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Summary: This travel note introduces Bukhara Travel Guide: Capital of the Bukhara Khanate, Mosques and Islamic Heritage (Part 1). In the previous article, "The Capital of Timur—Samarkand," we introduced how the Timurid Dynasty declined after the death of the ruler Ulugh Beg and fell into division. It is useful for readers interested in Bukhara Travel, Islamic Heritage, Uzbekistan.

In the previous article, "The Capital of Timur—Samarkand," we introduced how the Timurid Dynasty declined after the death of the ruler Ulugh Beg and fell into division. In the early 16th century, Muhammad Shaybani, a descendant of Shayban (the fifth son of Jochi, the eldest son of Genghis Khan), led the Uzbeks who were nomadic in the northern steppes of Central Asia to overthrow the Timurid Dynasty's rule in the Transoxiana region, establishing the Shaybanid Dynasty (1506–1598), opening a new chapter in the history of the Transoxiana region of Central Asia.

The capital of the Shaybanid Dynasty was initially in Samarkand, and was moved to Bukhara after 1533. In 1598, the Shaybanid Dynasty line ended, and the khanate was passed to the Janid family, later known as the Janid Dynasty. The Janid Dynasty continued to rule with Bukhara as its capital until 1785. Later generations collectively refer to the Shaybanid Dynasty and the Janid Dynasty as the Khanate of Bukhara.

The city of Bukhara served as the capital of the Khanate of Bukhara for 252 years from 1533 to 1785, and many buildings constructed at that time remain to this day. Among them, the architecture from the period of Abdullah Khan II, who ruled Bukhara from 1557 to 1598, is the most abundant, which was also the most prosperous period of the Khanate of Bukhara.

Table of Contents

Prologue: Kalyan Mosque: Rebuilt in 1515

1. Mir-i-Arab Madrasa: 1535

2. Khoja Zaynuddin Mosque: First half of the 16th century

3. Naqshbandi Complex: 1544

4. Chor-Bakr Necropolis: 1563

5. Kosh Madrasa: 1567, 1590

1. Modari-khan Madrasa: 1567

2. Abdullah Khan Madrasa: 1590

6. Lyab-i Hauz: 1568, 1619, 1622

1. Kukeldash Madrasa: 1568

2. Nadir Divan-begi Khanaka: 1619

3. Nadir Divan-begi Madrasa: 1622

7. Khoja-Gaukushan Complex: 1570, 1598

8. Tok-i-Zargaron (Jewelry Dome Market): 1570

9. Toqi Telpak Furushon (Hat Dome Market): Late 16th century

10. Toki Sarrafon (Currency Exchange Dome Market): Late 16th century

11. Abdullakhan Tim (Market): 1577

12. Fayzabad Khanaka: 1598

13. Magok-i-Kurpa Mosque: 1637

14. Abdul Aziz Khan Madrasah: 1651

Prologue: Kalyan Mosque: Rebuilt in 1515

The Kalyan Mosque is the Jumu'ah (Friday) mosque of Bukhara. In 1220, the mosque was destroyed by the Mongol army, leaving only the 46-meter-high minaret. In 1515, Ubaidullah, the nephew of Muhammad Shaybani, the founder of the Shaybanid Dynasty of the Khanate of Bukhara, rebuilt the mosque. He was the ruler of Bukhara at the time, and the name of the Khanate of Bukhara also comes from his order to move the capital of the khanate from Samarkand to Bukhara after he became Khan in 1533. After Bukhara became the capital of the khanate, the Kalyan Mosque became the most important mosque in the Khanate of Bukhara.

The architectural style of the Kalyan Mosque is similar to the Bibi-Khanym Mosque in Samarkand, both being courtyards composed of four Iwan (vaulted hall) arches. The Kalyan Mosque has as many as 288 domes, the largest of which is a blue dome 30 meters high above the mihrab (niche indicating the direction of prayer). The mihrab and Iwan arches are decorated with blue and white tiles in the late Timurid style, featuring plant and calligraphic patterns.































1. Mir-i-Arab Madrasa: 1535

The Mir-i-Arab Madrasa was built in 1535 by order of Ubaidullah, the Khan of the Shaybanid Dynasty of the Khanate of Bukhara (reigned 1533–1539), and named after the Khan's Sufi mentor, Mir-i-Arab (also known as Sheikh Abdullah Yamani).

In 1533, Ubaidullah became Khan and moved the capital from Samarkand to his fiefdom of Bukhara, starting large-scale construction in Bukhara, of which the Mir-i-Arab Madrasa was one.

To compete for territory, Khan Ubaidullah fought many wars with the Persian Safavid Dynasty, the most famous of which was the siege of the ancient Afghan city of Herat. During the many raids on Persia, the Shaybanid Dynasty obtained many captives, and it is said that the Khan used the funds obtained from selling 3,000 Persian captives to build the Mir-i-Arab Madrasa.

The Mir-i-Arab Madrasa was built opposite the Kalyan Mosque, forming a "kosh" (paired) structure with the mosque. Inside the madrasa are buried the Sufi mentor Mir-i-Arab and Khan Ubaidullah himself. Unfortunately, the madrasa is still a school, and ordinary tourists are not allowed to enter, so I could not see the tomb.

The Mir-i-Arab Madrasa was closed in the 1920s but reopened in 1947, becoming the only open madrasa in Bukhara at the time; almost all Imams of that era were trained at this school.











2. Khoja Zaynuddin Mosque: First half of the 16th century

The Khoja Zaynuddin Mosque was built in the first half of the 16th century, located next to an ancient pond (Hauz) in Bukhara. This architectural form is called a "Mosque-Khanaka," which is both a mosque and a Sufi activity center, where one can both pray and hold Sufi rituals.

There are many legends about the history of the mosque. One theory is that this mosque was built by the Khan of the Khanate of Bukhara to thank a minister named Khoja Zaynuddin, and another theory is that the Sufi master Khoja Zaynuddin is buried next to the mosque.

























3. Naqshbandi Complex: 1544

The Naqshbandi Complex (Bahouddin Naqshbandi Complex) is an important Islamic holy site in Central Asia, known as the "Little Mecca" of Central Asia, where Hazrat Muhammad Bahauddin Shah Naqshband, the founder of the famous Sufi Naqshbandia order, is buried.

After Naqshband died in 1389, he was buried in his family garden outside the city of Bukhara. Since then, people have constantly come to visit his tomb, which is even called a "small Hajj."

During the Shaybanid Dynasty, the Naqshbandia order eventually won out in competition with other Sufi orders and became the dominant Sufi order in the Khanate. Unlike other Sufi orders that advocate seclusion and asceticism, the Naqshbandia order, from its founder Naqshband, proposed the principle of "inwardly with Allah, outwardly with the people" (practicing in the crowd, traveling in the world, being cautious in action, and enjoying the time). In the 15th century, the third leader of the order, Ubaydullah al-Ahrar, proposed that political and social life were fundamental components of the order's spiritual pursuit, and after continuous improvement by later generations, it received increasing support from the rulers.

In 1544, the Khan of the Shaybanid Dynasty, Abdulaziz (reigned 1539–1550), built a Dakhma (raised platform) with a marble carved fence over the holy tomb, next to which was a Sufi Khanaka. Later, a large cemetery of Bukhara rulers appeared near the holy tomb, and every ruler felt honored to be buried near the holy tomb. Through the donations of successive Bukhara rulers, two mosques, Muzaffarkhan and Khakim Kushbegi, a small minaret, and a madrasa were built next to the Dakhma. These buildings form an entire complex around the central pond (Hauz).



















Inside the Naqshbandi holy tomb is a small madrasa built in the 17th century, which has now been converted into a museum displaying some Sufi artifacts.







Kuloh (Sufi practitioner's hat)



Robe



White cloth robe with scriptures written on it

4. Chor-Bakr Necropolis: 1563

The Shaybanid Dynasty fell into division in the mid-16th century, with the four regions of Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent, and Balkh each acting independently. In 1557, Abdullah Khan II (reigned 1583–1598) successfully occupied Bukhara and in 1561 declared his father Iskander the supreme Khan of the Uzbeks. Iskander was more interested in religion, so he handed over full authority over state affairs to his son.

In order to achieve the reunification of the dynasty, Abdullah Khan fought long-term wars with the surrounding areas. In 1573, after a siege, Abdullah Khan finally captured Balkh, and in 1576 he captured Samarkand and Tashkent in succession. In 1583, Abdullah Khan's father died, and he officially succeeded as Khan. After succeeding to the throne, he occupied Badakhshan and the Khorasan region in 1584 and 1588, and later occupied Khwarezm in 1594, executing the Sultan of Khiva, as the territory of the Shaybanid Dynasty continued to expand.

To strengthen his rule, Abdullah Khan built a large number of post stations, reservoirs, madrasas, and bridges, making Bukhara the most important trade center in Central Asia in the late 16th century. The Chor-Bakr Necropolis is a representative work of this.

The Chor-Bakr Necropolis is located in the western suburbs of Bukhara and is also called the "City of the Dead." Starting from the Samanid Dynasty in the 10th century, the Djuybar Seyyids family, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, came to live in Bukhara. This family played an important role in Bukhara, and after they died, they were buried in the western suburbs of the city.

In 1560, Abdullah Khan II decided to build a complex consisting of a mosque, a madrasa, and a Sufi Khanaka next to the Djuybar Seyyids family tomb as a gift to his teacher, Djuybar Sheikh Muhammad Islam Khoja, who belonged to the same family. The Khan's teacher died in 1563 and was buried in the tomb, and the complex was completed in the same year.

In 1593, the teacher's son, Khodja Bakr Sadi, died and was buried next to his father. After this, three other family members with the title "Bakr" were also buried here, and it has since been called "Chor-Bakr," meaning "Four Bakrs."

After the 19th century, it gradually lost its importance and was closed during the Soviet era. After the 1990s, it reopened, and more and more people have come here on pilgrimage. Many Uzbek Muslims believe that they must visit here before going on the Hajj to Mecca.



On the right is the mosque, in the middle is the madrasa, and on the left is the Khanaka.



On the left is the Khanaka, in the middle is the madrasa, and on the right is the mosque.



The minaret was built in the 20th century.













A Khazira is a special tomb structure consisting of a courtyard surrounded by walls with a beautifully decorated gate at the entrance; this type of tomb structure is rarely seen in other parts of Uzbekistan. The Khazira of the Djuybar Seyyids is in the northwest of the complex, connected by a long corridor, where you can hear the sound of footsteps reflected by the brick walls with every step.









5. Kosh Madrasa: 1567, 1590

The Kosh Madrasa (Double Madrasa) was built by Abdullah Khan II, the Khan of the Shaybanid Dynasty, and consists of the Modari-khan and Abdullah-khan madrasas standing opposite each other. The Modari-khan Madrasa was built in 1566, and the Abdullah Khan Madrasa was built in 1590; they are representative buildings built by Abdullah Khan II in the city of Bukhara.



1. Modari-khan Madrasa: 1567

"Modari-khan" means "the Khan's mother," and it was built by Abdullah Khan to commemorate his mother. The madrasa consists of an Iwan arch, two-story dormitories (Hujras), and a large classroom (Darskhana). Because the streets at the time did not allow the building to remain a rectangular right angle, the madrasa was actually built in a trapezoidal shape.







