The Kul Sharif Mosque is a symbol of Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, and the city’s foremost religious landmark.
This graceful mosque stands within the grounds of the Kazan Kremlin. At night, the view is simply mesmerizing: snow-white marble walls, a vivid turquoise roof, and towering, luminous minarets.
It is a modern mosque, not a historical reconstruction. All of the original mosques were destroyed in 1552 during the capture of Kazan, and their exact appearance remains unknown today.
Construction of this grand new mosque took nearly ten years, from 1996 to 2005, and its opening was timed to coincide with the city's millennium celebrations.
The mosque is named in honor of Kul Sharif, the city’s last imam. Historical chronicles confirm that he truly lived during the era of the Kazan Khanate.
Today, the mosque welcomes visitors of all nationalities and faiths. The Kul Sharif Mosque is, above all, an architectural monument rather than a place of worship.
I hope you enjoyed my nighttime photographs. Thank you for stopping by my blog!
Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia.
September, 2020.
...
