DDHK News, Russia - The existence of mosques in Russia is more than just a sign that there is Islam and Muslims in this country. Apart from being a place of worship, mosques in Russia are also tourist destinations because of their history or the uniqueness of their building designs.
There are three mosques in Russia which are the largest in Europe. One of them is in the northernmost hemisphere. Here are the seven grandest mosques in all of mainland Russia.
St. Petersburg "Blue" Mosque
The Saint Petersburg Mosque was built in 1910 to honor the Emir of Bukhara and mark Central Asia's joining with Russia. This incident occurred in the era of Alexander III, when the kingdom respected the interests of the Muslim community, which at that time numbered more than 8 thousand people.
After the construction project was completed in 1913, this mosque was the largest place of worship in Russia. This mosque can accommodate five thousand people. The two towers rise 49 meters and the dome is 39 meters high.
The dome of the St Petersburg Mosque is almost an exact copy of the Gur Emir Mausoleum in Samarkand (15th century). Tempay kept the ashes of Timurleng, the conqueror of Central Asia.
Heart of Chechnya Mosque (Heart of Chechnya)
The Heart of Chechnya Mosque, which was named by Akhmad Kadyrov, the first president of the Republic of Chechnya. One of the largest mosques in Europe, it can accommodate more than 10 thousand people.
The total area of the complex reaches 14 hectares. If needed, congregants can offer prayers in the summer galleries and grounds. Four towers as high as 63 meters around the Heart of Chechnya are the tallest in Russia.
The mosque's exterior and interior walls are covered with marble. Turkish craftsmen paint calligraphy taken from verses of the Koran along the walls of the mosque. Calligraphy is depicted in the finest quality gold ink.
The grandeur of the interior can be seen in the eight Swarovski crystal chandeliers. To create it, Swarovski used several tons of the highest quality bronze and 2,5 kg of gold.
Kul Sharif Mosque
After three raids in the early 16th century, the Russian army led by Grozny (The Cruel Ivan) was able to conquer Kazan, the capital of the Islamic state of Kazan Khanate. According to one version of the story, Ivan Grozny's troops seized and carried the "Kazan Cap" - the crown of the Kazan khanas - from Kazan to Moscow. According to the second version, the jewelers of the conquered Khanate made this "crown" especially for the Russian Tsar.
The shape of the "Kazan Cap" inspired the main architect of the Kul Sharif mosque in Kazan. The mosque was erected on the site of the former mosque minaret which was destroyed by Ivan Grozny's troops. This mosque was opened to celebrate the thousandth anniversary of the city of Kazan and is one of the most spectacular mosques in the world according to the Huffington Post, The Wondrous, and many others.
The interior of the mosque with its 52-meter-high minaret can accommodate 1.500 people, while 10 thousand other people are accommodated in the square. Funding for its construction, which is estimated at 400 million rubles, was entirely derived from donations. In the main hall of the mosque, there are books listing the names of the forty thousand people and their organizations.
Juma Derbent Mosque
The oldest mosque in Russia and the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States)
Derbent, which is one of the oldest cities in the world, was founded in 438 AD. The Juma Mosque was built in 773 AD As the name implies, this mosque was built to accommodate city residents to perform Friday prayers. Don't be surprised if the building is the largest in Derbent at that time.
As a result of an earthquake in the late 14th century, the oldest mosque in Russia was damaged so much that it carried out a major restoration. Unfortunately during the ongoing atheist campaign in the 1930s, this mosque was closed. It even turned into a city prison.
Its function as a place of worship was only restored in the mid-20th century which also marked his return to the Derbent Ulama Council. Now this magnificent mosque is included in UNESCO in the list of World Cultural Heritage.
Noorda Kamal Mosque
The northernmost mosque in the world.
The Noorda Kamal Mosque is one of the most beautiful buildings in the Arctic city of Norilsk. This mosque is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the northernmost mosque in the world.
The design is very special, different from other mosques in the world. Understand this because it has to adapt to the extreme weather and climatic conditions in the Far North (Far North).
Take the Norilsk tower, for example. When in other mosques the shape is round, the minarets of Noorda Kamal Mosque are square. This is based on the fact that by building such a wall, the brick does not freeze and is more resistant to wind loads.
The mosque was built by businessman Mithada Bikmeyeva, an ethnic Tatar who was born in Norilsk. The mosque is named Noorda Kamal, in honor of his father Nuritdin and mother, Gaynikamal.
Lala – Tulip Mosque
The Great Mosque-Madrasah Lala-Tulip is the center of Muslim activity in the Republic of Bashkortostan. The construction of this mosque was made possible thanks to donations from the government and Muslims and the government.
It can be guessed that this mosque is interesting because of its architecture. The shape and color of the main building resemble a blooming tulip. The tops of the two towers resemble shoots.
This resemblance is intentional. The Tulip flower is a symbol of the Turkic people from ancient times. According to Bashkir legends, happiness lies in the tulip buds that have not yet bloomed.
The Lala-Tulip can accommodate up to a thousand worshipers, and its 53-meter-high tower makes it the third tallest mosque in Russia, after the Heart of Chechnya (63 m) and Kul Sharif (57 m).
Mukhtarov Mosque
The Sunni Mosque or Mukhtarov Mosque, which stands on the left bank of the Terek River, is one of the symbols of Vladikavkaz, the capital of the Caucasus Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. This mosque was built starting in 1905 and was completed three years later. Murtaza Agha Mukhtarov, an oil millionaire from Baku, financed the construction because his wife was from Vladikavkaz.
This mosque was built in the Egyptian style, it can be seen from the architecture that it resembles the famous Al-Azhar University. The mosque was built from white limestone brought from the outskirts of Baku.
While the atheist campaign was taking place, in 1934 the Soviet city council decided to demolish this mosque. In response, YI Betkenev, commander of the 25th Tatar Company, ordered his men to protect the mosque. The government finally gave in, and gave the status of an architectural monument to this magnificent mosque. (Sumber: RBTH Indonesia). *