2. Abdullah Khan Madrasa: 1590

The Abdullah Khan Madrasa is named after Abdullah Khan II himself and was built after the Khan officially succeeded to the throne, so it is larger and more magnificent than the Modari-khan Madrasa opposite, featuring three Iwan arches.















6. Lyab-i Hauz: 1568, 1619, 1622

Lyab-i Hauz means "by the pond" in Persian and is one of the few remaining complexes in the ancient city of Bukhara built around a pond (Hauz). During the Khanate of Bukhara, there were many ponds in the ancient city, which were the main source of water for the city. However, because they were prone to spreading diseases, most of the ponds were filled in by the Soviets in the 1920s and 1930s, while Lyab-i Hauz survived because of its important historical complex.

1. Kukeldash Madrasa: 1568

On the north side of the pond is the Kukeldash Madrasa, built in 1568 during the reign of Abdullah Khan II, the Khan of the Shaybanid Dynasty of the Khanate of Bukhara. The Kukeldash Madrasa is the largest madrasa in Bukhara, consisting of 160 rooms. The architect very artistically used arched loggias to break up the facades on both sides, which is also a feature of this building.













2. Nadir Divan-begi Khanaka: 1619

Fifty years after the completion of the Kukeldash Madrasa, during the reign of Imam Quli Khan (reigned 1611–1642), the third Khan of the Janid Dynasty of the Khanate of Bukhara, the then-vizier (minister), who was also the Khan's uncle, Nadir Divan-begi, wanted to build a Sufi Khanaka next to the Kukeldash Madrasa. Vizier Nadir Divan-begi had great influence at court and could sometimes even represent the Khan in negotiations with foreign envoys.

According to legend, while building the Khanaka, the vizier wanted to build a pond next to it, but the land where the pond was located belonged to a Jewish widow who refused to sell the land. So the vizier brought the widow before the Khan and asked the Khan to make a ruling. The Khan ordered his jurists to study it, and the final conclusion was that there was no other way except for the widow to agree personally. So the vizier had to build a canal around the widow's land, and the water washed away the foundation of the widow's house, making it impossible for her to live there.

The widow negotiated with the vizier again. The vizier hoped to buy the house at a reasonable price, but the widow set a condition that if he gave her another piece of land and allowed the construction of a synagogue, she would agree to give up the current house. The vizier agreed to the widow's request, and the land given to the widow formed the Bukhara Jewish community, Mahalli Kuma.

Soon, the pond and the Bukhara synagogue were completed at the same time. This complex began to be called "Lyab-i Hauz," which is Persian for "by the pond," but it also has another popular name among the people, "Haus-i Bazur," meaning "built by force."

The Khanaka has a long, narrow gate that is different from the traditional form and is decorated very simply. The hall (dhikr-hana) has good acoustics, suitable for performing Sufi music. The corners and side exterior walls of the hall are places where Sufi practitioners live.









3. Nadir Divan-begi Madrasa: 1622

After building the Sufi Khanaka, Vizier Nadir Divan-begi planned to build a caravanserai (merchant inn) on the other side of the pond. After the inn was built, the vizier invited Khan Imam Quli Khan to the opening ceremony, but the Khan did not like his uncle's inn. At the opening ceremony, the Khan said that this building was built for the glory of the Lord, so it should be used as a madrasa. So the vizier had to convert the inn into a madrasa.

From the structural layout of the building, it can also be seen that this building was once a caravanserai. The entrance to the building is straight, not angular like the Kukeldash next to it, and there is no Darskhona classroom or Ayvan terrace for summer classes.

The gate of the madrasa depicts two phoenixes, two white deer, and a human face in the sun, which is very rare in Islamic architecture and similar to the Sher-Dor Madrasa in the Registan of Samarkand from the same period.









7. Khoja-Gaukushan Complex: 1570, 1598

The Khoja Gaukushan complex consists of a madrasa and a mosque. The madrasa was built in 1570 during the reign of Abdullah Khan II, the Khan of the Shaybanid Dynasty, and the mosque was built in 1598 by the master Djuybar Sheikh, known as "Khoja Kalon" (the Great Khoja).

In front of the mosque is a pond (Hauz), and on one side is a tall minaret, second only in height to the most famous Kalyan Minaret in Bukhara.







Madrasa





8. Tok-i-Zargaron (Jewelry Dome Market): 1570

The Tok-i-Zargaron (Jewelry Dome Market) was built in 1570 and is the largest of the four surviving dome markets from the Khanate of Bukhara in the ancient city of Bukhara, and is the best witness to Bukhara as a trade center in Central Asia in the 16th century.

"Tok-i-Zargaron" means "jeweler's dome," and it has four arched passages for Silk Road trade caravans to pass through, as well as 16 domes on an octagonal base. During the Khanate of Bukhara, there were 36 jewelry workshops and shops under the dome, selling various jewelry such as rings, earrings, and necklaces.







I bought a miniature painting at a miniature painting workshop inside the market.







9. Toqi Telpak Furushon (Hat Dome Market): Late 16th century

The Toqi Telpak Furushon (Hat Dome Market) consists of a central dome and a hexagonal base, connecting five streets in the old city. It was originally called the book (Kitab-Furushon) market, but later it gradually changed to selling various turbans, leather hat boxes, and skullcaps, and now it has become a place to sell tourist souvenirs.











I bought a miniature painting at the miniature painting workshop in the market.









10. Toki Sarrafon (Currency Exchange Dome Market): Late 16th century

The Toki Sarrafon (Currency Exchange Dome Market) is on the main road in the southern part of the old city of Bukhara, with four arches connecting four roads. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was one of the largest currency exchange markets in Central Asia, where merchants from India, China, and other regions exchanged currency. But today it only sells tourist souvenirs.









11. Abdullakhan Tim (Market): 1577

During the Shaybanid Dynasty, many huge dome markets were built in the city of Bukhara, called "Tim." Today, only one "Tim" market named after Abdullah Khan II survives.

Abdullakhan Tim was once the most high-end market in Bukhara, focusing on high-quality silk and wool products. The market is divided into 56 shopping stalls by arched structures, and soft light pours in through small windows on the dome. In the hot summer, customers can enjoy the cool air.















12. Fayzabad Khanaka: 1598

The Fayzabad Khanaka was built in 1598 by the famous Sufi master Mavlono Poyand-Mukhammad Ahsi (Ahsiketi) Fayzobodi, who died two years later in 1601.

This building is both a mosque and a Sufi Khanaka. Behind the mihrab niche are three-story Khudjras rooms for Sufi practitioners to live in. Sufi activities continued here until the Soviet era, but now only the function of the mosque remains. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Bukhara Travel Guide: Capital of the Bukhara Khanate, Mosques and Islamic Heritage (Part 2). 13. Magok-i-Kurpa Mosque: 1637. It is useful for readers interested in Bukhara Travel, Islamic Heritage, Uzbekistan.





13. Magok-i-Kurpa Mosque: 1637

The Magok-i-Kurpa Mosque was built in 1637. It was originally two stories, but the first floor is almost submerged underground, which is why it is called "Magok-i" (in the pit). The mosque is rectangular and has 12 domes on the roof. Because the mosque was under renovation, I was unable to enter for a visit.



14. Abdul Aziz Khan Madrasah: 1651

The Abdul Aziz Khan Madrasah was ordered to be built in 1651 by Abdul Aziz Khan (reigned 1645-1680), the fifth khan of the Janid Dynasty of the Bukhara Khanate. Together with the Ulugbek Madrasah, built in 1417 by Ulugbek, the third ruler of the Timurid Dynasty, it forms an architectural complex.

The Abdul Aziz Khan Madrasah is hailed as a representative work of 17th-century Central Asian architecture. Compared to the Timurid-era Ulugbek Madrasah, the Abdul Aziz Khan Madrasah, built 200 years later, is more ornate and exquisite. The madrasah's pishtaq (monumental portal) is very tall, and the iwan (vaulted hall) arch is decorated with exquisite patterns and verses from famous poets. The walls and rooms utilize almost all the architectural decoration techniques of that era, including relief majolica, marble carving, mosaic tiles, and gilded murals.

Abdul Aziz Khan himself attached great importance to Islamic religious education, but due to the invasion of the Khanate of Khiva and the intensification of internal divisions within the Bukhara Khanate, he was ultimately unable to rule the khanate. He chose to abdicate in favor of his younger brother and set off for Mecca for Hajj (pilgrimage). When Abdul Aziz left, some of the decorations in the madrasah were still unfinished.





















Turki Jandi Mausoleum: 16th-18th century

The Turki Jandi Mausoleum is a holy shrine in the ancient city of Bukhara. Because it is not in the tourist area, the atmosphere is very good. There is a well in front of the mausoleum, and the well water is believed to have miraculous properties. Here, you can see a mullah chatting kindly with people in the room at the entrance, and you can also see locals drinking the well water and then piously making dua (dua) in front of the holy shrine. This is the more everyday side of the ancient city of Bukhara. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Bolgar on the Volga: A Thousand-Year Muslim Capital and Tatar Heritage. The ancient city of Bolghar is located on the banks of the Volga River, south of Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, and was the capital of Volga Bulgaria in the 10th and 11th centuries. It is useful for readers interested in Bolgar Travel, Tatar Muslims, Islamic Heritage.

The ancient city of Bolghar is located on the banks of the Volga River, south of Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, and was the capital of Volga Bulgaria in the 10th and 11th centuries. The Volga Bulgars accepted Islam in 922, and this year marks exactly the 1100th anniversary.

Before the Crusades, the city of Bolghar was an important trade hub between Europe and Asia, and one of the wealthiest cities in the Islamic world at that time. In 1236, the Mongol army led by Batu Khan launched an expedition to Europe, completely destroying Volga Bulgaria and the city of Bolghar. After this, the city of Bolghar was rebuilt into an important economic, commercial, cultural, and religious center of the Golden Horde. Under the influence of the Bolghars, the Mongol rulers of the Golden Horde also began to believe in Islam, building a series of mosques, minarets, and Muslim mausoleums in the city. Coupled with secular palaces and bathhouses, most of the existing ruins in the city of Bolghar belong to this period.

After the decline of the Golden Horde, the ancient city of Bolghar remained a religious center for Muslims until the mid-16th century. After Ivan the Terrible of Russia conquered the Khanate of Kazan in 1552, the ancient city fell into complete decline.

After the 18th century, the center of the ancient city was occupied by the Orthodox Church; an Orthodox church was built on the site of the Great Mosque, and Muslim mausoleums were converted into chapels and wine cellars. Due to the construction of monasteries and surrounding villages, the architectural ruins within the ancient city decreased rapidly. In the early 18th century, there were more than 70 buildings within the ancient city ruins, including 9 minarets, but only 1 minaret has been preserved to this day.

During the Soviet era, because they could not travel to Mecca, Muslims in Tatarstan and other parts of the Soviet Union chose to travel to the ancient city of Bolghar for a "minor Hajj" (pilgrimage).

