Muslim Russia
Russia appreciates Muslim traditions and has a rather extensive Islamic history; therefore our country is of relevance to Muslims as a tourist destination
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Islam in Russia from its Emergence till the Present Day
Russia can boast of the very large number of people, who confess Islam. Islam is considered to be the second widely spread religion in Russia after Christianity. The Muslim religion is widely practiced in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tatarstan Republic, The Caucasus, and Bashkortostan Republic.
The history of Islam in Russia is connected with the times when ancient Rus was conquered by the Tatar-Mongolian Golden Horde, and afterward, in the 13th century, Turkicized khanate was constituted, according to which Islam was considered to be the official state religion. Due to a very long Tatar-Mongolian occupation, lasting about 300 years, Muslim culture became a part of Russian life. During the reign of Catherine the Great religion tolerance policy was established and Islam became the lawful religion in the Russian Empire.
Nowadays Muslim tourists all over the world are warmly invited to visit magnificent Muslim places of interest in three Great Russian cities, such as Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Kazan.
Types of tourism
religious
Excursion
theme
Excursion
religious
Moscow
The Largest Muslim Community in Europe
Moscow is the major cosmopolitan city, which is currently home to 3 million Muslims; that is more than in any European city. This status comes with many responsibilities, which Moscow is working on: the city should provide such people with decent living and working conditions and with the opportunity to express their religious identity.
Among the most noteworthy Muslim places to visit in Moscow are the Bolshaya Ordynka Street, Zamoskvorechiye District, the Cathedral Mosque, and the Memorial Mosque.
Streets and Districts with Muslim History
Bolshaya Ordynka and Zamoskvorechiye District
Modern Moscow carefully preserves the history of old Muslim settlements. The Bolshaya (Big) Ordynka Street is located in the central area of Moscow. The name of the street “Ordynka” originated from the word “Horde”. It’s considered that in the 14th century there used to be a road to the Golden Horde. The Horde warriors settled in this place, their main duty was to transport the tribute from the Russian principalities. Walking along this street helps to feel the atmosphere of ancient times, filled with a rich history.
Zamoskvorechiye District is famous for its former Muslim community. Here Moscow’s first wooden mosque, called the Historical Mosque, has been preserved till nowadays. That is the oldest Mosque in Moscow. It was founded in 1823 and resembled an ordinary building. After the reconstruction, the mosque has become a two-storeyed stone facility, which is capable to admit about 50 people, and also includes a Madrasah and orphanage.
Another interesting building with Muslim history, located in Zamoskvorechiye District, is Asadullayev`s House. It is a beautiful four-storeyed bright facility, built in 1914 with the money of the oilman Shamsi Asadullayev. Originally there was a Muslim school for boys and girls, who studied separately, a printing house, where newspapers in the Tatar language were published, and a Tatar folk theatre. Nowadays the Moslem Cultural Centre of Moscow is located in this facility.
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Zamoskvorechiye photos by https://www.flickr.com/photos/5nap/
The Main Muslim Centres of Russia
Cathedral Mosque and Memorial Mosque
The Cathedral Mosque, located on Prospect Mira, is the most important Masjid not only of Moscow but also of the whole country. It is the official Russian Council of Muftis` place of residence and one of the biggest, most picturesque, and magnificent mosques in Europe. The interior of the Mosque is decorated in the Ottoman architectural style: white marble, gold, sky-blue colour, skillful stone and wood carving, rich decor, and painting. The Mosque is capable to hold approximately 10,000 people. The height of the minarets is 70 meters. It also comprises the Ismailiya Madrasah, a college for higher Islamic and Koran classes.
The Memorial Mosque on Poklonnaya Hill is a constituent of the enormous Victory Park complex devoted to the victory of the Russian warriors in the Second World War. The mosque is a bright example of Tatar and Caucasian styles of architectural construction. The height of the minarets is 60 meters, they belong to the Jameh Mosque style. The Mosque also includes a Madrasah and a Muslim community.
Kazan
The Muslim Capitalof Russia
Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan Republic, is recognized as the Muslim capital of Russia, also called “Russia`s Third Capital”. More than 70% of the whole Kazan population confesses Islam. Here Tatars and Russians, who were once irreconcilable enemies and rivals, live side-by-side in a very friendly way, as well as Christianity and Islam: tourists can see on the same street neighbouring Orthodox churches and Muslim mosques.
Every year Kazan attracts a lot of Muslim tourists all over the world, thanks to the abundance of mosques and the developed halal industry. Many Muslim places of interest are worthy of attention in Kazan, the most impressive of them are The Old Tatar Sloboda, the Kul Sharif mosque, and the 1000th Anniversary of Islam Mosque.
