Imam of the Kul Sharif mosque at the moment. Who is Kul Sharif? History of the Kul Sharif Mosque

Kul Sharif - warrior, poet, political and religious figure

The fact that Kul Sharif really existed during the time of the Kazan Khanate can be learned from many historical sources. Much information has also been preserved in the memory of the people; the great philosopher and thinker Shigabutdin Marjani also conducted research and collected historical information. Following these data, we can safely say that Kul Sharif at the time of the fall of the Khanate was the head of the Muslim clergy, as well as the supreme seid. The Tatars themselves considered him a great hero and “amir” (from Arabic this word translates as “leader”).

Seyid Kul Sharif

The descendants of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who were in the family line going back to his grandson Hussein, are called Sayids by Muslims. Kul Sharif was also a seid, his family was traced back to Muhammad. That is, Kul Sharif is a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

Modern historians have recently discovered and published the genealogy of the Shakulov seids, who were from the Kasimov Khanate. Literary scholar M.I. Akhmetzyanov showed in this way that this geology actually goes back to Muhammad and Hussein. As a result, Kul Sharif was ranked among the seids.

In the 15-16 centuries, each individual Tatar khanate had several seids, and only one of them could be supreme. That’s what he was called – the great seid. Judging by the data from history that has reached us, we can assume that Kul Sharif, like Kul Muhammad, was a Crimean seyid. Kul Sharif lived for some time with Seid Mansur in the Astrakhan Khanate. Mansur was supposedly his father. Literary scholar Akhmetzyanov at one time put forward a hypothesis that Kul Sharif is the author of the works “Zafername-i Vilayet-i Kazan” (1550), the poems “Sharif Khajitarkhani” and “Kul Sharif”. And indeed, after Kul Sharif became the main seid, Russian sources continued to mention that Sharif was a mullah. From all the essays and poems, it was noticed that the author was very educated, he had knowledge of astronomy, knew Tatar and Russian history, and was interested in government affairs. His first work, “Zafername-i vilayet-i Kazan,” can be called prose; there is quite a lot of poetry here.

The terrible time of Kul Sharif

Kul Sharif lived at a time when the Kazan Khanate was in a tragic situation, approaching destruction. The poet stunningly described the tragedy of his people in his prose “Zafername-i vilayet-i Kazan”. About Kazan, he said that she had nowhere to expect support, no one was helping. Only Tengri's government and the help of angels inspired her. Kul Sharif talks about the difficult situation of the entire city, that it was difficult to ensure the security of the entire state, that they had to sign an agreement with non-Muslims. For the sake of the well-being of the people, in 1550 Kazan concluded an agreement with Moscow on mutual assistance and understanding. After the conclusion of this agreement, each side sent its ambassadors more than once to resolve the conflict.

But next year, Russian troops violate the peace and enter into battle; in the summer they already surround the whole of Kazan. Then hard times began for the people of Kul Sharif. Kazan residents send messages of peace to Russian governors so that they calm down their anger. This data has come to us from the Patriarchal Chronicle. With such demands, Mullah Kul Sharif and the Tyumen prince Bibars Rastov went to Shah Ali and the Russian chief governors. Thus, they carried out the will of their people. This can be seen from the letter that the Kazan people then sent to Ivan the Terrible. However, the ambassadors did not agree to make concessions for a long time. This follows from the chronicle of 1551. Then the conquerors decided to threaten that if the Tatars did not accept the decision of the Russian governors, they would have to take them by force. And only after these threats, the ambassadors agreed and accepted the conditions set by Moscow.

It should be noted that Kul Sharif and Bibars were not personally guilty of making such a decision. They only fulfilled their national duty, since they were diplomats of that time.

Oh Sharifi, if you still hope for the best,
Don't leave this earth
For if you leave, who will be the sahib of the city of Kazan?
From the prose "Zafername-i vilayet-i Kazan"

Assassination of Kul Sharif

Kul Sharif died during the capture of Kazan by the Russians in 1552. The philosopher and historian Marjani, having studied folk legends, says that Kul Sharif and his followers, who united into a kind of military unit, died heroically. Sharif's disciples were young students, they defended themselves by retreating.

Kul Sharif, their leader, according to Marjani, climbed to the roof of the mosque, where he was killed, and fell down. This is how the outstanding personality of the entire era of the Kazan Khanate, Kul Sharif, tragically died.

