different palette. It is distinguished by the presence of a catchy and bright ornament. This niche is called Mihrab. She points believers in the direction of Mecca. It is noteworthy that Muslims bow in this direction. Under the glass at the base lies a small part of the kiswa. It was donated by the King of Saudi Arabia in 2008. If you look up a little higher, you will see inscriptions made in the form of an open book. This is how the designers depicted the suras. Medallions are installed above the text.

On the right side of the Mihrab there is a pulpit with steps. From here confessions are read on Fridays and holidays. Muslims celebrate two major holidays - Kurban Bayram and Eid al-Adha. Inside the minbar, right under the dome, you will notice a staff. It acts as a symbolic reminder of the Prophet Muhammad. When reading the confession, the prophet stood on a certain elevation. According to tradition, the highest point is considered to be the place of Muhammad. The staff is a kind of reminder of this. The imam makes his confession, standing one tier lower. Prayers are said on the floor of the men's prayer hall.

The floor of the mosque is carpeted. Therefore, as soon as you enter the prayer hall. It is important to remember to take off your shoes. The flooring is decorated with expensive Persian carpets, which are made by hand. The product was brought as a gift from Iran for the Republic.

The men's prayer hall is richly decorated. The walls are decorated with beautiful brown medallions with the names of revered Islamic prophets written on them. And on the walls of the women's hall are the names of the four righteous Caliphs. In the under-dome space there is a huge chandelier of amazing beauty. It was made from high quality bohemian glass. The product was created according to sketches by Kazan artists. The luminary is strengthened directly under the dome. It has an inscription from the Koran - Sincerity.

At the very base of the dome there was an image of a sura from the Koran. These words are said to have been pronounced by the ancient Bulgars during the adoption of Islam in 922. Thus, the building combines the roots of spiritual and Muslim origin. In total, there are 99 names of Allah in Islam, which reveal the religion from different sides. All names are written in gold letters on the walls. They are on the stained glass, dome, and windows.

The Museum of Islamic Culture opened in 2006. It is part of the Kazan Kremlin division. In order to get inside, you need to use the ground floor. This is the only museum in Russia that has collected all the information about the history and culture of Islam. Here you can get a closer look at how the Turkic-Tatar people of the Volga region lived. The Tatars made great contributions to Islam. Religion is the source of culture, education, and traditions. The museum's exhibition includes three large sections. They reveal the features of book culture, the era of reformation, and the civilization of the entire Volga region. The exhibits are complemented by various multimedia inserts. The computer installation “Singing Shamail” deserves special attention.

A tour of the exhibition halls will be interesting for both adults and children. All information is presented in an accessible and informative form. The main exhibit is the interactive “Flipping Quran”. He talks about the “Kazan edition” of the Koran, which became famous for being the first publication made by Muslims. Here you can hear surahs of the Koran, learn many interesting modern books, and take a closer look at unique manuscripts. You get the feeling that for a moment you find yourself in the past, permeated with secrets and riddles.

The location of the museum is symbolic. It is located right on the territory of the Kremlin, in the main monastery of Tatarstan. The mosque itself also acts as a primary source of remembrance for the people who died fighting for the city. The Kremlin is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The place is in high demand among tourists. Everyone strives to visit here to get to know the culture better.

Mosque 1996-2005 construction in plan looks like two squares located at the intersection at an angle of 45 degrees. This is a world-famous Muslim sign that denotes the blessing of Allah. Four minarets are mounted in the corners.

The central entrance is from the main prayer area. A little to the right you will see the ground floor. This will be the entrance to the museum. There will be a sign hanging near the door.

The museum's exhibition is amazing. The total area of the two large halls is 566 square meters. This is the only large museum in the world about the Turkic-Tatar people. The main goal of the museum is to disseminate information about religion, research work, and educate the younger generation. All information about the culture of the Volga region and Islam is grouped by topic. The learning process will seem exciting. The subtleties of the Tatar perception of religion are revealed. After the tour, it becomes clear that the Tatars have made a great contribution to culture and have a rich written tradition.

The museum is open every day, seven days a week. The price of an adult ticket is 200 rubles. Children, schoolchildren and pensioners can visit the exhibition for 80 rubles. For organized groups the cost is lower - 150 rubles for adults. Groups of 15-20 people gather.

I want to enjoy the beauty of cultural heritage indefinitely. The mosque became the main decoration of the city. The building is unique in its architecture and has an unusual architecture. The city contains a centuries-old history - battles, international friendship, victories, losses, interfaith unity. The mosque combines all this in an amazing way. The building is truly something special. The grandeur of the architecture is difficult to put into words. In order to understand it, you need to see everything with your own eyes.

A place of worship and connection with the Almighty attracts people from all over the world. The people still remember the heroic deeds of the khan and his contribution to history. The architects managed to realize the entirety of the picture. The once destroyed building was returned to the people. The legendary building has become the most important for Tatarstan; it preserves the memory of the defenders of the Fatherland. The symbolic unusual shape immediately attracts attention. The skill of Tatar architects shocked the world. The facility managed to unite the Muslim and Orthodox communities. The interior decoration fully matches the exterior design. There are mosaics, panels, paintings, hand carvings, marble, wood, etc. Stained glass and glass create a sense of identity. The decoration concept includes a traditional element - a tulip.

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