One of the orders of the Prophet Muhammad contains the following lines: “If someone builds a mosque for Allah, then for that he will build a similar one in paradise.” Of course, for all representatives of Islam, the construction of sanctuaries for the performance of prayers is a godly deed. And recently, in every country where they live according to the rules of the Koran, they are trying to build objects that are unique in terms of architecture and design for a prayer service for Muslims. And not everyone knows where the largest mosque in Russia is located. However, for some this issue is debatable. Let's consider it in more detail.
Heart of Chechnya
Many argue that the largest mosque in Russia is located in Grozny. This architectural complex, erected in 2008, is truly amazing for its decoration and beauty. There are magnificent fountains and a picturesque garden. The walls were finished with special material (taverine), which was used to erect the coliseum. The interior of the temple is decorated with white marble, which was brought from the island of Marmara Adasa (Turkey). The walls of the mosque inside were painted with gold and special paints. The ceilings are decorated with luxurious chandeliers, which were made of the most expensive crystal.
The largest mosque in Russia (whose photo was often used to decorate the pages of newspapers and magazines) was mesmerizing and admiring with beauty at night, when every detail of it was visible against the background of lighting. In the spring, plants begin to bloom in the temple and exude an indescribably pleasant smell.
The sacred place of the whole republic
Looking at the magnificence and pomp of the Chechen temple, you are really convinced that the largest mosque in Russia is located in Grozny. It is named after the first head of the republic, Akhmat Kadyrov. This magnificent architecture complex becomes noticeable after you enter the city. The total area of the structure is 5 thousand square meters. Its minarets are the highest: they reach the mark of 63 meters.
On the territory of the mosque are the Russian Islamic University and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims. The order and cleanliness in the temple is very carefully monitored. Every Muslim who comes to stay in Chechnya seeks to get here. Well, when the time comes for the main holy festival of Muslims, then, at the sight of the scale and scope with which believers meet Ramadan in the "Heart of Chechnya", all doubts about where the largest mosque in Russia disappear are. In general, this is the main attraction of Chechnya, which should be seen by everyone who believes in Allah. Having visited this place once, a person has a desire to come here again and again.
Cathedral Mosque in Moscow
When asked about what the largest mosque in Russia has been built in recent years, some say that it is Cathedral.
However, this point of view cannot be considered absolutely correct. This sanctuary for Muslim prayers was erected in the Russian capital at the beginning of the 20th century. The cathedral mosque was built according to the project of architect Nikolai Zhukov with the money of the Tatar philanthropist Salikh Yerzin.
Most recently, the festive opening of the Cathedral Mosque took place after the restoration, which lasted ten years. The area of the temple has been increased twenty times, and now it exceeds the mark of 19,000 squares. The capacity of the Cathedral Mosque is 10,000 people. Despite this, it cannot be considered the largest sanctuary for prayers in Russia. However, this architectural structure is considered the largest mosque in Europe.
Today, several large Muslim churches operate in the Russian capital: the Memorial Mosque on Poklonnaya Hill, the Historical Mosque (Bolshaya Tatarskaya St.), the Yardyam Mosque (Otradnoye district), the Cathedral Mosque (Vypolzov Lane).
Ufa mosque
Some are one hundred percent sure that this is where the largest mosque in Russia will soon be located.
Ufa, in their opinion, is just that place. In this city, work is underway on the construction of a giant complex with tall minarets and domes. In 2017, the Ufa Cathedral Mosque will become the largest temple for Muslims. Indeed, the scale of the project is amazing: the height of the minarets is 74 meters, and the height of the dome is 46 meters. It is noteworthy that the first two minarets will have elevator equipment.
Juma mosque
Some experts argue that, from the point of view of spaciousness, the first place should be given to the sanctuary for prayer, which is located in Makhachkala. It is called the Juma Mosque. This temple was designed in the image of the famous Blue Mosque (Istanbul). After reconstruction work carried out in 2007, its capacity increased to 15,000 people.
St. Petersburg Cathedral Mosque
In the ranking of the largest is also the Cathedral Mosque, located in North Palmyra. More than 5,000 Muslims can come here to pray here.
The construction of this temple is the merit of Akhun Bayazitov, and the emir Seyd-Abdul-Akhat-khan and several entrepreneurs from Tatarstan gave the money for the construction. The cathedral mosque in the Northern capital is also a tribute to political correctness: during the reign of Alexander III, part of the territory of Central Asia went to Russia and in this regard, the emperor wanted to prove to Muslims that their rights and interests would not be infringed in any way. The mosque opened its doors in February 1913.
Mosque in the village of Dzhalka
One of the largest Muslim churches is a mosque located in the Chechen village of Dzhalka. This sanctuary can accommodate 5,000 believers. It was opened in honor of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the first head of the republic - Akhmat Kadyrov.
Kul Sharif (Kazan)
This religious monument can host over 2,000 Muslims. It began to be erected on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin in 1996 in order to recreate the initial version of the ancient multi-minaret mosque of the main city of the ancient khanate. This architectural complex was destroyed in the middle of the XVI century, when the army of Ivan the Terrible stormed Kazan. The temple is named after the last imam, whose name was Kul-Sharif.