It was in honor of Seid Kul Sharif that one of the largest mosques in Europe was later named; you can familiarize yourself with its history

The majestic building keeps its doors open for everyone who wants to come inside and touch the Tatar people. The main Tatarstan Juma mosque is also considered one of the largest in Europe. The area of ​​the attraction is 10,000 m2.

History of the Kul Sharif Mosque

The modern building of the main religious attraction of the Kazan Kremlin is not a historical structure. The famous Kul Sharif mosque in Kazan was destroyed in 1552 by the troops of Tsar Ivan the Terrible during an assault on the city. On the Tatar lands, only the glorious memory of the majestic building remains, and no one knows what it looked like in 1552. After many centuries, from 1996 to 2005, its restoration was carried out. The opening was timed to coincide with the millennium of Kazan.

History of the name. Imam Kul Sharif

The name was given as a memory of the last imam of Kazan, Kul-Sharif. He really lived during the time of the Kazan Khanate, this is evidenced by both historical chronicles and the memory of the people. For the Tatars, he was a great man, he was called "seid", which among Muslims means an honorary title for the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. Therefore, the name of the mosque after him is not surprising.

Construction of the Kul Sharif mosque

The architectural project was developed from scratch, since there was no information about what the building looked like in the 16th century. It is believed that it had eight minarets as a reminder of the eight provinces of Volga Bulgaria and was located on the site of a former cadet school. The Kazan Kul Sharif mosque was built mainly with donations from residents of Tatarstan and Russia. 400 million rubles - this is how much was spent on restoring the national pearl. On June 24, 2005, a religious complex was opened, which became a symbol of Kazan.

Description and architecture of the mosque

The building project was developed by architects Sh. Kh. Latypov, M. V. Safronov, A. G. Sattarov, I. F. Saifullin. They managed to emphasize the former grandeur of the destroyed mosque. It has 5 floors, including the basement and technical: on the ground floor there is a prayer hall for men, an imam's office, on the second there are observation platforms in the form of balconies for tourists and a prayer area for women. On the ground floor there is an Islamic museum, wardrobes, and ablution rooms. The mosque complex also includes a library and a publishing house. The small building with a blue roof near the mosque is the fire department building.

The façade of the building is lined with marble, granite, onyx and serpentine. Thanks to the blue color of the tops of the minarets and the dome, the religious landmark is popularly known as the “blue mosque”.

The height of each of the minarets and, accordingly, the mosque is 57 meters.

You can enter the prayer hall from the north side, and the Islamic Museum from the south.

The building's capacity is 1.5 thousand people, and the area in front of it can accommodate another 10 thousand worshipers. Green squares on the asphalt mark places for worshipers.

With the skillful hands of craftsmen, the landmark became not only a symbol of faith, but also a monument to the thousand-year-old traditions of the people. Inside you can see arches with verses and ornamental braids.

The architects did not forget about the glorious flower that signifies “rebirth” - the tulip. It can be seen in the window openings. Eight symbols of the Muslim faith - crescents - identify the eight minarets of the past.

The interior displays unique types of work and finishing. They were made in accordance with sixteenth-century technologies. Alabaster (ganch), wood and stone were used in construction. Everything was processed by hand. Also surprising are the gilded elements that enrich the main attraction of the Kazan Kremlin from the inside.

The beauty of the interior is enhanced by stucco, stained glass and mosaics.

The carpets on the floor of the mosque are a gift from the Iranian government, and the colored crystal chandelier weighing about two tons was made in the Czech Republic.

Cost and visiting rules

To visit the building, you need to follow some rules:

• closed clothing, head, whole body must be covered;
• no shoes, everyone takes off their shoes before entering the building, you can put shoe covers on your feet;
• during prayer, one must not disturb those praying; women cannot go to the men’s half; they pray on the second floor;
• You need to show tolerance towards the people around you who are believers. Do not rush them, do not make noise, do not take photographs of people during prayer;
• You can watch the people praying from one of two observation platforms for excursion groups and individual tourists.

Visiting the mosque itself is free, and for entry to the Museum of Islamic History, located on the ground floor, adults pay 50 rubles, students and pensioners - 40 rubles, schoolchildren - 20 rubles.