Today, the ancient city of Bolghar holds an important place in the hearts of the Volga Tatars, who view the Volga Bulgars as one of their ancestors and consider the ancient city of Bolghar their historical and religious capital. In 2014, the ancient city of Bolghar was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Table of Contents

I. Arrival

1. Volga River Speedboat

2. Bolghar Pier

3. Tatar Snack Bar

II. Great Mosque Architectural Complex

1. Great Mosque

2. Great Minaret

3. Eastern Mausoleum

4. Northern Mausoleum

5. Khan's Palace

6. Eastern House

III. Black House

IV. Khan's Mausoleum and Small Minaret

1. Khan's Mausoleum

2. Small Minaret

V. White House

VI. Small Tombs

VII. Southern Small City

VIII. Unearthed Artifacts

I. Arrival

1. Volga River Speedboat

The most convenient and interesting way to travel from Kazan to the ancient city of Bolghar is to take a Volga River speedboat from the Kazan pier. For information on the Kazan pier, you can visit the website https://douc.cc/1vFyDm; tickets can only be purchased on-site. The lady at the ticket window does not speak English, but you just need to show her the destination and date of the boat trip translated into Russian, and she will gesture to ask if you want a one-way or round-trip ticket; you can just gesture for a round-trip.

I bought a ticket departing from Kazan at 8:00 AM, arriving in Bolghar around 10:00 AM, and returning at 3:40 PM, arriving back in Kazan around 5:40 PM, leaving me with five hours and forty minutes to stay. Many of the passengers on the boat are middle-aged and elderly tour groups, with a small number of individual tourists.

















The boat travels on the Volga River, and at its widest point, you can barely see the opposite bank. It is very windy on the boat, which is quite exhilarating.









2. Bolghar Pier

The boat did not stop at the entrance of the Bolghar Civilization Museum as written in the Lonely Planet Russia volume, but instead stopped at the Bolghar Pier to the west; from the pier, you still need to take a vehicle to the heritage area of the ancient city.

Bolghar Pier is a quiet little pier with a great atmosphere; waiting for the boat here on the return trip felt like being in a Russian movie.











3. Tatar Snack Bar

There are some souvenir shops and snack bars around the ancient city ruins area. I ate pilaf and the traditional Volga Tatar pie elesh (a savory pastry) at this Volga Tatar traditional fast-food chain Tubatay (Тюбетей). Elesh is made with sour cream and yeast dough, and the filling is chicken, potatoes, and onions.











II. Great Mosque Architectural Complex

After the Golden Horde rebuilt the city of Bolghar in the 13th century, they built a series of buildings centered on the Great Mosque.



1. Great Mosque

The Great Mosque is the most important architectural ruin of the ancient city of Bolghar preserved from the Golden Horde era, and it was the city center of Bolghar in the 13th and 14th centuries, featuring the typical architectural style of the Golden Horde period.

The Great Mosque is made of limestone, 34 meters long and 32 meters wide, with 20 columns and a wooden gable roof. The walls are plastered on all four sides and reinforced with buttresses. On the north side of the mosque, there is an arched gate and a minaret, and on the south side, there is a mihrab (a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca) with exquisite carvings. The Great Mosque was renovated in the early 14th century, and corner towers were added in the 1440s.

The Great Mosque underwent three archaeological excavations in 1892, 1915, and 1946, and two restorations in 1964-1966 and 2003-2005. The limestone walls were covered with a protective material, the ground was paved with white flooring, walkways were set up, and drainage ditches were built.

























2. Great Minaret

There used to be a 24-meter-high Great Minaret on the north side of the Bolghar Great Mosque, which collapsed in 1841, and the stone materials were taken away by locals. When Kazan University professor I. Berezin passed through Bolghar in 1846, he saw several stone carvings with Quranic verses on the site of the Great Minaret.

Based on a series of 18th and 19th-century graphic materials, the Great Minaret was rebuilt in 2000.



















3. Eastern Mausoleum

The Eastern Mausoleum is located on the east side of the Great Mosque and was built in the 1330s during the Golden Horde period, when the Great Mosque underwent its second renovation and the central square of the ancient city of Bolghar was further developed.

The Northern Mausoleum was originally the family mausoleum of the Bolghar noble Burashbeks, and later became the Church of St. Nicholas in the early 18th century, with an onion dome and a cross added.

Archaeological excavations in 1964-1966 and 1991 unearthed 7 tombs from the Golden Horde period in the mausoleum. The roof was damaged by a strong wind in 1965, and the mausoleum was restored in 1967-1968.

The tombstone with an inscription in the mausoleum came from Sabar-llchzhi, the daughter of Prince Burash; it was discovered during the renovation of the Church of St. Nicholas between 1889 and 1890, and was transported to Kazan in 1994. A replica is currently on display in the mausoleum.











4. Northern Mausoleum

The Northern Mausoleum is located on the north side of the Great Mosque and, like the Eastern Mausoleum, was built in the 1330s during the Golden Horde period.

The Northern Mausoleum was originally a family mausoleum for Bolghar nobles and later became the cellar of a monastery in the early 18th century. Two archaeological excavations were conducted here in 1964 and 1966, and partial restoration was carried out between 1968 and 1969.

When I visited, the interior of the mausoleum was not open, so I only saw the exterior.





5. Khan's Palace

The Khan's Palace is located east of the Great Mosque and was built in the mid-13th century during the early Golden Horde period. Since 1994, more than 1,000 square meters of archaeological excavations have been conducted, and 30% of the coins unearthed belong to the period between 1240 and 1259.















6. Eastern House

The Eastern House is the ruin of a public bathhouse built in the 1290s during the Golden Horde period, and it is the earliest and largest public bathhouse ruin existing in the ancient city of Bolghar. The entire bathhouse consists of three parts; the central space includes a heated changing room, a central cross-shaped hall, and four bathrooms. The western space includes a heated changing room and a boiler room; the boiler room consists of a furnace and two hot air ducts. The eastern space consists of a boiler with three air ducts.

From 1984 to 1992, a series of archaeological excavations were conducted on the bathhouse. From the unearthed coins, it is known that the bathhouse was used from approximately the 1290s to the 1340s.









III. Black House

The Black House was built in the mid-14th century during the Golden Horde period and is constructed of white limestone. The Black House is the only 14th-century civil building in the ancient city that has been preserved to this day; its specific purpose remains undetermined, but it is speculated to have been a courthouse or a pilgrim hostel. Archaeological excavations were conducted here twice in 1957 and 1966, and it was discovered that there used to be a veranda built around the building.











IV. Khan's Mausoleum and Small Minaret

The Small Minaret and the Khan's Mausoleum are located 500 meters south of the Great Mosque architectural complex.





1. Khan's Mausoleum

The Khan's Mausoleum was built in the early 14th century during the Golden Horde period; before this, there was a stone bathhouse here. The mausoleum was rebuilt in the mid-14th century. There are 8 tombs inside the mausoleum, some with tombstones. The archaeological monument was studied in 1968.

Protection and partial restoration were carried out in 1971, 1990, and 2006, respectively.

















2. Small Minaret

The Small Minaret was built in the late 14th century during the Golden Horde period; it is similar in shape to the Great Minaret of the Great Mosque and is the only minaret in the ancient city that has been preserved to this day. Two archaeological excavations were conducted here in 1914 and 1968-1969, and it was repaired between 1968 and 1970.

















V. White House

The White House is located 250 meters southeast of the Black House; it is a public bathhouse built in the 1340s during the Golden Horde period and was abandoned in the 1460s.

The bathhouse consists of several rectangular spaces of different sizes; the cross-shaped central hall once had a dome, and the ruins of the washing area consisting of pools, fountains, and soap rooms have been preserved, where you can clearly see the network of heating pipes, sewage, and well water facilities underneath.

The bathhouse was heated by two circular furnaces, which were also covered by domes; the furnaces and air ducts were made of sandstone, and the causeway under the furnaces was made of limestone.

The White House as seen today is how it looked after restoration and protection in 2011.









VI. Small Tombs

There are several tombs from the mid-14th to early 15th century Golden Horde period scattered throughout the ancient city of Bolghar. These tombs were archaeologically excavated between the 1970s and 1980s.







VII. Southern Small City

Outside the south gate of the ancient city of Bolghar, there is a small city ruin from the 13th to 14th century Golden Horde period; it is speculated that this was built to strengthen the defense of the south gate of Bolghar city.















VIII. Unearthed Artifacts

The Bolghar Civilization Museum displays artifacts from the Golden Horde period unearthed from the ancient city of Bolghar, where you can see artifacts with Chinese and Iranian styles.





















Finally, here are some photos of the ancient city scenery. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Tatars in Kazan: Mosques, Muslim Heritage and City Life (Part 1). As the former capital of the Kazan Khanate, the city of Kazan was completely destroyed after being conquered by Ivan the Terrible in 1552. It is useful for readers interested in Kazan Travel, Tatar Muslims, Islamic Heritage.

As the former capital of the Kazan Khanate, the city of Kazan was completely destroyed after being conquered by Ivan the Terrible in 1552. In 1556, the Russians built a new city of Kazan, settling 7,000 Russians within it, while the remaining Tatars settled on the banks of Lake Kaban to the southwest of the city, gradually forming the Old Tatar Quarter (Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda).

The early Old Tatar Quarter consisted of wooden buildings, which were very prone to fires. During the reign of Catherine the Great (reigned 1762-1796), the city of Kazan was rebuilt using brick and stone, gradually forming the current appearance of the Old Tatar historical district.



The scope of the Old Tatar Quarter in Kazan.

Although part of the district was converted into an industrial zone during the Soviet era, the current Old Tatar historical district still covers 88 hectares and preserves 75 historical buildings from the 18th to the 20th centuries, including mosques in the traditional Tatar style, mansions of wealthy Tatar merchants, and theaters. I have previously shared the 13 historical buildings of traditional-style mosques preserved in the community (see "Traditional Mosques of the Kazan Tatars"), and this time I will share my experience of eating and exploring in the Old Tatar historical district.

Tatarskaya Usadba (Tatar Manor).

This time I stayed in a traditional Tatar manor on the banks of Lake Kaban, which was originally the residence of the 19th-century Tatar merchant Khamit Sabitov. The manor offers both accommodation and dining. Because I did not book their main meals in advance, I only had breakfast, which was also in the traditional Tatar style.











Bekken, a Tatar specialty pie, is made with sour cream dough and filled with cabbage and egg.





Sochni cake with frosting and Pirozhki (Eastern European stuffed buns).





Tatar cultural festival "Pechen Bazar" (Hay Market).

I was very lucky to attend the Tatar cultural festival "Pechen Bazar" (Hay Market) in Kazan this time. The festival was held on the banks of Lake Kaban for two days, August 17th and 18th, with various Tatar designers, poets, musicians, and filmmakers showcasing and sharing their work; it was especially lively.

First, I will share what I ate at the festival. The first stall was traditional Tatar tea. You could see many ingredients in the tea, such as thyme, linden leaves, chamomile flowers, oregano leaves, mint leaves, and sage. You could also see the uncle throwing pine cones directly into the tea stove, which was especially fragrant.









I really like the drawing on the cup, it is Tatar trendy!





This stall sold traditional Tatar desserts, which are a bit like Turkish desserts and go very well with tea.





This stall sold jam.



I ate cakes made by Tatar girls and also drank lemonade.

















Stalls with various Tatar snacks.



Many Tatar artisans also came this time.

I bought two wooden puppets made by a Tatar brother; they are images of Tatar youth.







A Tatar youth is making Arabic calligraphy on the spot with thread.







A Tatar auntie was selling headpieces for Kazan Tatar women, decorated with pearls, which looked very beautiful.





A stall selling honey. This festival invited some Tatars living in the countryside to sell the honey, cheese, and sausages they made themselves, which was also very interesting.



