Description of the attraction
The first time the need to build a mosque in St. Petersburg was discussed back in 1882. Count Tolstoy, who was then Minister of Internal Affairs, received Mufti Tevkelev, the supreme leader of the Muslim community. Although the issue of the mosque was resolved positively, construction did not start at that time. More than twenty years passed before the Ministry of the Interior gave permission for the establishment of a special committee (1906). This committee was to organize the construction of a cathedral mosque in the city of St. Petersburg. It was planned to carry out the construction with funds donated by Muslims living in all Russian lands.
In addition to voluntary donations, the committee received money from the sale of lottery tickets (a special lottery was organized); postcards (special edition). In early July 1907, Tsar Nicholas II signed a permit to purchase land for a mosque. The site was chosen for construction on Kronverksky prospect.
Closer to the autumn of 1908, a project for the construction of a mosque was developed and signed. Worked on the project: engineer S. S. Krichinsky and artist-architect N. V. Vasiliev. General management was carried out by Academician A. M. Von Gauguin. The style and appearance of the mosque resembled the mosques and tombs of Central Asia, the internal layout corresponded to the era in which Tamerlane lived.
In mid-February 1910, the ceremonial laying of the first stone of the mosque took place. According to eyewitnesses, a tent was erected over the place where the first stone was laid. Silver tools, a memorial plaque with inscriptions in Arabic and Russian, and white marble building stones were placed on the table nearby. All this was surrounded by a low fence. The construction lasted for three years. The mosque was solemnly officially opened in 1913 to celebrate the three hundredth anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, although the interior decoration work was carried out for several more years.
The mosque amazed with its grandeur and beauty. The location of the mosque made some adjustments to the original construction plan. So the illumination of the prayer hall was increased by cutting through the walls and the drum of the dome with a large number of light openings, which is not typical for Eastern architecture. The wall cladding was made of gray granite. The minarets, the dome itself and the portal were covered with ceramic tiles of the color of sky blue. The ceramics were made with the active assistance of P. K. Vaulina (an outstanding ceramic artist at that time). The facade was decorated with inscriptions - sayings from the Koran. When decorating the interior, the traditions of Muslims were taken into account: the columns supporting the arches of the dome were faced with green marble; the gallery for the prayer of women was draped with thin muslin. According to Sharia law, a woman cannot pray with a man, since her presence can distract him from prayer, so women pray in a special gallery, which was located at the end of the prayer hall.
A spacious room for ritual ablutions was erected next to the mosque. In this room, Muslims undergo a special complex ceremony before entering the mosque. This room is called "Takharat-Khan", which is translated into Russian as a bathhouse or a washroom. Before entering the mosque, Muslims are required to take off their shoes and leave them in the hallway. It is strictly forbidden to go inside the prayer hall with shoes on.
Like many Orthodox churches, in the 30s of the twentieth century, the mosque was closed and turned into a warehouse. After the war, Muslims had to hold services at the Volkovskoye cemetery, where there is a site with Tatar burials. In 1956, the mosque was returned to the believing Muslims. The Tatar community played an important role in this.
At the moment, the mosque in St. Petersburg is the largest in Europe. It is not only a functioning temple, but also a major cultural and religious center.
