The mosque that was destroyed by Ivan the Terrible. Famous, ancient and legendary Kul Sharif Mosque Kul Sharif facts

The Kul-Sharif Mosque in Kazan is part of the museum-architectural ensemble of the Kazan Kremlin, and within its composition is the historical heritage of Tatarstan and the Russian Federation. In the 21st century, the mosque was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List and is protected by the state as an architectural monument.

Symbol of Tatarstan

Kazan Kul Sharif is an active religious center, where thousands of pilgrims come during Islamic great holidays. It can accommodate up to 1,500 believers inside the building and over 10 thousand more in the square in front of it. The architectural ensemble is not just a prayer building, but a religious building, consisting of the mosque itself, the imam’s room, a room for wedding ceremonies and the famous museum of the Islamic religion.

Museum in the main mosque of Kazan

It was opened in February 2006 on the ground floor of Kul Sharif. The mosque has a very rich history. There are two spacious halls with a total area of ​​50 sq.m., which allows organizers to organize various traveling exhibitions, place valuable exhibits, and conduct educational, scientific and research work. Most of the exhibits are open to the public, regardless of the religion of visitors. But the rules of behavior in a religious institution include appropriate clothing for women, quiet speech and some other requirements, which the guide will familiarize you with before visiting the religious building.

The museum contains editions of the Koran in many languages ​​of the world. This is a unique collection, the only one in the world. You will be able to familiarize yourself with each of them. In the first hall you will find a story about the history of the prophets and the emergence of Islam, an acquaintance with ancient artifacts and a model of the Kaaba.

In the second hall you can learn the history of the creation, destruction and rebirth of the mosque itself. Portraits of famous painters with images of prominent Muslim figures of different centuries are placed here, and the main museum treasure - the Book of Marjani - is stored here.

Architectural features of the historical ensemble

The modern Kul Sharif Mosque in the Kazan Kremlin is the closest possible copy of the first building created by Sayyid Kul Sharif. The mosque was destroyed in the 16th century by Ivan the Terrible, and acquired a new look only in 2005. Construction lasted 9 years according to a joint project of a whole group of authors.

To select a construction plan, the country's leading architects were invited to participate in a competitive selection process. As a result, the project included the best ideas of many of the submitted works, on the basis of which an architectural group was created on the basis of Tatinvestgrazhdanproekt.

The cross-section of the Kul-Sharif building represents the symbol of “the blessing of Allah” in the form of two intersecting squares at an angle of 45 degrees. The walls are 8 arches covered with marble, on which verses from the Koran and ornaments are carved. The windows are glazed with colored stained glass, and the domed space is covered with an eight-tray roof.

To truly enjoy the exquisite spectacle, explore all the beauties in detail and visit other interesting sights of the city, you can rent a two-room apartment for a day or a compact one-room apartment. And stay comfortably in comfortable housing for any time.

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 so 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

If you start searching for photos on social networks using the hashtag #Kazan or #tripvkazan among tourists, then the first thing that will appear are photos of Kul Sharif. And not only in travel blogs - locals will also have plenty of similar photos. By the way, when people ask me where to go in the capital of Tatarstan for those who are here for the first time, I automatically answer – the Kul Sharif Mosque.

Despite the many well-trodden paths, a bunch of courtyards, museums, concerts, everyone will tell you Kul Sharif - a mosque located on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve.

Symbol of Kazan

In 2005, just in time for the city’s millennium, Kazan acquired its own symbol. Moreover, visible from two transport dams and the main railway. Construction took place from 1996 to 2005. That’s when my first acquaintance with the mosque happened. Together with the class in 2001, we went on a school excursion, then (2nd grade!) we were not afraid to let the children into a space filled with scaffolding. We spent about half an hour at the religious site under construction, drawing pictures of future splendor in our heads.

And then, June 24, 2005, the day came, inscribed in the history of the republic as “Opening of the Kul Sharif Mosque in Kazan.” And immediately in addition to the “Kazan Kremlin” came “Kul Sharif” - a place where everyone would like to visit, and friends from other cities would be brought here without question to admire the main mosque of Tatarstan.

What can I say, I myself have witnessed more than once how children on trains approaching Kazan took seats at the window in advance in order to watch majestic minarets appear from behind buildings and pillars.

How to get there

Finding Kul Sharif is probably easiest in Kazan. Even guests of the capital of Tatarstan will help, saying that “there it is, the mosque with the blue roof.” There are several public transport routes. By bus you can get to the Baturina stops by buses 22 and 89 or the Central Stadium by buses 47, 37, 74a, 74. . And then walk a little - in the case of Baturin, I get to the Kremlin from the back side of the museum-reserve, looking at the Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Church along the way, and in the case of the Central Stadium, you need to cross the road across the Bulak channel and go up to.