I bought three hats at the festival. The first felt hat (VOYLOCHNAYA TYUBETEYKA) came from a Tatar brand that makes leather and wool felt products, which is quite interesting. And the two girls in the picture below are dressed so beautifully!







The second hat stall; I really should have bought this traditional Tatar vest at that time.







The third hat stall.







A stall at the festival selling traditional Kazan Tatar flower hats, and also selling traditional Kazan Tatar clothing; I was very tempted.







Live music performance; on the right, you can see the traditional Tatar house where I stayed.



The uncle is an architect who builds mosques, sharing how to build a mosque.



A young Tatar female poet is reading poetry.



The clothing worn by the host is the formal wear of urban Kazan Tatars in the early 20th century.



It was a live demonstration on how to tie a headscarf. I took a look and it was quite complicated, requiring many steps.



The dessert stall with the longest queue at the entire festival.



This stall is a Tatar creative brand that follows a sweet Islamic style.



A stall selling books on Tatar culture.



In the evening, they were showing a documentary about the Kazan Tatars, but unfortunately, I couldn't understand it.



Chak-Chak Museum.

The Chak-Chak Museum in Kazan is one of the most intuitive places to experience traditional Tatar culture. The museum itself is located in a Tatar wooden house in the Kazan Tatar historical district, and the interior well restores the home decor of a traditional Tatar family, which is especially atmospheric. If there are 6 people, they can teach you how to make Chak-Chak on the spot. Because I was alone, I booked a tasting and guided tour on the official website (https://www.muzeino.ru/), and the museum staff will email you to confirm whether to use English or Russian.

The experience that day was great. After arriving at the museum at the appointed time, a Tatar lady with fluent English was already waiting for me. The whole process was really like being a guest in a Tatar home. The lady told me various Tatar legends, daily customs, and cultural traditions, and then explained in detail the production process of the national dessert, Chak-Chak.

Chak-Chak is very similar to Sachima (a sweet fried dough treat). It is made by mixing flour with milk and eggs, deep-frying it, and then pouring honey over it. Chak-Chak is popular in Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. It is said to have originated from the ancient Bulgar Khanate. In addition, there are similar desserts among the Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Uzbek people. Chak-Chak is an important food at Kazan Tatar weddings. In the past, every Kazan Tatar woman had to learn how to make Chak-Chak, usually taught by a mother to her daughter or a grandmother to her granddaughter.

Afterwards, the Tatar lady made me some Tatar tea and, while letting me taste traditional Tatar desserts, told me about Tatar clothing, silver jewelry, embroidery, and other handicrafts. We had a very happy chat.





The museum before restoration.























Magnets bought at the museum.





Dom Tatarskoi Kulinarii (House of Tatar Cuisine).

When I was in Kazan, I ate at the famous traditional Tatar restaurant Dom Tatarskoi Kulinarii (House of Tatar Cuisine) on Bauman Pedestrian Street. The restaurant opened in 1969. The founder was Yunus Akhmetzyanov, a Tatar cuisine expert and author of "Dishes of Tatar cuisine," who remained the head chef until 1984.







It is a pity that the horse sausage was sold out when I went, so I ordered another type of beef sausage called "Kuchmeche Kolbasasy," which contains heart, liver, and lung in addition to meat. I also ordered a Bulgar stewed lamb, which is placed in parchment paper and served with roasted apples, honey, and crushed nuts. Bulgar is an ancient millennium-old capital in Tatarstan and the spiritual home of the Kazan Tatars.







For soup, I ordered Tatar Azu (Tatar beef casserole soup), and also drank sea buckthorn tea, which contained honey and cinnamon in addition to sea buckthorn.







Teatr Natsionalnoi Kukhni (Tatar Restaurant).

In the evening, I ate at the restaurant Teatr Natsionalnoi Kukhni in another Tatar manor on the banks of Lake Kaban, which was once the residence of the wealthy Tatar merchant Bikmukhametov. I ordered horse meat salad, pumpkin cream soup with dried apricots and cream cheese, and stewed fresh horse meat, Kullama. Kullama is the Tatar version of the Kazakh national dish Beshbarmak (five-finger stew).











Tubatay Fast Food Restaurant.

Tubatay (Tyubetey) is a fast-food restaurant that sells traditional Tatar dishes, and there is also a branch in the ancient city of Bulgar. "Tubatay" means the characteristic round hat of the Tatars.

I ordered Manti (steamed dumplings), a specialty meat pie Belesh (made with sour cream dough and filled with beef, potatoes, and onions), Tatar clear soup dumplings Pilmen served with sour cream Smetana, and Tatar tea.

















Large Tatar specialty halal supermarket.

Next to where I stayed, there was a large Tatar specialty halal supermarket. The variety of traditional Tatar desserts was dazzling, so I bought some to eat back at my accommodation.









The Kazan Tatar version of horse sausage; the horse meat flavor is much stronger than the Uzbek way of making horse sausage.





Kumis (fermented mare's milk), which is more sour than the Kazakh version.



It is called Smetannik, which means sour cream. The outside is made of butter dough (Sdobnoye testo), and the middle is sour cream, which is super delicious.



This nut cake is called Oriental dessert (vostochnaya sladost).



Central Market.

The Central Market in Kazan, where mushrooms are sold in the summer.



















Tatar round hat bought at the Central Market.









Small shop in the mosque.

Two Tatar magnets bought at the Märcani Mosque, showing the rural life of the Volga Tatars, one hunting rabbits and the other keeping bees.



Goose meat sold in the mosque; smoked goose meat and smoked horse meat are specialty delicacies of the Kazan Tatars.





Tubetei (Tyubetey), a hat of the Kazan Tatars, bought at the shop of the Nurulla Mosque. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Tatars in Kazan: Mosques, Muslim Heritage and City Life (Part 2). Finally, sharing some Tatar wooden houses and historical buildings in the Old Tatar historical district. It is useful for readers interested in Kazan Travel, Tatar Muslims, Islamic Heritage.









Street view of the Old Tatar historical district.

Finally, sharing some Tatar wooden houses and historical buildings in the Old Tatar historical district. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Halal Travel Guide to Shaanxi: 12 Traditional Mosques (Part 1). 1. Huajue Lane Great Mosque: Rebuilt in the late 14th century. It is useful for readers interested in Shaanxi Mosques, Chinese Muslims, Islamic Heritage.

I. Xi'an

1. Huajue Lane Great Mosque: Rebuilt in the late 14th century

2. Daxuexi Lane Mosque: Rebuilt in 1384

3. Xiaopiyuan Mosque: Renovated in 1611

4. Dapiyuan Mosque: 1411

5. Xiaoxuexi Lane Yingli Mosque: 1774

6. Xiaoxuexi Lane Middle Mosque

II. Xixiang, Hanzhong

1. Xixiang South Mosque: Rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty

2. Xixiang North Mosque: Rebuilt in 1816

III. Ankang

1. Shuhe Mosque: 16th Century

2. Ankang Mosque

3. Ankang North Mosque

4. Jingning South Mosque

I. Xi'an

After the expansion of Xi'an city during the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, Xi'an finally saw large-scale development since the end of the Tang Dynasty. Hui Muslims in Xi'an gradually settled in the northwestern part of the Ming-era Xi'an city, and by the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, the Muslim community known as the "Seven Mosques and Thirteen Neighborhoods" was formally established. At that time, there were seven mosques within the Xi'an Muslim Quarter: Huajue Lane, Daxuexi Lane, Dapiyuan, Xiaopiyuan, Yingli Mosque, Beiguangji Street, and Sajinqiao. During the Republic of China era, with the introduction of the Ikhwan ideology, two new mosques, the Middle Mosque and the West Mosque, were built in the Muslim Quarter, forming the "Nine Mosques of the Muslim Quarter" pattern where the Gedimu and Ikhwan traditions coexisted.

In November 2019, I traveled to the Xi'an Muslim Quarter and visited six of these traditional mosque buildings. I will share them with you below.

1. Huajue Lane Great Mosque: Rebuilt in the late 14th century

The Huajue Lane Great Mosque, also known as the "East Great Mosque," was rebuilt during the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1398) and was renovated multiple times during the Jiajing and Wanli reigns of the Ming Dynasty and the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. The mosque is divided into four courtyards. From east to west along the central axis are the screen wall, the wooden memorial archway, the Five-Bay Building, the stone memorial archway, the Chixiu Hall (Imperial Decree Hall), the Shengxin Tower (Mind-Reflecting Tower), the Lian-San Gate (Triple Gate), the Phoenix Pavilion, the moon terrace, and the main prayer hall.

The Five-Bay Building is also called the Second Gate; after entering it, one reaches the second courtyard.



The Five-Bay Building



Stone memorial archway



Chixiu Hall



Chixiu Hall



The second floor of the Shengxin Tower with its three-eaved octagonal roof



Lian-San Gate



Phoenix Pavilion



Moon terrace



Main prayer hall





Architect Liu Zhiping wrote in the book "Chinese Islamic Architecture": "Because the upper part uses a ceiling and has very exquisite colored paintings, the floor is neatly paved with wooden boards, the dougong (bracket sets) are crafted very finely, and the clear height of the ceiling is very appropriate, while the light inside the hall is dim and soft, these points make people feel that the interior of the hall is very quiet and comfortable. This is the success of the main hall's architecture. The author has seen many mosques, and this one is the most comfortable, clean, and magnificent and solemn. "



















The mihrab (niche indicating the direction of prayer) inside the main prayer hall of the Huajue Lane Mosque. Liu Zhiping said in the book "Chinese Islamic Architecture": "The rear kiln hall of the main prayer hall is the most beautifully crafted. The walls are entirely inlaid with wooden boards, and golden pillars are used to create door covers, hanging pillars, and other objects, making the sanctuary part even more magnificent. On all the wooden surfaces, there are magnificent and powerful shallow carvings. Because animal patterns are not allowed for decoration inside Islamic prayer halls, the entire wall is covered with magnificent and robust plant flowers. Such patterns are also often found on the brick carvings of other mosques. Its magnificent atmosphere has opened up a direction for our country's pattern decoration. Not using animals for decoration made the pattern carvings in the mosque have limitations, but at the same time, it also developed the situation of using plant and geometric patterns and calligraphy for decoration, thus contributing to the characteristics of Islamic architectural patterns. "



















Details of the rear kiln hall













The moon gate and screen wall on the side of the main prayer hall









The north wing room of the first courtyard







A patio



A wing room door



2. Daxuexi Lane Mosque: Rebuilt in 1384

The Daxuexi Lane Mosque, also known as the "West Great Mosque," was rebuilt in 1384 (the 17th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) by Tie Xuan, the Minister of War, who was granted the name of the mosque by imperial decree. It was renovated in 1413 (the 11th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) and twice more during the Kangxi and Guangxu reigns of the Qing Dynasty.

The structure of the mosque is similar to the Huajue Lane Great Mosque. In front of the main gate is a four-pillar, three-bay stone memorial archway. After entering the main gate, there is a three-bay hall, followed by the three-story, three-eaved Shengxin Pavilion (Mind-Reflecting Pavilion) with four corners. After passing through the Shengxin Pavilion, one enters the second courtyard. The north and south wing rooms are the Imam's residence and the lecture hall, respectively. There are two stele pavilions in the courtyard. Then, after passing through a small stone slope and a stone memorial archway, one enters the moon terrace, in the center of which is the main prayer hall.