A Touch to History
The Old Tatar Sloboda
The Old Tatar Sloboda is like an open-air museum, where tourists can dive into the history and culture of the Tatar people.
After the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century, the local inhabitants were relocated to the lower part of the city, where the Tatar settlement was formed. Soon this settlement became one of the most attractive parts of Kazan. A lot of outstanding local merchants, scientists, writers, and professors lived here; therefore nowadays tourists can enjoy a lot of amazing architectural constructions and the atmosphere of the most unique district of Kazan.
Among the oldest religious constructions of the Old Tatar settlement is the Apanaevskaya Mosque, built in 1771. The Mosque was constructed in a very extraordinary architectural style, a mixture of the Russian Baroque and Tatar decorative art. Nowadays ceremonies and Islamic courses for adults and children are organized here.
Photos by https://www.flickr.com/photos/pjeannin/
The Main Mosque of Tatarstan
The Kul Sharif Mosque
The Kul Sharif mosque is the most important Masjid of Kazan and the whole Tatarstan Republic, and one of the symbols of the city. It is really worth going inside: the floor is covered with Iranian handmade carpets, on the ceiling, there is a large chandelier made of bohemian glass, everywhere tourists can see stain-glass windows, beautiful molding, and amazing mosaics. The mosque is capable to accommodate about 1,500 people, the square outside can admit about 10,000 people. The four great minarets are 58 meters in height. The mosque also comprises Imam’s office, library, and the Islam Museum. In the Islam Museum tourists can take part in a very interesting master class “Art of Arabic calligraphy”.
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Kazan
Great Bulgar
Ancient town Bulgar, located about 180 km from Kazan, has a very extensive and interesting history. It was founded more than 1100 years ago and was connected with 2 great ancient states, Volga Bulgaria and Golden Horde.
Due to the good geographical location at the intersection of the big waterways, Bulgar was of great commercial and military-strategic importance. In the 10th century, Islam became the main religion of the state.
Nowadays Bulgar is a beautiful open-air Museum-Reserve, included in UNESCO World Heritage List 2014. It attracts a lot of tourists all over the world. There they can see the ancient architecture of the 13-14 century, enjoy the beauty of the white Cathedral Mosque, get up to the minarets, go into the mausoleums, and walk on the excavations of the Khan Palace.
Saint Petersburg
A Large Islamic Centre in the Post-Soviet Area
Saint Petersburg, widely-known as the cultural capital of Russia, comprises about 1 million Muslim people, the majority of them are Tatars. It makes the city a very large Islamic centre in the post-Soviet area. Moslem for St. Petersburg is not a new phenomenon, as the Tatar community and the city are of the same age, therefore local Christian citizens are rather tolerant of the Muslim customs. St. Petersburg can boast of different Muslim places of interest, the most picturesque of them are The Tatar Alley, The House of the Bukhara Emir, the Cathedral Mosque, and the Kolomyazhskaya Mosque.
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Monumentality and Grandeur
The House of the Bukhara Emir
This beautiful house was built for the last Emir of Bukhara Sayid Alim Khan. From the 19th century, Bukhara was under the vassal subordination of Russia, which led to the close ties of the Bukhara monarch with Saint Petersburg, which was the capital of the country at that time. The Emir Sayid Alim Khan left a distinctive mark in the history of the city: he financed the construction of the Cathedral Mosque.
The Emir`s House on the fashionable prospect attracts with its monumentality and unshakable grandeur. The building is a unique example of Neoclassicism in combination with Oriental motifs. The facade was decorated with large blocks of marble from the Urals. The building is included in the Unified State Register of Cultural Heritage Objects of the Peoples of the Russian Federation.
The Cathedral Mosque
The Main Mosqueof Saint Petersburg
The Cathedral Mosque is the most important Masjid in St. Petersburg. It is capable to admit about 5,000 people. The height of its beautiful minarets is about 50 meters and the magnificent dome is 40 meters high. A tourist will not be able to take his eyes off of the grey granite walls and the sky-blue ceramic dome and minarets of this picturesque Mosque. Internal columns are built from green marble. The beauty and magnificence of the Mosque leave many tourists deeply impressed.
How Tatars appeared in SPB
The Tatar Alley
The Tatar Alley is located in the place of the former Tatar Sloboda, a Tatar settlement in SPB, which appeared in the 18th century. It was founded by Muslim workers, who lived in harsh conditions and took an active part in the construction of Saint Petersburg. Since the early years of the Northern Capital, the Tatars and other Islamic nations organically integrated into the city’s everyday life and culture. They made a significant contribution to the city image building.
Near the Tatar Alley, tourists can see a monument of the outstanding Tatar poet Gabdullah Tukay, a founder of the national poetry and the literary language.
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