Description of the attraction
The Kul Sharif Mosque is the main mosque of Tatarstan and Kazan. The construction of the mosque was completed in 2005 and is timed to coincide with the millennium anniversary of Kazan. The mosque is located in the western part of the Kazan Kremlin.
The construction of the mosque began in 1996. The goal of the architects and builders was to recreate the ancient mosque of the Kazan Khanate. The legendary mosque with many minarets was destroyed by the troops of Ivan the Terrible during the assault on Kazan in 1552. The mosque was named after its last imam. He was one of the leaders of the defense of Kazan.
The design and construction of the mosque was carried out by the winners of the republican competition for the best project for the revival of the mosque. The construction cost over 400 million rubles. The bulk of the funds were donations from citizens. More than 40 thousand organizations and citizens took part in fundraising. The Kul Sharif Mosque was opened on June 24, 2005.
The composition of the mosque is symmetrical. On the sides of the mosque there are two pavilions, linking it with the architecture of the nearby building of the former cadet school. The mosque can accommodate one and a half thousand people at the same time. The area in front of the mosque is designed for 10 thousand people.
The architectural and artistic appearance of the mosque was developed by architects I. Saifullin and S. P. Shakurov. The shape of the dome resembles the "Kazan cap" - the crown of the Kazan khans, which is now on display in the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin.
The interiors of the mosque were designed by A. G. Sattarov. The decoration used granite and marble. Carpets are a gift from the Iranian government. This crystal chandelier with a diameter of five meters is made of colored glass in the Czech Republic. The chandelier weighs about two tons. The rich decoration with stained-glass windows, gilding, stucco molding and mosaics gives the mosque grandeur.
The mosque has two balconies for sightseers. The Museum of the History of the Spread of Islam operates. In the main hall of the mosque, there are editions of the Koran in various languages.
The building of the mosque and its surroundings have artistic illumination at night.
The Kul Sharif Mosque has enriched the architecture of the Kremlin and adorned the panorama of Kazan.