Shengxin Pavilion













Main prayer hall

















Interior of the main prayer hall



















3. Xiaopiyuan Mosque: Renovated in 1611

The Xiaopiyuan Mosque, also known as the "North Great Mosque," was renovated in 1611 (the 39th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty) and is divided into four courtyards. Passing through the second and third courtyards from the "Second Gate" and "Lian-San Gate," one can reach the bluestone imperial path covered by a stone-carved shade shed.















Walking to the end of the imperial path is a coiled dragon stone slope, above which is a stone memorial archway. After entering, there is a large moon terrace paved with large square blue bricks, on which a "Pin"-shaped main prayer hall is built.















Interior of the Xiaopiyuan Mosque main prayer hall. In the 1930s, there was a Japanese bombing, and a bomb fell on the main prayer hall, but fortunately, it was a dud. Between 1960 and 1970, the entire mosque was demolished, and only the main prayer hall survived. I still want to express that every historical building we see that has been preserved to this day is truly rare, truly rare.



















4. Dapiyuan Mosque: 1411

The Dapiyuan Mosque was built in 1411 (the 9th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) and renovated in 1781 (the 46th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty). After being occupied in 1959, the main prayer hall and the north and south pavilions collapsed one after another. After being returned to the believers in 1985, it was renovated successively.

















Main prayer hall and its interior



















5. Xiaoxuexi Lane Yingli Mosque: 1774

The Xiaoxuexi Lane Yingli Mosque was built in 1774 (the 39th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty) and is the latest one established among the "Seven Mosques and Thirteen Neighborhoods" of the Ming and Qing dynasties in the Muslim Quarter. It is said to have been built by Muslim officers and soldiers. The scale of the Yingli Mosque is much smaller than the mosques built in the Muslim Quarter during the Ming Dynasty, and it is connected to Xiaoxuexi Lane by a narrow "arrow path." The internal structure of the mosque is similar to the Xiaopiyuan Mosque, and it also has an imperial path covered by a stone-carved shade shed.



















Yingli Mosque main prayer hall view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Halal Travel Guide to Shaanxi: 12 Traditional Mosques (Part 2). In the early years of the Republic of China, the Daxuexi Lane Mosque and the Yingli Mosque in Xi'an adopted the Ikhwan (a reformist Islamic movement), which led some local residents who insisted on the Gedimu. It is useful for readers interested in Shaanxi Mosques, Chinese Muslims, Islamic Heritage.

















6. Xiaoxuexi Lane Central Mosque

In the early years of the Republic of China, the Daxuexi Lane Mosque and the Yingli Mosque in Xi'an adopted the Ikhwan (a reformist Islamic movement), which led some local residents who insisted on the Gedimu (traditional Islamic practice) to raise funds for a new mosque. Among them, Li Shenghua voluntarily donated his private residence, and with donations from the Great Mosque, the Xiaopiyuan Mosque, and many other prominent figures in the community, it was completed in 1919. Because the mosque is located between the Daxuexi Lane Mosque and the Yingli Mosque, it is called the Central Mosque.

The Central Mosque ceased activities in 1958 and was later converted into a workshop and a kindergarten. It was reclaimed by the community in 1986, and the current main prayer hall was built in 1987.



















I. Hanzhong Xixiang

1. Xixiang South Mosque: Rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty

The Xixiang South Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. It was closed and occupied after the religious reforms in 1958, returned in 1986, and officially reopened in 2001. The current main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1997, but the main gate and the south wing room are still Qing Dynasty buildings. On the main gate, there is a 'Mosque' plaque from the Daoguang era.











After coming out of the South Mosque, you can see the 'Mosque Lane' wooden archway built during the Xianfeng era.







2. Xixiang North Mosque: Rebuilt in 1816

The Xixiang North Mosque was originally named Jingning Mosque and was built in 1614 by Hui Muslims who moved to Xixiang from Jingning Prefecture (now Pingliang, Gansu). The North Mosque was expanded in 1723, later destroyed by war, rebuilt in 1816, and renovated many times. It was occupied after the Cultural Revolution, returned in 1984, and the north wing room was rebuilt in 2009.



















The mihrab (niche in the wall indicating the direction of Mecca) is painted with very distinctive Shaanxi-style Arabic calligraphy.







II. Ankang City

1. Shuhe Mosque: 16th Century

The Shuhe Mosque is built on a steep cliff behind the ancient town of Shuhe and is connected to the street below by a hundred-step staircase. The mosque was first built during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty (1522-1566), expanded in 1915, severely damaged during the Cultural Revolution, and renovated again in 1994. The current main entrance was added during the expansion in 1915, and the original main entrance has now become the back door. The Shuhe Mosque possesses a 'cat-arched back' fire-blocking wall, which is very unique among traditional Chinese mosques. Some traditional mosques in southern China have fire-blocking walls, each with its own characteristics depending on the region, such as the 'wok-ear' walls of the Guilin Old Village Mosque and the 'horse-head' walls of the Nanjing Jingjue Mosque. The 'cat-arched back' fire-blocking wall is a characteristic feature of the Hunan-Hubei region and extends into the Qinling-Bashan region. Currently, besides the Shuhe Mosque, the only other traditional mosque I know of that has a 'cat-arched back' fire-blocking wall is the Jingziguan Mosque in Xichuan, Henan. In addition, there are ink paintings and inscriptions on the brick carvings of the fire-blocking wall, which is also a very southern style.

















The courtyard of the mosque is very small, and a stone concave pool in the middle is used to collect dripping water from the eaves, which is very suitable for the rainy climate. Behind it are the north and south wing rooms and the main prayer hall. The main prayer hall has the three-section structure traditional to Chinese mosques: a front shed, a middle hall, and a rear kiln hall.



















Most of the mosque's colorful paintings were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, with only a portion preserved outside the rear kiln hall, where various traditional Chinese patterns can be seen. In addition, there are ink paintings on the door frame of the main gate. One of the beams of the mosque has an inscription from the fourth year of the Republic of China (1915) regarding its renovation, and it still retains 100-year-old Arabic calligraphy. In the last photo, you can see that the mosque is adjacent to a cliff.



















Traces of the 1915 expansion of the Ming Dynasty main prayer hall.



After performing Jumu'ah (Friday prayer) at the mosque, we happened to catch a 'ten-bowl' banquet, a specialty of Shuhe. Zainab ate very happily, and in the end, we were given a lot of youxiang (fried flour dough). The ten bowls include liancai hezi (lotus root slices stuffed with lamb, coated in egg, fried, and then steamed), lamb meatballs (coated in egg, fried, and then steamed), braised beef, fenzhengrou (lamb coated in flour and steamed with sweet potato chunks), steamed white meat (fatty meat near the lamb cartilage, steamed), chicken (stir-fried until half-cooked and then steamed), fish chunks (grass carp chunks coated in flour, fried, and then steamed), and three vegetable dishes. The dishes at a Hui Muslim banquet are different from ordinary home-cooked stir-fries because they usually have to serve many people. Most of them are prepared half-cooked and then steamed in a large pot, which ensures both efficiency and that the food does not get cold.









2. Ankang Mosque

According to the stele inscription, the Ankang Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty. It was initially called the Libai Mosque (Worship Mosque), later renamed Jingjue Mosque, and changed to Mosque in 1767. In 1583, the mosque was destroyed by a flood and the mosque grounds were occupied. It was returned and rebuilt on the original site in the early years of the Kangxi era. It was destroyed again in 1862, with only the screen wall remaining. The north and south lecture halls were rebuilt in 1867, and the prayer hall and other buildings were rebuilt in 1871. In 1923, a five-story, hexagonal, pointed-roof minaret was built, reaching a height of 37 meters. The main prayer hall was expanded in 1931. In 1983, a major flood occurred in Ankang. The mosque's minaret collapsed, the north and south lecture halls were destroyed, and only the main prayer hall survived. In 1984, the north and south lecture halls, minaret, and water room were rebuilt. In 1999, the archway-style gate tower was rebuilt, and in 2013, the main prayer hall was rebuilt.









3. Ankang North Mosque

The North Mosque was first built in 1502. In 1983, a major flood occurred in Ankang, and all the buildings of the North Mosque were washed away. It was planned in 1984 and completed in 1994.

















Next to the North Mosque is a 232-year-old ailanthus tree, nearly 40 meters high. During the 1983 Ankang flood, 31 people climbed this tree and survived, so this tree is also called the 'Life-Saving Tree'.



4. Jingning South Mosque

The Jingning South Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty. In the 1583 Han River flood, the South Mosque was submerged, and the buildings collapsed, leaving only the Wangyue Tower (Moon-Watching Tower). It was renovated twice during the Kangxi era and in 1890. It was occupied after 1957. During the Cultural Revolution, a fire broke out, and the South Mosque was burned down, with only the Wangyue Tower surviving. After the property was returned, the main prayer hall, north and south wing rooms, water room, and gate tower were rebuilt. In 1998, the Ming Dynasty Wangyue Tower was demolished and replaced with a reinforced concrete building. In 2018, the stone archway, Wangyue Tower, and north and south wing rooms were rebuilt again. The main prayer hall of the Jingning South Mosque is the largest among the mosques in Ankang. From the top view, it can be seen that it is composed of three buildings connected together, and the style of each building is different. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Halal Travel Guide to Zhaotong, Yunnan: Six Traditional Mosques. During my marriage leave in August 2020, Zainab and I went to Zhaotong to travel, and Sister Azi took us to visit Zhaotong's beautiful traditional mosques. It is useful for readers interested in Yunnan Mosques, Hui Muslims, Islamic Heritage.

During my marriage leave in August 2020, Zainab and I went to Zhaotong to travel, and Sister Azi took us to visit Zhaotong's beautiful traditional mosques.

During the Ming Dynasty, Zhaotong belonged to the Wumeng Tufu (a local administrative office), which was managed by Yi ethnic chieftains. In 1726 (the fourth year of the Yongzheng reign), Ortai, the Viceroy of Yun-Gui, began to implement the 'Gaitu Guiliu' (replacing hereditary local chieftains with government-appointed officials) policy in Wumeng. The Wumeng Tufu raised an army to resist. Ha Yuansheng, the Zhongjun Youji (a military rank), along with Zhongjun Liu Qiyuan, broke through the Wumeng Tufu and the local chieftain leaders, finally completing the Gaitu Guiliu and renaming Wumeng to Zhaotong. Ha Yuansheng was a Hui Muslim whose ancestral home was Hejian, Hebei. During the Gaitu Guiliu period, some Hui Muslim soldiers followed Ha Yuansheng into Zhaotong, and after the war ended, they settled down by 'claiming land and registering their households'.

After Wumeng was pacified in 1732 (the tenth year of the Yongzheng reign), the population decreased sharply due to the war. The new Viceroy of Yun-Gui, Gao Qizhuo, ordered the reclamation of wasteland for farming. Hui Muslims from the nearby Weining area in Guizhou moved their families and villages into Zhaotong to claim land. The Hui Muslim population in Zhaotong increased significantly, and most of the existing traditional mosques were built during this period.

1. Tuogu Great Mosque: 1730

2. Longtoushan Mosque: 1746

3. Chachong Mosque: 1734

4. Tiejiawan Mosque: 1738

5. Baxian Great Mosque: 1779

6. Songjiashan Mosque: 1730

1. Tuogu Great Mosque: 1730

On the morning of August 10, Sister Azi drove us from Zhaotong to Ludian to start visiting traditional mosques. The first stop was the most famous Tuogu Great Mosque in Ludian.