There are several fascinating facts about this attraction:

1. The attraction is not one continuous building, but a large complex. The central dome reaches a height of about 39 meters.
2. It was and is believed that Kul Sharif is the largest mosque in Europe, but at the moment it is not.
3. The library contains a book with the names of everyone who donated money to restore the landmark.
4. The dome resembles a hat.
5. The museum, housed in two halls, was opened a year after the official opening of the complex, in 2006.
6. The decoration of the ceiling was done by Tatarstan artists on canvases, which upon completion were raised to the ceiling.
7. In the Kul Sharif mosque you can conduct nikah - Islamic marriage according to Sharia law. Due to the growing popularity of holding nikah within the walls of a building, it is recommended to choose a date at least 3 months before the event.

Address, opening hours, how to get there

The mosque is located on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin museum-reserve. You can visit the famous landmark either independently or during.

The main mosque of the city is open to the public from 9 am to 6 pm. Within a few hours you can explore all its attractions.

To get to the attraction, you need to take the metro and go to the Kremlevskaya station or by public transport go to the TSUM or Palace of Sports stop.

A visit to the complex will leave many positive emotions and admiration for many years. Touch the centuries-old cultural heritage of Tatarstan, restored by talented builders, artists and architects of the republic.

The Kul-Sharif Mosque begins its history from the Kazan Khanate. The ancient Muslim shrine was one of the five mosques of the Kazan Kremlin. The temple had eight minarets, which no other mosque in the world could boast of. In 1552, during the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible, the majestic building fell victim to destruction.

In 1996, construction of a new one began on the site of the lost mosque. It took the workers ten years for a snow-white architectural complex with blue domes pointing into the sky to appear before the eyes of the city’s residents. The name of the temple contains a reference to its predecessor. Kul Sharif is the last imam to die during the storming of the temple by the troops of Ivan the Terrible. Sources say that the man led the defense detachment and was the last to be thrown from the roof of the mosque.

The Kul Sharif Mosque in Kazan is a complex of three elements. In addition to the temple, it includes a memorial stone and an administrative building. The area of ​​the ensemble is approximately 19,000 m². The height of the minarets is 57 m, the main dome is 39 m, with a diameter of 17.5 m. The appearance of the modern shrine is borrowed from the destroyed 13th century Al-Kabir mosque.

The opening of the complex was timed to coincide with the 1000th birthday of the capital. The mosque was positioned as the largest in Europe, but in fact the building was not a record holder in any respect. But the Kul-Sharif mosque is recognized as one of the largest and occupies primacy in the Republic of Tatarstan.

The building has 2 halls dedicated to the museum, the only one telling about the multifaceted culture and history of Islam among the population of the Volga and Urals regions. The exhibition reveals the contribution of the Tatar people to religion and reflects the influence of faith on the formation of the nation. You can visit the museum even on holidays, but opening hours are reduced. The main hall houses a collection of editions of the Koran in different languages ​​and books with the names of people who donated funds for the construction of the shrine.

The main dome resembles a Kazan hat - a headdress from the traditional attire of the khans. The windows of the dome are made in the shape of a tulip. Also in the construction are used the outlines of a sign symbolizing the blessing of Allah in Islam.

The interior decoration is made of Chelyabinsk marble, the doors are made of Krasnodar oak. All lighting fixtures, from a massive two-ton chandelier to the smallest ones, are made according to the drawings of Tatar craftsmen in the Czech Republic from crystal and colored glass.

The mosque is located on the territory of the Kremlin complex in the very center of Kazan. The nearest bus stops are: “Central Stadium”, “Baturina”, “Palace of Sports”. A short but picturesque path opens from the metro station of the same name. Entrance to the complex is free. Even at night you can admire the snow-white architecture in the light of fancy illumination, since the passage through the Spasskaya Tower is open around the clock.

Tragic events of the 16th century

After a long defense, which lasted exactly 41 days, on October 2, 1552, the Russian army broke into Kazan. Historians call this defense heroic, since the huge 150,000-strong Moscow army led by Ivan the Terrible was opposed by no more than 30,000 soldiers and cavalry. The head of the clergy and the king of Kazan continued to inspire and inspire the Kazan people throughout the battle; no one even thought about the surrender of Kazan. At that time, Ediger Khan ruled in Kazan. But the latest technical weapons of Ivan the Terrible brutally made their way into the burning city.

During the defense of Kazan, Seid Kul Sharif was the main leader. His students put up stubborn resistance, but after the assault they all died heroically. Kul Sharif himself also died. The mosque was destroyed and burned. The beautiful multi-minaret mosque of Kazan no longer rose on the hill.

