Kul Sharif Mosque
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Why go
- The lotus-shaped dome, with some of the 99 names of God inscribed inside the upper dome and on the window glass.
- The coloured crystal chandelier, five metres across and nearly two tonnes, made abroad.
- The museum of Islam below the ground floor, which covers Tsarist repression, Soviet-era Tatar language and the building of the mosque.
- Guided tours from the two viewing balconies inside the main building.
Opening hours
Today09:00 – 19:00Show all
Know before you go
- Anyone may visit, whatever their faith or nationality.
- Visitors should dress modestly.
- Women must cover their hair with a scarf.
- Men and women must not show bare knees or shoulders.
- Free scarves and capes are handed out at the entrance.
- In prayer areas, remove shoes or put on plastic shoe-covers.
- The ground floor prayer hall is open only to men.
- The second-floor balcony is used for women's prayers.
- Open 09:00-19:00 Monday to Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
- On Fridays it is open 09:00-11:30 and 13:15-19:00.
Legends and hidden details
- According to legend, the 16th-century mosque had many minarets, and the new building recreates that form.
Services and visiting hours
- Friday noon prayer
- Noon, about an hour A sermon, shared prayer and recitation
- Festive prayers
- Two a year, early in the morning after dawn
- Daily prayers
- Not every daily prayer is held
- Marriage ceremonies
- Not held here at present
Interesting facts5
-
The square in front holds ten thousand people for prayer, and the interior about one and a half thousand.
Кул-Шариф - Wikipedia -
40 thousand
Over 40 thousand citizens and organisations donated, and their names are recorded in books in the main hall.
Кул-Шариф - Wikipedia -
The mosque is part of a historical reserve, not a religious organisation.
Сайт о мечети Казанского Кремля "Кул-Шариф" -
The site was the grounds of a former cadet school.
Кул-Шариф - Wikipedia -
Parts of the old mosque may have been reused in Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow.
Mosquée Qolsharif - Wikipedia
Shorts
History
It was named after Kul Sharif, a religious scholar and imam who served there. In 1552 Ivan the Terrible's forces stormed Kazan. Kul Sharif died with many of his students defending the city, and the original mosque was destroyed. Building began in 1996. Most of the cost, about 400 million roubles, came from donations, and several foreign countries contributed.
- 16th centuryThe first mosque is built inside the Kazan Kremlin, named after Kul Sharif, a religious scholar and imam.
- 1552Russian forces storm Kazan. Kul Sharif dies defending the city, and the mosque is destroyed.
- 1995The republic's president signs a decree to recreate the mosque.
- 1996Construction of the new mosque begins inside the Kremlin.
- 2005The mosque opens for the city's 1000th anniversary.
Sources: Kul Sharif Mosque - Wikipedia · Kazan - Wikivoyage (see) · Сайт о мечети Казанского Кремля "Кул-Шариф" · Kul-Scharif-Moschee - Wikipedia · Mosquée Qolsharif - Wikipedia · Кул-Шариф - Wikipedia · checked 25 Oct 2026
- Website
- kul-sharif.com/
- Phone
- +7 843 567-81-52
Questions and answers
What are the opening hours of Kul Sharif Mosque in Kazan?
It is open 09:00-19:00 Monday to Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. On Fridays it is open 09:00-11:30 and 13:15-19:00.
What should you wear to visit Kul Sharif Mosque?
Women must cover their hair with a scarf, and men and women must not show bare knees or shoulders. Free scarves and capes are handed out at the entrance, and shoes come off in prayer areas.
Where is Kul Sharif Mosque?
It stands in the western part of the Kazan Kremlin, at the centre of its own courtyard square. The address is Kreml St., 13, in Kazan.
Can non-Muslims visit Kul Sharif Mosque?
Yes. Anyone may visit, whatever their faith or nationality, but the ground floor prayer hall is open only to men.
Are there guided tours of Kul Sharif Mosque?
Yes. Guided museum tours are offered, and groups are accepted. Guided tours also use the two viewing balconies inside the main building.
Is there a museum inside Kul Sharif Mosque?
Yes. A museum of Islam occupies the basement floor and covers Tsarist repression, Soviet-era Tatar language and the building of the mosque.
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