We were warmly received by Imam Hai at the Tuogu Mosque, and Imam Hai told us in detail about the history and various legends of the Tuogu Mosque.

According to the inscriptions, the Tuogu Mosque's main hall was built in 1730 with funds donated by Ma Xiangqian, a Zhongjun Shiwei (a military guard rank) of Anlong Town, and his brothers, the Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations) Ma Lincan and Ma Linchi. In 1755, at the suggestion of Imam Sai Huanzhang, local fellow believers raised funds to build the Huanxing Lou (Awakening Tower) and other buildings such as the side rooms.

Before entering the mosque, the first thing you see is the hexagonal, three-tiered, pointed-roof style Huanxing Lou, with the three-room wooden 'Wujuan Tang' (Hall of No Fatigue) underneath. Hanging on the Huanxing Lou is a plaque inscribed with 'Pu Ci Wan You' (Universal Mercy for All Things), gifted in 1746 by Ye Daxiong, the Zongbing Guan (a military commander) guarding Zhaotong, Yunnan, and a hereditary Qiduwei (a military title). This plaque was originally hung in the main hall and later moved to the Huanxing Lou.













Imam Hai pointed out to us that there are some ancient fossils on the stone pillars of the Huanxing Lou, which should be unique among mosques in various places.





Passing through the Wujuan Tang is the courtyard, where four ancient cypress trees are planted, and directly opposite is the prayer hall. In the center of the main hall is written 'Happy Paradise', and according to Imam Hai, the eight Arabic calligraphy works around it were written by the second Imam of the mosque, Sai Huanzhang, also known as Sai Lao Baba.



















The Mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca) inside the main hall is a kiln-style hall, and the top of the kiln hall is also a pointed-roof pavilion-style structure, echoing the Huanxing Lou from a distance.











A Tabu Xiazi (a box for religious items) from the Qing Dynasty; Imam Hai said it is no longer used because it is too heavy.







A stele inscription from the Qianlong reign.



2. Longtoushan Mosque: 1746

After seeing the Tuogu Great Mosque, we went to another famous ancient mosque building in Ludian, the Longtoushan Mosque, and were warmly received by Imam Ma Liming.

The Longtoushan Mosque was built in 1746, following the traditional Yunnan mosque architectural style, with a courtyard enclosed by the Huanxing Lou, north and south side rooms, and the prayer hall. Unlike the Tuogu Great Mosque, the Mihrab of the Longtoushan Mosque does not have a pointed pavilion on top, and the Huanxing Lou only has four corners and two tiers, making its momentum slightly inferior to the Tuogu Great Mosque.



















The newly built main hall of Longtoushan is a full wooden structure, very spectacular, and can be seen from a very long distance. I very much approve of this practice of building a new main hall not far away without destroying historical architectural relics. In recent years, I have seen too many behaviors of tearing down centuries-old protected cultural relics just to build new main halls.













3. Chachong Mosque: 1734

After leaving the Longtoushan Mosque, we went to another ancient mosque in Ludian, the Chachong Mosque. The Chachong Mosque was built in 1734. Like the Tuogu Great Mosque, the Huanxing Lou is a three-story, hexagonal, pointed-roof pavilion-style building, but it is slightly smaller in size. Hanging at the entrance of the main hall is a plaque inscribed with 'Xuan Qi Da Neng' (Mysterious and Great Power), respectfully erected in 1906 by Sa Depin.

The Chachong Mosque is also very beautiful, but its popularity is not as high as the surrounding Tuogu Mosque and Longtoushan Mosque. When we visited, the Imam happened to have gone to the Longtoushan Mosque for a Ziyarah (a visit to a holy site), and the Imam's daughter was an acquaintance of Sister Azi, so we chatted very happily.



















4. Tiejiawan Mosque: 1738

From the Chachong Mosque, we continued to the Tiejiawan Mosque. In 1731, the Tie family came to settle in the northeast area of Taoyuan Bazi in Ludian. In 1738, Tie Wanxuan discussed with Tie Wanjin and Tie Zhongxuan to build the Tiejiawan Mosque on the top of a small hill between the two villages of Tiejiawan and Tiejiamen, and Tie Wanxuan served as the Imam.

Hanging at the entrance of the main hall is a plaque inscribed with 'Da De Dun Hua' (Great Virtue and Honest Transformation), gifted in 1810 by Ye Daxiong, the hereditary Qiduwei and local military commander of Zhaotong, Yunnan, as well as a plaque inscribed with 'Qing Zhen Ya Hua' (Pure and True Elegant Transformation) respectfully erected in 1844 by Tie Chengjin, the head of the Zhaotong Left Guard.



















5. Baxian Great Mosque: 1779

In the evening, we returned to Zhaotong from Ludian and went to the most famous Baxian Great Mosque in Zhaotong.

The Baxian Great Mosque was first built in 1731 and rebuilt in 1779. In 1730, when Wumeng was first pacified, the old city of Zhaotong was desolate. The main camp was temporarily set up at the Baxian Great Mosque, and the first academy after Zhaotong's Gaitu Guiliu—Zhaoyang Academy—was founded at the Baxian Great Mosque the following year. In 1898, the Baxian Great Mosque hired the great Imam Ma Minglun as the Imam, and he was elected as the General Imam by the thirty-six mosques in Zhaoweilu (Zhaotong, Weining, and Ludian).

On both sides of the mosque's main hall, there are stone-carved couplets: 'Only by overcoming one's own selfishness can one be on the path, and only by returning to the heavenly principles can one worship the Truth.' Above the main hall, there is a very distinctive Arabic wooden plaque inscribed with verses 43-44 of Chapter 43 of the Quran. Behind the main hall is a three-tiered, four-cornered, pointed-roof kiln hall.



















6. Songjiashan Mosque: 1730

In the evening, we performed the Maghrib (evening prayer) at the Songjiashan Mosque. It was still evening when we entered the hall, and it was dark when we came out.

The Songjiashan Mosque is not far from the Baxian Great Mosque and is also a very beautiful ancient mosque. During the Gaitu Guiliu in Zhaotong in the early years of the Yongzheng reign, a branch of the Ma family from Xiaba, Weining, followed General Ha Yuansheng, who led the army to pacify Wumeng, to Zhaotong. They eventually settled in Baxianhai and built the Songjiashan Mosque in 1730. The construction background of the Songjiashan Mosque is the same as that of the Baxian Great Mosque, but because there were fewer people, the scale is not as large as the Baxian Great Mosque.

The Songjiashan Mosque began painting the ceiling of the main hall in 1762 and finished the decoration in 1832. It is a very precious artistic treasure inside the mosque. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Halal Travel Guide to Henan: 14 Traditional Mosques (Part 1). 1. Kaifeng Dongdasi (East Great Mosque): Rebuilt in 1655. It is useful for readers interested in Henan Mosques, Chinese Muslims, Islamic Heritage.

1. Kaifeng

1. Kaifeng Dongdasi (East Great Mosque): Rebuilt in 1655

2. Kaifeng Dongdasi Women's School

3. Kaifeng Shanyitang Mosque: 1874

4. Kaifeng Wangjia Hutong Women's Mosque School: 1810s

5. Kaifeng Beidasi (North Great Mosque): Rebuilt in 1662

6. Kaifeng Wenshusi Mosque Qing Dynasty screen wall

7. Kaifeng Zhuxian Town North Mosque: Rebuilt in 1738

8. Zhuxian Town Women's Mosque School

2. Zhengzhou Beidasi (North Great Mosque): Ming Dynasty

3. Jiaozuo

1. Bo'ai Xiguan Mosque: Expanded in 1405.

2. Bo'ai Erxianmiao Mosque: Qing Dynasty architecture

3. Bo'ai Daxinzhuang Dongdasi (Great Eastern Mosque): Expanded in the Ming Dynasty.

4. Bo'ai Daxinzhuang Qingzhen Xisi (Western Mosque): Qing Jiaqing reign.

5. Qinyang Beidasi (Northern Mosque): Rebuilt in 1631.

1. Kaifeng

1. Kaifeng Dongdasi (East Great Mosque): Rebuilt in 1655

Kaifeng Dongdasi was originally called Daliang Mosque. In 1368 (the first year of the Hongwu reign), the youth of the mosque community followed Chang Yuchun on the northern expedition against the Yuan Dynasty. After the victory, Zhu Yuanzhang bestowed the name 'Imperial-built Daliang Mosque'. In 1407 (the fifth year of the Yongle reign), Ming Emperor Zhu Di 'imperially bestowed funds for expansion'. It was destroyed by Yellow River flooding at the end of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt in 1655 (the twelfth year of the Kangxi reign), expanded in 1689 (the twenty-eighth year of the Kangxi reign), and destroyed again by Yellow River flooding in 1841 (the twenty-first year of the Daoguang reign). In 1846 (the twenty-sixth year of the Daoguang reign), because the Hui Muslims had contributed to flood prevention, the Governor of Henan petitioned the imperial court to rebuild it.

Currently, Dongdasi has three courtyards, featuring a main gate, a second gate, a prayer hall, north and south lecture halls, and side rooms.

The main gate has a single-eave, ridge-roofed hard-mountain style, decorated with Suzhou-style gold-leaf paintings.











Inside the main gate, a traditional maiti (coffin) box is kept.







Entering through the main gate leads to the second gate.



Next to the second gate is a chuihuamen (hanging flower gate).



Because the main hall is under renovation, Jumu (Friday prayer) is held in the north lecture hall.









The main hall consists of a juanpeng (arched roof structure), a front hall, and a rear hall. It was under renovation when I visited.















2. Kaifeng Dongdasi Women's School

The Kaifeng Dongdasi Women's School is opposite Dongdasi, first built in 1933 and rebuilt in 1993. The term 'women's school' first appeared in the 'Jingxue Xichuan Pu' (Genealogy of Classical Studies) written during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. During the mid-to-late Qing period, women's schools gradually evolved into women's mosques, but the name 'women's school' continued to be used, especially in places like Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, and Zhoukou.









3. Kaifeng Shanyitang Mosque: 1874

Shanyitang Mosque is one of the ancient mosque buildings in Kaifeng city, located southwest of the Drum Tower. It was built in 1874 (the thirteenth year of the Tongzhi reign) by Hui Muslims from Shaanxi who settled in Kaifeng. It was originally a 'Shanyitang' (Benevolence and Righteousness Hall) guild hall for performing good deeds. In 1901, when Empress Dowager Cixi passed through Kaifeng on her way back to Beijing from Xi'an, the vanguard officer, a Hui Muslim named Ma Anliang, petitioned for a plaque inscribed with 'Mosque', and thus it was renamed Shanyitang Mosque. I met the hospitable Zhao Baba (an affectionate term for an elder) at the mosque, who told me a lot about the history of the mosque and the stories of the Muslims in Kaifeng.























The famous Arabic calligrapher, Master Mi Guangjiang, wrote the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah for the mosque's yaodian (rear prayer hall).