The next way is the metro to Kremlevskaya station. Get out of the car - to the right, from the metro - again to the right, then again to the right, and now you are already at the foot of the pavement leading to the Kremlin.

And finally, my favorite way is on foot. Take a leisurely stroll along Bauman or Kremlevskaya streets, admire the mixture of cultures or traces of pre-revolutionary times, and then find yourself at the very beginning of the street opposite the Spasskaya Tower.

Mosque from chronicles and legends

There is also an Orthodox shrine on the territory, built immediately after Ivan the Terrible entered Kazan. You can read about the complex and varied history of this sacred site for Christians. The history of the Kul Sharif mosque is rather the opposite. I immediately remember fragments from chronicles, shrouded in a veil of legends. So, on October 2, 1552, after a defense of 41 days, Kazan surrendered to the troops of Ivan the Terrible. It is with this ruler of Rus' that the history of the local Kul Sharif mosque is connected.

Let's go back to the 16th century. From the very first minutes that many thousands of Russian troops entered the fortress, fires began everywhere. And the fire spares neither defensive barriers, nor food supplies, nor fragile buildings, nor a multi-towered mosque.

Centuries later, in the 19th century, a philosopher and thinker named Shigabutdin Marjani conducted research, studied chronicles and collected data on how and by whom the city was defended in those bloody and bitter days. And he discovered such a forgotten personality as Kul Sharif.

He was a seid, considered a great hero among the Tatars, and was also a poet. During the battle with the soldiers of Ivan the Terrible, Kul Sharif put up stubborn, even fierce resistance and died a hero. And when in our days the question of restoring a holy place for Muslims became acute, the legendary hero was immortalized in the name of the mosque.

Recent history

The 90s were a time of democracy, the final recognition of religion, a time of thawing and strengthening of Tatarstan as an independent, culturally rich and unique region. I remember that it was then that the phrases that became the concept of the republic entered my brain and heart: East and West, Christianity and Islam, and Tatar, Peace and Tranquility.

February 21, 1996 is the day of laying a memorial sign on the site of the future mosque. The decree was signed by the first president of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev.

Architects and builders sought to recreate exactly the mosque that existed back in 1552. I cannot fully appreciate their work, because I myself do not know what it was like then, and ancient paintings are not so easy for the average person to obtain. Therefore, we admire the Kul Sharif mosque as we see it now, and, you know, in my opinion, the efforts of everyone who created the structure are evident.

By the way, about the creators! The development and construction were carried out by those who won the competition from the republic for the best project for the revival of a sacred place. Sometimes, for friends from other cities, I remember the official figures - the entire construction cost more than 400 million rubles. Moreover, the bulk of the amount is all donations from caring residents of Kazan and Tatarstan. Here I would like to insert a remark - “not indifferent” - honestly and sincerely, without a hint of sarcasm. Awe for history, for roots, buildings, the importance of religion and spiritual strongholds - all this is often found in Kazan residents.

Joint efforts led to the fact that on June 24, 2005 Kul Sharif opened its doors. Now prayers are regularly read there, and Kul Sharif is the most important place in the capital of Tatarstan during the celebrations of Kurban Bayram or Eid al-Fitr.

Also, brides and grooms rush here to perform the nikah ceremony - the conclusion of an agreement between husband and wife according to Sharia law. And if we talk again about the popularity of photographs at this place, then in 2015 Kul Sharif was included in the top 10 most famous and favorite places for photographs in Kazan.

Lines about architecture

I learned that, in architectural terms, a mosque represents “the blessing of Allah,” I learned on that school excursion. The complex consists of two squares intersecting at an angle of 45 degrees and 8 walls also intersecting each other. In the areas between them there are tall windows with stained glass. The dome of the Kul Sharif mosque is decorated with tulip-shaped windows. And here is another interesting note - all this looks like a “Kazan hat” - a reference to the crown of the Kazan khans. The height of the minarets is neither more nor less than 55 meters. There are 4 minarets in total. The structure is 5-storey.

Everything from the inside is decorated using unique methods - here are such intricate words as ceramic paintings, colored glass obtained using baking technology. In the interior decoration of Kul Sharif I find, having first read the architectural reference book, Roman mosaics, fragments of hand carving, and even gold embroidery - in general, the work was carried out on a large scale and with jewelry.

Inside a sacred place

For those who have no idea what and in what order can be done inside a mosque, I just wrote this section.

Museum of Islam

If first you want history, an acquaintance with the landmark and Islam on the pages of manuscripts, then you need to go to the Museum of Islam. You should go from the lower, southern platform of the mosque.

