Great Mosques Around the World

KAZAN, RUSSIA: The Qolsharif Mosque in the Kazan Kremlin in Kazan, Russia. At the time of its original construction in the 16th century, it was believed to be the oldest mosque in Europe outside Istanbul. Named after Qolsharif, a religious scholar and Imam of the Khanate of Kazan, who died in 1552 defending the mosque against Russian forces of Ivan the Terrible. It was rebuilt and inaugurated in 2005. Kazan is in Tatarstan, a federal subject of ... more 

KAZAN, RUSSIA: The Qolsharif Mosque in the Kazan Kremlin in Kazan, Russia. At the time of its original construction in the 16th century, it was believed to be the oldest mosque in Europe outside Istanbul. Named after Qolsharif, a religious scholar and Imam of the Khanate of Kazan, who died in 1552 defending the mosque against Russian forces of Ivan the Terrible. It was rebuilt and inaugurated in 2005. Kazan is in Tatarstan, a federal subject of Russia in the Volga Federal District. less