4. Kaifeng Wangjia Hutong Women's Mosque School: 1810s

The Kaifeng Wangjia Hutong Women's Mosque School is the oldest existing women's mosque in China, first built in the 1810s (during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty). Two stone tablets from 1878 (the fourth year of the Guangxu reign) currently in the mosque record its history. The founder of the women's mosque was known as 'Li-family Yuan-woman Ahong'. After Yuan Ahong returned to Allah, her disciple 'Wu-family Zhang-woman Ahong' continued to serve as Ahong. During this period, a man surnamed Zheng donated funds to purchase the building, and an elderly woman named Zhao Yang donated two storefront rooms. This is also the first time in history that the terms 'female Ahong' and 'women's mosque' appeared.



















5. Kaifeng Beidasi (North Great Mosque): Rebuilt in 1662

Kaifeng Beidasi was destroyed by Yellow River flooding in 1645 and rebuilt at a new site in 1662 (the first year of the Kangxi reign). Because Beidasi is far from the city center, it is very quiet, and the courtyard is planted with many beautiful flowers and plants. During Dhuhr (noon prayer), there were only four of us, including the Ahong, the Mu'adhdhin, the mosque master, and myself. We chatted very happily. Several Babas told me about the history of Kaifeng Beidasi and the changes in the mosque community, and also told me what good food there is at the night market at the west gate of Henan University nearby.

















Guided by an old master, I discovered a stone tablet in the mosque inscribed by Bao Zheng himself, titled 'The Place Where the Dragon Horse Carried the Map', with the inscription 'March of the second year of the Jiayou reign (1057), by Bao Zheng, Scholar of the Longtu Pavilion and Prefect of Kaifeng'. This stone tablet was excavated in 1785 (the fiftieth year of the Qianlong reign) by Jiang Lan, the Henan Provincial Administration Commissioner, under the Yellow River levee at Heigangkou in the suburbs of Kaifeng. After it was unearthed, a shrine and pavilion were built specifically for the tablet. Later, the shrine and pavilion fell into ruin, and the tablet was kept in Beidasi.



6. Kaifeng Wenshusi Mosque Qing Dynasty screen wall

Kaifeng Wenshusi Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty, destroyed by floods at the end of the Chongzhen reign, rebuilt in 1649 (the sixth year of the Shunzhi reign), renovated in 1791 (the fifty-sixth year of the Qianlong reign), and rebuilt as a modern building in the 1990s. Currently, a Qing Dynasty screen wall is preserved opposite the mosque's main gate, featuring exquisite brick carvings.









7. Kaifeng Zhuxian Town North Mosque: Rebuilt in 1738

Zhuxian Town North Mosque is the largest mosque in Zhuxian Town. It was first built during the Taiping Xingguo reign of the Northern Song Dynasty, rebuilt in 1531 (the tenth year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty), destroyed by Yellow River flooding in 1641 (the fourteenth year of the Chongzhen reign), rebuilt in 1738 (the third year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty), and expanded twice in 1744 (the ninth year of the Qianlong reign) and 1839 (the nineteenth year of the Daoguang reign).

The mosque's main gate has a single-eave hip-and-gable roof, with very exquisite wood carvings on the lintels and vivid glazed roof beasts. Inside the gate hang the plaques 'Zhi Fa Zhen Yuan' (Reaching the True Source) inscribed by Zhu Yukun, the Henan Governor during the Qianlong reign, and 'Zhen Yi Huan Zhen' (True Unity Returns to Truth) inscribed by Yulu, the Viceroy of Huguang during the Guangxu reign.



















The prayer hall of Zhuxian Town Mosque consists of a juanpeng, a main hall, and a yaodian. The juanpeng is a beam-lifting wooden structure, open at the front and back, not connected to the main hall, with a stone drainage ditch in between and a stone arch bridge over the ditch.

















The path in front of the main hall is inscribed with 'Xiantian' (Pre-heaven), 'Zhongtian' (Mid-heaven), and 'Datian Junlu' (The Great Path to Heaven).



The beams and lintels of the prayer hall have exquisite wood carvings and colorful paintings.





The windows are inlaid with 'fish scales' measuring 8 centimeters square each, totaling about 720 pieces.





Inside the main hall.









A traditional tabu (coffin) box.



Arabic calligraphy collected by the mosque.



Selected verses from the Quran by the famous young calligrapher Wang Qifei.



Selected verses from the Quran by the famous calligrapher Mi Guangjiang.



The work 'Die Lian Hua' (Butterflies Love Flowers) by Liu Xueqiang, the then-Imam of Zhuxian Town Mosque, with the Shahada (testimony of faith) in the center, surrounded by praises to the Prophet and Takbir, with flower and butterfly patterns around the edges.



Praises to the Prophet and the declaration of oneness by the famous calligrapher and lecturer at Zhengzhou Beidasi, Wang Guo'an.



Arabic couplets by Imam Li Jianzhou of Zhengzhou Beidasi.



Collections in the mosque's exhibition hall. Qing Dynasty classics donated by Imam Liu Xueqiang.



Xiaojing (Arabic-script Chinese) donated by the late student of scripture, the Yang family.



Republic of China era classics donated by Liu Zhenzhong and Ma Guoxiang.



Old-fashioned tangping (kettle for ritual washing) tags.



A clock used by the late Ma Da Ahong donated by Ma Guoxiang, and a copper bell used by Qing Dynasty Ahongs to call the Hailifan (students of scripture) for Wudu (ritual washing) before the Adhan.



Scripture box.



Chongtong (water-pouring bucket) used for changing water in the Qing Dynasty.



Earthenware jar for Wudu from the Republic of China era.



The ancient well in the mosque, which was used until 2002. This exhibition hall was originally a water room. Every day, the mosque master used a windlass to draw water from the well into a pot to boil it, then poured it into tangping and water jars for ritual washing.



8. Zhuxian Town Women's Mosque School

The most touching moment of this Kaifeng trip was the very warm reception I received from Grandma Wang at the Zhuxian Town Women's Mosque School. Grandma Wang insisted on cooking for me, and I couldn't refuse, so I had the warmest bowl of huimian (braised noodles) of this trip.

Grandma Wang is 83 years old and from Weinan, Shaanxi. After her husband passed away 40 years ago, she went out to make a living and eventually settled at the Zhuxian Town Women's Mosque School. Grandma Wang said that the flour and oil she eats every day are given by everyone, and she doesn't have to pay to live in the mosque. She gets up at three in the morning every day to clean and prepare for Fajr (morning prayer), and prays with everyone five times a day, feeling that her life is very fulfilling. I wanted to take a picture of Grandma, but she said she was old and didn't want to be photographed.

While chatting with Grandma, I met the female Ahong of the mosque. She is a local, in her thirties, and has been at the mosque for just one year. She usually has a shop near the Yue Fei Temple and comes to lead the prayers five times a day. The Ahong is also very kind and gave me two youxiang (fried dough) to eat on the road.













2. Zhengzhou Beidasi (North Great Mosque): Ming Dynasty

Beidasi is located on North Street in the old city of Zhengzhou. It is said to have been built in the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated twice during the Qianlong reign and has the typical architectural style of Central Plains mosques. It is a major historical and cultural site protected at the national level.

The main gate was built in 1725 (the third year of the Yongzheng reign).





The Wangyuelou (Moon-Watching Tower) also serves as the Bangkelou (minaret). The first floor is a passageway. Judging from the architectural structure, it is very likely an original Ming Dynasty structure, but the dougong (bracket sets) and eaves rafters should have been replaced in the Qing Dynasty. According to records, it was renovated in 1887 (the thirteenth year of the Guangxu reign).







Wangyuelou has three pairs of Chinese couplets:

Observe, listen, and hear the words; understand the message of the body, and you will understand all creation.

In prosperity and adversity, honor and disgrace, realize the subtle use of the turning point, and you will realize the mystery within.

The hustle and bustle of the world, even if you are proud and happy, is just a moment of distraction.

Whether good or bad in body and mind, when you close your eyes at the end, only two things will follow you closely.

Follow the Quran to promote the right path.

Follow the Sunnah so that the truth will last forever.







On the other side are Arabic couplets.







There are also couplets on the doors on both sides of Wangyuelou:

The five daily prayers are the key to opening the door.

The true scripture is the lamp that guides the way.

To recognize the pearl, you must return to the shore.

If you think of the sea, repair the boat early. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Halal Travel Guide to Henan: 14 Traditional Mosques (Part 2). The main hall was renovated twice in 1802 (the 7th year of the Jiaqing reign) and 1907 (the 33rd year of the Guangxu reign), and consists of a juanpeng (open-fronted shed), the main hall, and a yaodian (niche hall). It is useful for readers interested in Henan Mosques, Chinese Muslims, Islamic Heritage.



Stone inscriptions in the courtyard.





The main hall was renovated twice in 1802 (the 7th year of the Jiaqing reign) and 1907 (the 33rd year of the Guangxu reign), and consists of a juanpeng (open-fronted shed), the main hall, and a yaodian (niche hall). The main hall features a raised-beam timber frame with exposed rafters, and the beams and lintels are covered with cloud and floral patterns, making it unique and elegant. There is a huazhao (decorative floral screen) between the main hall and the yaodian, which is filled with openwork patterns; light shines from the bright yaodian through the screen into the main hall, creating an exquisite and translucent effect on the screen.

In front of the main hall are two century-old sweet osmanthus trees.









Couplets inside the main hall:

For the painting of the heavens, one must know there is no second artist.

For the scriptures covering the earth, one must ponder who holds the brush.





Recognize Allah, who has no form or shadow, and let all things serve as witness.

Contemplate creation, it is not high or distant, for the only truth lies within the heart.

















Behind the main hall, next to the yaodian, stands a Chinese juniper tree over four hundred years old.







3. Jiaozuo

1. Bo'ai Xiguan Mosque: Expanded in 1405.

The Xiguan Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty, and the main hall was expanded in 1405 (the 3rd year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty). It is currently a national cultural heritage site and is known as the 'First Mosque of Northern Henan'.

The main hall consists of a juanpeng, a front hall, a yaodian (middle hall), and a rear hall. In 1863 (the 2nd year of the Tongzhi reign), the yaodian was burned down by the Nian Army and later rebuilt to its original appearance. In 1941, a rear hall was added behind the yaodian, and the yaodian became the middle hall. The main hall is a raised-beam timber frame structure with 16 columns in 4 rows supporting the beam framework. The middle hall has 4 tall columns supporting the roof of the yaodian; inside the yaodian roof is a zaojing (caisson ceiling), and the exterior features a triple-eave, four-corner cross-ridge roof.













I performed the peshin (noon prayer) at the mosque and also caught the dhikr (remembrance of Allah) ceremony.







Main gate.



Glazed memorial archway.



Jumu (Friday prayer) plaque.



2. Bo'ai Erxianmiao Mosque: Qing Dynasty.

The Erxianmiao Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty, renovated in 1638 (the 11th year of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty), and renovated again in 1731 (the 9th year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty). It is a cultural heritage site of Henan Province. The mosque's main hall consists of a juanpeng, a front hall, a rear hall, and a yaodian. The juanpeng and front hall are Qing Dynasty structures with hard-mountain roofs connected in a series, while the rear hall and yaodian were added in 1993.



















3. Bo'ai Daxinzhuang Dongdasi (Great Eastern Mosque): Expanded in the Ming Dynasty.

The Daxinzhuang Dongdasi was first built in the Yuan Dynasty, expanded in the Ming Dynasty, and had a rear hall added during the Republic of China era. It is currently a cultural heritage site of Henan Province.