The fire engulfed the entire city. The multi-towered mosque, near the walls of which the Kazan people desperately defended and defended themselves under the leadership of Seyid Kul-Sharif, almost completely burned down. The last battle destroyed all the city's defenders. The defeated city appeared before Tsar Ivan the Terrible. He looked with amazement at the beautiful palaces that were able to survive, and at the fortifications of the city. The king celebrated the victory and, in honor of this, ordered the construction of a memorial temple. The beautiful St. Basil's Cathedral with nine towers has been revived in Moscow. And the central mosque of Kazan was almost completely destroyed. After the capture of the city, Kazan had a sad look. All the defenders were killed, the city was almost completely burned. The capital of the Khanate lay in ruins, the fires did not stop.

Much later, the Tatar philosopher, scientist and educator Sh. Marjani conducted a study in which he found out that there was once a cathedral mosque in the Kremlin, and Seyid Sharifkol was at its head. Sharifkol enjoyed respect and honor among religious leaders. He was not only a scientist, but also a poet. Four hundred years ago, a magnificent and elegant mosque adorned Kazan. The mosque's library was rich and its beauty indescribable. In his research, Marjani also noted that the mosque was the center of the development of science and religious education throughout the Middle Volga region in the 16th century. The mosque was named after Imam Seid Kul Sharif.

Restoration of the Kul Sharif Mosque

In those years, when democracy was deployed in all its glory, the public began to raise the issue of restoring the famous Kul Sharif mosque. The Tatar people have been dreaming about this for centuries, and finally, the President of the Republic of Tatarstan met them halfway. M.Sh. In the fall of 1995, Shaimiev decided to sign a Decree on the reconstruction of the mosque. In winter, a competition was announced in which the best project for the revival of the Kul-Sharif mosque was selected. The location for the construction of the building was determined where the Junker School had previously been located. A memorial sign was solemnly laid here, and in the spring of 1996 the competition was completed. In the summer, Russian President Boris Yeltsin visited this place where a new mosque was to be built, and even promised to allocate a certain amount of money for the construction. And since then, people have lived with ideas about the legendary image of the mosque and its leader, Kul Sharif.

The new mosque is not just the most important mosque in Kazan and one of the largest mosques in Europe. Kul-Sharif is a symbol of Kazan and Tatarstan, it is an attractive center for all Tatars of the world, one of the national images. The memory of the people still preserves the memory of that main mosque, which was once defended and eventually burned to the ground. Architects restored the structure of the complex, imagining all the beauty and grandeur of the temple, trying to return it to its native culture. The main idea of ​​the reconstruction lay in architecture, and had great historical significance. After all, this is the main mosque of Tatarstan and the entire Tatar people, who have revived their statehood. Another idea was incorporated into the reconstruction. This is a memory of the defenders of the fatherland. The same role, for example, is played by St. Basil's Cathedral, which is located in Moscow, and the Muhammad Ali Mosque, which is located in Cairo. Both of these buildings appeared at a turning point in the countries. They are symbolic and have unconventional forms, the architecture is unique. The new Cathedral Mosque of Kazan also has these qualities. It is not for nothing that this mosque is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The symbolism of the Kul Sharif mosque

The most important symbol is the place that was chosen to build the new mosque. This area was selected through a survey of experts. The courtyard of the former Junker School, it would seem, was suggested by the Almighty himself. Subsequently, it turned out that the mosque somehow incomprehensibly bypassed all the numerous geological failures, faults and landslides that abound in the rest of the Kremlin. The complex is oriented towards Mecca with the highest precision. It was not for nothing that the project of four architects won. The school, barracks and military parade ground symbolize the centuries-old military force that ousted the Tatars. And it is here that a cult complex has now been built, which represents the change of different eras.

The artistic image of the whole complex has inherent semantic elements that bring the architecture of the mosque closer to Tatar traditions. The composition is basically the same, but the legend about the tragic fate of the Kul-Sharif mosque is symbolically reflected here. The architects also introduced additional towers, thereby bringing the mosque closer to its legendary image. And the dome has a shape that is associated with the image of the crown of the khans of Kazan. The President of the Republic of Tatarstan has repeatedly spoken about the Kul-Sharif mosque as a symbol of revival.

Chronology of the construction of the Kul-Sharif mosque

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