Kul Sharif Mosque (Kazan)

Kul Sharif Mosque is the main cathedral mosque of Tatarstan and a symbol of Kazan, located within the Kazan Kremlin — a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed on the list in 2000. It opened on 24 June 2005, for the city's 1000th anniversary celebrations. Its snow-white marble walls, turquoise domes and minarets standing 58 metres tall are visible far beyond the Kremlin and serve as a visiting card of the Tatarstan capital. Admission is free. Address: Kazan Kremlin.

Kul Sharif — the Last Imam of Kazan

The mosque is named after Sayyid Kul Sharif, the last imam of the Kazan Khanate and one of the leaders of the city's defense against the forces of Ivan the Terrible in 1552. Kul Sharif was not only a religious leader but also a scholar, poet and diplomat. He led the defense together with his shakirds (students) and died in battle during the storming of the city. The legendary multi-minaret Kul Sharif Mosque — a centre of religious learning and scholarship in the Middle Volga region in the 16th century — was destroyed when Kazan fell. According to tradition, it had eight minarets, one for each province of Volga Bulgaria.

Building the Modern Mosque

In 1996 the President of Tatarstan announced a competition for a project to recreate the mosque. It was won by a team of architects from the firm Tatinvestgrazhdanproekt; the authors of the design were architects Iskander Saifullin and Aivar Sattarov. Construction took nine years and cost more than 500 million rubles — the money was donated by organisations and ordinary residents, with more than 40,000 people contributing.

Architecture

The building consists of two squares intersecting at a 45° angle, forming the Muslim symbol "Blessing of Allah". The large dome — 39 metres high and 17 metres in diameter — is painted turquoise. The mosque has six minarets: four main ones 58 metres tall and two smaller decorative ones at the entrance, each topped with a crescent. The facade is clad in white marble and granite brought from the Urals and decorated with bronze inscriptions in Arabic calligraphy. The building has five tiers. The main prayer hall holds about 1,700 people, and the square in front of the mosque can accommodate up to 10,000 worshippers on holidays. Inside hangs a crystal chandelier 5 metres in diameter and weighing about 2 tonnes, made in the Czech Republic. The mosque also houses the Museum of Islamic Culture and the History of the Spread of Islam in the Volga Region. The mosque is especially striking under artificial lighting: light reflecting off the marble gives the walls a pinkish tint, and the minarets seem to float above the Kremlin.

Visiting Rules

The mosque is open to tourists daily, closing on Fridays during Jumu'ah (Friday prayer). Women must cover their heads with a scarf and cover their shoulders and knees (scarves are provided at the entrance). Photographing worshippers is not allowed.

Getting There

The Kazan Kremlin is located in the city centre, on the bank of the Volga. The nearest metro station is Kremlyovskaya. From the station it is a 5-minute walk to the Kremlin gates. The mosque stands in the western part of the Kremlin.