Blue Mosque (Kazan)

Photos

  • Голубая Мечеть (Казань). Photo 1
  • Голубая Мечеть (Казань). Photo 2
  • Голубая Мечеть (Казань). Photo 3

Description

The Blue Mosque, or the Fourth Cathedral Mosque, is a significant monument of Tatar temple architecture in Kazan. Built between 1815 and 1819 in the classicist style at the expense of the Kazan merchant Akhmet Aitov-Zamanov, it attracts attention not only for its architecture, but also for its history.

Initially, the mosque was built in the classicist style, and later it was expanded and rebuilt. In 1864, the merchant G. B. Mustakimov expanded the mosque by three windows along the facade and built a fence around it according to the design of the architect P. I. Romanov. In 1907, merchant G. A. Ishmuratov enlarged the mihrab part of the building and expanded the mosque’s storeroom.

During the period of Soviet power in 1932, the mosque was closed, and in the 1930s the minaret was dismantled. The building was used for housing until it was returned to believers in 1993. However, the minaret was restored only in 2009.

Today, the Blue Mosque, despite its history and vicissitudes, is an object of cultural heritage and a place of worship for the Muslim community of Kazan. Its architectural style, combining elements of classicism and Muslim architecture, makes it a unique object of historical and cultural significance.

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