Ivan the Terrible Destroyed, Muslims Reopened the Mosque 453 Years Later

The mosque Kul Serif destroyed by the Russian Czar Ivan the Terrible 450 years ago has been reopened as the largest mosque in Russia after a 10 year long reconstruction process.

The opening ceremony took place in Kazan, the capitol city of Tatarstan, an autonomous associate of the Russian Federation. A large group of people along with ecclesiastics coming from across the country attended the opening on Sunday, June 26. The mosque was rebuilt on 19,000 square meters of land at a cost of $14 million. In his speech, the President of the Autonomous Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Sheymiyev said, the reconstruction of the mosque alongside a cathedral expresses mutual understanding between the two great religions of Russia.

Twenty million Muslims live in the mostly Orthodox Russia with a total population of 144 million. The Khanate of Kazan commanding over northeastern Europe between 1437 and 1553 was founded by Turks. In the summer of 1552, violent clashes took place between the forces of the Khanate and the Russians under the command of Czar Ivan the Terrible. The most violent clash took place in the vicinity of the Mosque and the Madrassah of Kul Serif. All students and teachers, including Seyyid Kul Serif, were martyred. Russians tore down all the public buildings and plundered the state treasury.

The Kul Serif Mosque will also be used as a center for science and religious education with its extensive library.

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