Al-Mardjani mosque was builtpermission herself Catherine II, who at that time was passing through in Kazan. The mosque also has another name - Yunusovskaya, in honor of the merchant family, which provided its maintenance.
However, its real name is the Muslim templereceived thanks to the enlightener Shigabutdin Mardzhani, who served in him faithfully for forty years. Al-Mardjani is a mosque, which can be called an architectural landmark. It also has a great historical significance. This is the first stone structure erected in Kazan after the capture of Ivan the Terrible in 1552.
The Al-Mardjani Mosque (Kazan) consists of twofloors. On the south side of the building is the main entrance. The first floor is allocated for household needs, on the second floor there are prayer rooms. The whole building of the mosque is covered with ornate vaults. On the second floor the vaults are decorated with blue, green and gold moldings with gilded patterns of plants. All is sustained in the style of traditional Tatar art.
Between the halls there is a staircase leading to theminaret. From the minaret, a spiral staircase leads to a rounded balcony for the muezzin. The minaret itself has almost no decor. But the window openings in the form of high arches are decorated with elements of Tatar art. Al-Mardjani is a mosque considered to be a real treasure of architecture.
Kazan - the Tatar territory with its colorfulculture and traditions. And the Al-Mardjani mosque is a vivid confirmation of this. After visiting Kazan Empress Catherine II in 1767, it was decided to begin construction of the first monument of the Tatar cultural heritage. The Yunusov family played a huge role in the construction, they not only allocated a considerable amount of money for construction, but also took the mosque completely to their own support.
The merchant families of the Gizetullin, Galikeev,The Valishins and Kazakovs also allocated funds for construction. But it was the Yunusov family that actively participated in the development of the mosque. Later, when the construction was already erected, Ibrahim Yunusov tried to improve it. For example, instead of a wooden fence, he built a stone fence, made a brick extension on the north side of the building, thereby extending it. Later, he increased the mihrab.
The merchant Usmanov rebuilt the minaret, andaccount of the funds of the merchants Gizetullin and Valishin was built an openwork metal fence around the circular balcony of the minaret. As a result, contemporaries can contemplate a real architectural monument - the Al-Mardjani mosque. Tatarstan can be proud of such a heritage.
Currently, Al-Mardjani (the mosque) is wearingthe name of an outstanding imam who was not just a religious figure. Shigabutdip Mardzhani also became famous as a first-rate teacher, public figure. It was he who first consecrated the history of the Tatars.
When the mosque was built, the merchant Yunusov startedto invite the best ministers and teachers, including Marjani, who at that time after his studies in Bukhara moved to Samarkand. By order of Yunusov, people went there to take him to Kazan. Mardzhani agreed. Despite his young age, he was entrusted to lead the sermon on Fridays and to communicate with parishioners. So he became an imam-hatib. Later, Mardzhani received the status of "imam-mudarris" and began teaching in madrassas.
The Enlightener made a great contribution to the development ofmosques. At his will a new madrasah was built, although Yunusov's merchant was against such a restructuring. However, Marjani enlisted the support of other patrons of art, after numerous trials, he still managed to build a new educational building. The imam did not stop there. He also became famous for his non-standard approach to learning. In addition to religious subjects, mosques were taught astronomy, geometry and history. Mardzhani sought to combine the depth of the Muslim religion with modernity. He insisted that the Tatars learn the Russian language, but was against ignoring their native language. Perhaps that is why during the Soviet era was the only Muslim temple of Al-Mardjani. The mosque was visited by numerous foreign delegations, mainly from Muslim countries.
Также мечеть помогает и молодым мусульманским entrepreneurs. Surprisingly, Tatarstan is full not only with architectural monuments, but also with places of cultural heritage, one of which is the Al-Mardjani Mosque (Kazan). Location: st. K. Nasyri, 17.
