Qol Şärif Mosque, Mosque in Qazan Kremlin, Russia
Qol Şärif Mosque is a prayer building with eight minarets in the Kazan Kremlin, its white marble walls standing on granite foundations. The teal-topped towers rise above the courtyard while the interior holds a large hall.
Construction of this mosque began in 1996 as a rebuilding of a predecessor destroyed in the sixteenth century. Completion marked the return of Muslim architecture to the fortress after more than four centuries.
The mosque takes its name from a sixteenth-century imam and serves today as both a prayer space and a museum of Islamic culture. Visitors enter through a separately organized entrance while worshippers gather for daily prayer in the main hall.
Entry is available on most weekdays but outside prayer times to avoid disturbance. Women should bring a headscarf as covering the hair is required before entering.
Funding came from several Middle Eastern countries, showing the international importance of this project. The building holds space for several thousand people and ranks among the largest mosques in Europe.
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