Entrance to the museum is paid. It cost me no more than 30 rubles to study Islamic history; there are 10 discounts for children. And on interesting dates - such as International Museum Day on May 18 or April 18 - the day of protection of monuments and landmarks - admission is free.

Let's go to the mosque

You need to go to Kul Sharif itself from the north side of the building. In simple words - from the prayer square, which attracts tourists entering the Kazan Kremlin. Enter and find yourself, traditionally, in the lobby. Next to it are the premises for the imam, which, as far as I know, girls are not allowed to go into. In the same place there is a prayer hall for men and a balcony for women. Just in case, let me remind you that in Islam, during prayer, men and women pray separately.

It doesn’t matter how many worshipers - 5, 10 or 50 - calm and reverent silence remain in the mosque. By the way, the noise from stomping is successfully hidden by Persian carpets; the floors in these two rooms are covered with them.

How to look and what to do

As with other religious sites, men should not wear shorts - only trousers - and women should avoid short skirts. As soon as you enter the mosque, women are immediately given a headscarf in the lobby, and men are given skullcaps. There are balconies for tourists so as not to disturb those praying.

Last lines

For romantics, introverts, and lovers of leisurely contemplation of the city, it is better to choose the evening time to get acquainted with the Kul Sharif Mosque in Kazan, like everyone who comes in the spring and summer. Quiet, calm, it seems that a noisy city is somewhere far away. The lights turn on at the mosque and a fairy tale of nature, architecture, culture begins...

Even 10 minutes spent in such an environment is calming and inspiring, let alone sitting on a cozy bench near Kul Sharif for several hours in harmony with such a diverse thousand-year-old city.

Produces a religious building called the Kul Sharif Mosque. This is one of the most famous mosques in all of Europe and the most striking . Tourists can visit the mosque independently, with or without a tour; it is also not necessary to leave shoes at the entrance; shoe covers are provided. There is a permanent Islamic museum attached to the mosque, with an inexpensive entrance ticket (about 100 rubles).

Kul Sharif

The mosque is named after Kul Sharifa - politician, poet and philosopher who participated in the battle for Kazan, one of the great amirs and seids. His poems about the difficult times that the people of the Kazan Tatars had to endure at the beginning of the 16th century are striking in the depth of thought and the grief expressed by the poet in verse. When, by order of the Tsar, the Russians invaded Kazan, the troops of the great Seid Kul Sharif stoically defended themselves at the walls of the old mosque, which was subsequently completely destroyed by the enemy. Kul Sharif died in this battle, and it was in his honor that a new mosque was named, built in our time.

By order of the President of Tatarstan, in the early nineties, active work began on the construction of the mosque, which was successfully completed approximately ten years later. The mosque was recreated in 2005, instead of the old one, destroyed by Russian troops during the capture of Kazan by the troops of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, and is a symbol of faith in the revival and prosperity of the Islamic religion among the Tatars. The opening of the church was timed to coincide with the thousandth anniversary of the city. A large five-story building crowned with the “Kazan Cap”, with its majestic appearance, reminds us of the times of the Kazan khans. The capacity of the mosque is approximately 1,500 people, and this is only inside it, and in the open area there can be five or six times as many believers at the same time.

Kul Sharif Mosque brief description

Turquoise minarets, fifty meters high, proudly rise on four sides of the Kul Sharif mosque in , pleasing the eyes of residents and guests of the city. Inside the mosque Kul Sharif It is also very beautiful - the spacious arched dome is covered with light blue stained glass windows with Tatar patterns. A chandelier measuring more than 5 meters hovers above the heads of visitors. Various precious and semi-precious stones, marble, glass, rock crystal - all this makes up the rich interior of the mosque, and makes you admire every meter of its huge interior space. The paintings on the ceiling of the mosque were created by the most talented Kazan artists, many of whom are members of the Art Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan.

In the Museum of Islamic Religion, which operates at the mosqueKul Sharif in Kazan, tourists can find many interesting things for themselves - various objects for prayer, rare editions of the Koran, and even a small copy of the religious shrine of the Kaaba. Literary exhibitions related to monuments of Muslim literature, as well as the works of famous philosophers of the Islamic world, are often held. In addition, the museum has a department entirely dedicated to Muslim women, providing information about the most famous of them, national clothing, dresses and jewelry. The topics of excursions conducted for tourists at the Kul Sharif mosque usually concern the role of the Islamic religion in the life of Kazan society, and in general the topic of religion in general.

