The mosque, which will be discussed in this article, is built and decorated in the style of a national romantic direction. This beautiful historical building is a cult architectural monument of the late 19th century. The design of the facades here is dominated by Eastern Muslim motifs. This allowed the unknown architect to build such a unique romantic image of the mosque.
Azimov Mosque is a monument of the Muslim religion with characteristic cult Tatar architecture. It is a magnificent attraction, loved not only by locals, but also by tourists from all over the world. Today the mosque is an object of the Muslim community.
Mosque building
Many specialists of Kazan recognize it as the best in the city for its beauty. The two-hall mosque of light green color differs from others by a three-tiered minaret, starting not from the roof of the main building, as in most similar structures, but from the ground itself, from the foundationown. According to some travelers who visited Kazan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the minaret of the Asimov mosque is similar to the old minarets in the city of Constantinople.
Modern interior reconstruction meets the perfection of facades. And the magnificent and unusual fence complements the excellent architectural design of the building. The minaret rises to a height of 51 meters.
It should be noted that in Soviet times the color of the mosque was red (because of the brick of this color).
Today, one of the best religious buildings in terms of its architecture is the Azimov Mosque (Kazan). Address: st. Fatkullina, house 15.
A bit of history
The history of the Asimov mosque in Kazan is amazing. It all started with the fact that in its place stood a completely unremarkable wooden Muslim mosque without a minaret, built in 1804 for the workers of a soap factory. In 1851, the richest merchant of those times, Mustafa Azimov, built a new mosque on this site with a minaret, also made of wood, at his own expense. From 1887 to 1890, his son Murtaza Azimov (a merchant of the first guild) built a larger stone mosque. The merchant's own funds were also invested in this construction.
The name of the talented architect who created such a romantic image of the building, unfortunately, remains unknown. And the name of the mosque came from the name of the Azimovs.
Due to the emergence of the anti-religious policy of the state in the 1930s, the Asimov mosque was closed and stood idle until1992. It was opened after the restoration project by Rafik Bilyalov.
Few people in Soviet times knew about the existence of such a mosque in Kazan. An interesting fact is that it was located next to the closed Radiopribor plant. Even today you can see an old sign on its fence with the inscription "Foreigners are not allowed to enter." According to rumors, the guards of the industrial enterprise were so vigilant that they did not let them into the street. Sabanche (now Fatkullina Street) not only foreigners, but even local residents. Therefore, many did not know about the existence of the mosque.
During the Soviet period, its halls at different times housed a projectionist school and a cinema.
About the interior of the mosque
Azimov Mosque is closed for tourists. Excursions inside are not carried out due to the fact that the stairs in the minaret are wooden and very dilapidated. According to the imam, it is not safe to climb it.
At the top of the minaret are hexagonal stars known as "Stars of David". In fact, such hexagrams are used by many religions, including Islam. In the Muslim religion, this symbol is called the “seal of Suleiman.”
Usually a six-pointed star as an independent symbol is rarely used in Islamic paintings, so it is "hidden" in a more complex ornament. The wooden fence of the Azimov Mosque is original and unique.
One of the curious features of the mosque are… cats. The parishioners and the local imam constantly feed them, which is why they have taken root there. And tourists beforevisiting the temple you can stock up on something edible for cats. According to the Qur'an, such a good deed ("sadaqah") does not go unnoticed by Allah, he grants the forgiveness of sins.
Legend
Where else could the name of the Asimov mosque come from? There is an urban legend that claims that the mosque is named after Isaac Asimov, an American science fiction writer. The parishioners of the mosque often talk about the fact that Isaac was born somewhere in this area, and they took him to another country when he was 2 years old. In one of the interviews, the writer even admitted that he would like to return to these native places and see the mosque.
However, the legend remains only a legend, no matter how beautiful it is.
Conclusion
It is important to note that the Abdulgafarovs, a dynasty of clerics, are quite closely connected with the amazing history of the Asimov Mosque. The ancestor was Abdulvali Abdulgafarov, who served as the imam-khatib of this mosque from mid-1849 to the end of 1888. Subsequently, he was replaced by Khisametdin Abdulvalievich Abdulgafarov (son), who served in the mosque until 1923.