The Kul Sharif Mosque is one of the symbols of Kazan and the operating juma mosque of Tatarstan, located in the western part of the Kazan Kremlin and is part of the historical and architectural complex included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

History of the Kul Sharif Mosque

The mosque on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin has not only religious significance, but was originally built as a center of education and a memorial to the memory of the city’s defenders - on the site of an old mosque destroyed in 1552 during the capture of Kazan by the army of Ivan the Terrible. At that time, the defense of one of the parts of the city of Kazan was led by Imam Kul Sharif, in whose honor the new mosque was named, he died along with his companions.

The decree on the reconstruction of the mosque on a historical site in the Kazan Kremlin was signed in 1995 by the President of Tatarstan M. Sh. Shaimiev. At the same time, a competition for the best project was held.

Construction work began already in 1996 and continued until 2005. The mosque was built mainly through donations: more than 40 thousand individuals and a variety of organizations contributed to the creation of Kul Sharif, information about them is recorded in books stored in the main hall.

The official opening of the mosque took place on June 24, 2005 and was timed to coincide with the millennium of Kazan.

Architecture of Kul Sharif

Architects of the Kazan mosque - “Tatinvestgrazhdanproekt”: I. F. Saifullin, A. G. Sattarov, Sh. Kh. Latypov, M. V. Safronov.

The mosque includes five floors, including the basement and technical floors. floor. In plan it is presented in the form of two squares intersecting at an angle of 45°. This arrangement of the building has a symbolic meaning - it repeats the Muslim sign of “the blessing of Allah.”

The height of each of the four main minarets of Kul Sharif is 58 meters. Dimensions of the dome of Kul Sharif: height - 39 meters, diameter - 17 meters. The capacity of the mosque is 1,700 people.

In addition, there are two symmetrically located small minarets. The walls of the mosque include eight pointed arches, decorated with ornaments and framed by verses carved in marble. The lancet windows of the mosque are decorated with stained glass. The windows on the dome are made in the form of tulips, and this is also symbolic: the flower is an ancient Bulgarian sign of revival and prosperity.

In addition to the mosque itself, the Kul Sharif complex includes a library-museum, a publishing center, an imam’s office, a tour desk, a memorial stone dedicated to the foundation of the mosque, and a fire department. The mosque building includes two parts: the ritual upper part and the museum and excursion lower part.

The architecture of the dome shows similarities with the traditional appearance of the Kazan hat - the royal crown; now this hat is kept in the Armory Chamber. In general, the architectural forms and decor, the presence of pointed arches, emphasize the traditions of Tatar architecture.

The building is faced with white marble, and the dome and spiers of the six minarets are turquoise.

The entrance to the Kul Sharif mosque is located from the prayer square, this is the northern part of the building; it is accentuated by pseudo-minarets. The entrance to the Museum of Islam is from the opposite, southern side.

Kul Sharif Mosque inside

On either side of the main hall there are observation balconies for excursions.

Ural granite and marble, serpentine and marble onyx are used in the decoration; the mosque is also decorated with gilding, stucco, stained glass and Roman mosaics, ceramic panels, hand-carved stone and wood, gold embroidery, and traditional carpets donated by Iran.

Luxurious colored crystal chandelier with a diameter of 5 meters was made in the Czech Republic.

Visit to the Kul Sharif mosque

Entrance to the operating mosque is free for everyone. Women are required to cover their heads with a scarf: you can take scarves and capes for free at the entrance. You are also prohibited from entering the mosque with your knees and shoulders exposed (applies to both women and men).

The opening hours of the Kul Sharif mosque are from 9:00 to 19:30. Break for prayer on Fridays - from 12:00 to 14:00.

Museum of Islam in the Kul Sharif Mosque

The museum is located on the ground floor, its exhibition is housed in two halls. The first is more general, devoted to the history of religion and the prophets; here you can get acquainted with books about the basics of Islam and an exhibition of objects for prayer, see a model of the Kaaba, historical manuscripts and editions of the Koran. The second hall is dedicated to the history of Muslim culture of the Middle Volga region, and also contains an exhibition of silver coins with Arabic script, books by Tatar religious figures and writers.

Entrance to the Museum of Islamic Culture in Kazan is paid: 200 rubles - full, 80 rubles - reduced ticket (schoolchildren, students, pensioners).

Museum opening hours: daily, from 9:00 to 19:30 (ticket office until 19:00).

How to get to Kul Sharif

To see the famous Kazan Mosque, you need to get to the Kremlin - by metro to the Kremlevskaya station or by buses to the Baturina stop, buses and trolleybus No. 2 to the Central Stadium stop. One of the most popular views of Kul Sharif opens from Millennium Square.

Kul Sharif Mosque in the panoramas of the Kazan Kremlin - Google Maps

Video about the Kul Sharif mosque