The main hall consists of a juanpeng, a front hall, a rear hall, and a yaodian. The juanpeng is an independent structure, with a drainage gutter installed where it connects to the front eaves of the main hall. In front of the main hall is a 365-year-old sweet osmanthus tree.



















The front hall is seven bays wide, with a timber frame featuring exposed rafters, and the wood carvings on the beams and lintels are very beautiful. The rear hall was added during the Republic of China era and features five Roman-style arched doorways with exquisite cement decorations from that period.













Wood carvings on the main gate.



Old door panels.



4. Bo'ai Daxinzhuang Qingzhen Xisi (Western Mosque): Qing Jiaqing reign.

The Daxinzhuang Qingzhen Xisi is near the Dongdasi, but it is not as famous as the Dongdasi. The Xisi was first built during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. The main hall was originally three bays wide, expanded to five bays in the late Qing Dynasty, and expanded again to seven bays in the early Republic of China era. During this time, the elder Mai Anli funded the construction of a five-bay juanpeng.















5. Qinyang Beidasi (Northern Mosque): Rebuilt in 1631.

In my opinion, the Qinyang Beidasi definitely ranks in the top three for beauty among historical mosque buildings in Henan. The Beidasi was moved to its current site in 1561 (the 40th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty), burned down in 1628 (the 1st year of the Chongzhen reign), and rebuilt in 1631 (the 4th year of the Chongzhen reign). It is a major national historical and cultural site.

The overall layout of the Beidasi is quite classic, consisting mainly of the main gate, a hallway, lecture halls, and the main hall. I will share the details with you bit by bit. Because of the lighting, I photographed it twice, on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.

The main gate was built in 1799 (the 4th year of the Jiaqing reign) and uses peacock-blue glazed tiles, which are relatively rare in mosque architecture and look very refreshing.

















The hallway built in 1631 (the 4th year of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty).



The lecture hall built in 1909 (the 1st year of the Xuantong reign). The north and south lecture halls have hard-mountain roofs, with hanging floral columns under the eaves and diamond-patterned doors and windows, simple and elegant.











Scripture boxes in the Imam's office.



The main hall consists of a juanpeng, a front hall, a middle hall, and a yaodian. This architectural style, with a front hall featuring a hip-and-gable roof, a middle hall with a hanging-mountain roof, and a raised yaodian, is unique to the Qinyang area. First, I will share the exterior of the juanpeng and the front hall.



















The beautiful Qing Dynasty paintings inside the main hall; thanks to Imam Ma Hongjie for the wonderful introduction. The main hall of the Beidasi was occupied by a factory in the 1960s and 70s, and the lower paintings all faded; only the paintings on the ceiling were luckily preserved.



















The yaodian was renovated in 1887 (the 13th year of the Guangxu reign). The interior is a brick-vaulted structure, built with two semi-circular arches made of walls over 1 meter thick, with three layers of corbelled arches at the corners to form an octagonal well, topped by a corbelled dome. At the very top of the central dome is carved the Arabic word for 'Allah'.











There is very beautiful calligraphy on the mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca). Imam Ma Hongjie gave us a detailed introduction here, and I also caught the dhikr ceremony.





The exterior of the yaodian is a cross-ridge roof with over 70 glazed ridge beasts. Under the eaves are glazed lintels, brackets, and hanging floral columns, colorful and representing the highest standard of Qing Dynasty mosque yaodian roofs. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Beautiful Traditional Javanese Mosque. Between the 15th and 16th centuries, Islam became the dominant religion on the islands of Sumatra and Java through the efforts of Sufi Muslim missionaries, settled Muslim merchants, and Sultan rulers. It is useful for readers interested in Java Mosques, Muslim Travel, Islamic Heritage.

Between the 15th and 16th centuries, Islam became the dominant religion on the islands of Sumatra and Java through the efforts of Sufi Muslim missionaries, settled Muslim merchants, and Sultan rulers. In the process of converting from Buddhism, Hinduism, and traditional animism to Islam, the original traditional cultures and Islamic cultures mutually accommodated and merged, forming an "Indonesian traditional Islamic culture" that includes music, dance, clothing, architecture, and etiquette.

For tourists who want to understand Indonesian traditional Islamic culture, traditional mosque architecture is the most accessible channel. During the Qingming and May Day holidays in 2019, I visited several traditional mosque buildings on the island of Java, hoping to share these buildings to let everyone appreciate the charm of Indonesian traditional Islamic culture.

Existing Indonesian traditional mosques can be roughly divided into three styles: Javanese, Banjarese, and Minangkabau. The Javanese style, popular from the 15th to 18th centuries, is characterized by its multi-layered Tajug pyramid-shaped roof, Serambi front porch, and Bedug drum used for the call to prayer. Most traditional mosques in Indonesia are of the Javanese style. The Banjarese style in southern Borneo and the Minangkabau style in western Sumatra developed from the Javanese style, but their roofs have steeper slopes than the Javanese style. The Banjarese style does not have a front porch, and the mihrab is a separate building.

After the 19th century, Dutch colonizers introduced the "Moorish Revival" (also known as "Indo-Saracenic") architectural style, prevalent in European colonial regions of Southeast Asia, to Indonesia. Many traditional mosques were renovated and rebuilt in the 19th century, adding Indian mosque domes, pointed arches, and vertical minarets.

Here are some Javanese traditional mosques I visited:

I. Demak Great Mosque: 1466

II. Kudus Al-Aqsha Mosque: 1549

III. Banten Great Mosque: 1566

IV. Mataram Great Mosque: 1575

V. Surakarta Great Mosque: 1768

VI. Yogyakarta Great Mosque: 1773



Demak Great Mosque: 1466



Kudus Al-Aqsha Mosque: 1549



Banten Great Mosque: 1566



Mataram Great Mosque: 1575



Surakarta Great Mosque: 1768



Yogyakarta Great Mosque: 1773

I. Traditional Gates

The gates of early Javanese traditional mosques directly inherited from the Buddhist/Hindu architecture of the Majapahit era, with Candi Bentar and Kori Agung being the most distinctive types.

Candi was originally a type of Hindu/Buddhist mosque architecture on Java, Bali, and Lombok. Candi Bentar means "split Candi," where a Candi is split symmetrically down the middle, with a road laid out in between. In fact, Candi Bentar does not have doors installed in the middle; it serves as a passage from the secular space to the sacred space, creating a sense of solemnity before entering the main building.

The Candi Bentar gates of Javanese traditional mosques are built with tiered red bricks in the Majapahit style. The Al-Aqsha Mosque in Kudus and the Panjunan Mosque in Cirebon are the most famous. I visited the Al-Aqsha Mosque in Kudus, built in 1549, this time.









The Kori Agung gate is also called the Paduraksa gate in Hindu/Buddhist architecture and is the main gate for entering the sacred space from the secular space. The Kori Agung gate originated from the ancient Indian Gopuram gate and was widely used in ancient Javanese Hindu/Buddhist temples after the 8th to 9th centuries. After the 15th century, it was adopted by mosques, palaces, and cemeteries of the Islamic Sultanate, but without the elaborate decorations of Hindu/Buddhist architecture.

The Kori Agung in Javanese traditional mosques is actually a tiered Candi building in the Majapahit style, made of red bricks, with intricately patterned wooden doors. The Al-Aqsha Mosque in Kudus, built in 1549, and the Mataram Great Mosque in Yogyakarta, built in 1575, which I visited this time, both have Kori Agung.













II. Main Hall Roofs

The pyramid-shaped multi-layered roof of Javanese traditional mosques is called Tajug, which is very similar to the Hindu pagodas in Bali. This architectural structure originated from Indian and Chinese cultures and existed before the arrival of Islam in Java, resulting from the integration of Indonesian indigenous culture and Islamic culture.

Tajug roofs generally have two to five layers and can be connected to the base or separated. When separated, the lower layer serves as the prayer hall, and the upper layer is used as a classroom. The decoration at the very top of the roof is called Mustoko or Memolo. The most traditional Mustoko is made of clay. Some have been replaced with metal during recent restorations. After the 19th century, some Mustoko were also replaced with Indian-style domes.









III. Main Hall Pillars

The main halls of Javanese traditional mosques do not bear weight on walls but are supported by four pillars connected to the highest roof layer. These four pillars are called Soko Guru. Each pillar is connected to the foundation by a stone base called Umpak. These bases prevent the wooden pillars from absorbing groundwater and also act as shock absorbers during earthquakes.











IV. Main Hall Interior

North of the mihrab niche in the main hall is the Minbar, a pulpit for preaching, which is in the style of a traditional Javanese carved wooden throne.















Some important mosques also have a structure called Kholwat or Maksuroh south of the mihrab, which is a place for important figures such as the Sultan or the Grand Imam to pray. Ordinary people are not allowed to enter.





V. Front Porch

The front porch, Serambi, is located in front of the main hall and is integrated with it. The front porch is mainly used for shade and rain protection. People also pray in the front porch during Friday congregational prayers.



















VI. Call to Prayer Drum and Minaret

Early Javanese traditional mosques had almost no minarets; instead, the Bedug drum in the front porch was beaten to serve as a call to prayer. Today, in Javanese traditional mosques, the Bedug drum is still beaten every Friday and during Ramadan to call for prayer and to break the fast.













In the 16th century, the only Javanese traditional mosque with a minaret was the Al-Aqsha Mosque in Kudus, built in 1549. This tower is not in the Persian pointed-arch style at all but is a Javanese traditional Majapahit-style tower. The Bedug drum used for the call to prayer is placed at the top of the tower. Today, a similar style of drum tower, Bale kulkul, still exists in Bali, used to signal attacks, fires, or public events.



By the 17th century, the Banten Great Mosque in western Java had a minaret designed and built in 1632 by a Chinese person named Cek-ban-cut. This minaret is still not a Persian pointed-arch style but is a unique type that combines Mughal style with the local Javanese Hindu/Buddhist Candi architectural style. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Thirteen Traditional Mosques of the Tatar People in Kazan, Russia. In 1552, Ivan the Terrible conquered the Khanate of Kazan, massacred most of the Tatars in the city of Kazan, and all mosques in the city were demolished. It is useful for readers interested in Kazan Mosques, Tatar Muslims, Islamic Heritage.

In 1552, Ivan the Terrible conquered the Khanate of Kazan, massacred most of the Tatars in the city of Kazan, and all mosques in the city were demolished. In 1556, Russia rebuilt the city of Kazan and settled 7,000 Russians in the city, while the remaining Tatars, besides being forced to convert to Christianity, were forcibly relocated to various settlements far from the city. After this, some Tatars serving Russia gradually settled by Lake Kaban in the southwestern suburbs of Kazan, and later some Tatar merchants and craftsmen also moved there, gradually forming the Old Tatar Quarter (Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda). However, during this period, Kazan never had an official mosque.

Before the 18th century, most of the buildings in Kazan were made of wood and were highly prone to fire. During the reign of Catherine the Great (reigned 1762-1796), the reconstruction of Kazan using brick and stone began.

In 1770, more than 200 years after the fall of Kazan, the first brick mosque was completed with the approval of Catherine the Great, and from then on, the Kazan Tatars had an official mosque again. In the 160 years between 1770 and 1930, Tatar merchants built many mosques in Kazan centered around the Old Tatar Quarter, 12 of which have survived to this day. The mosques of this period combined traditional Tatar architecture with architectural styles such as Baroque, Classicism, and Eclecticism to form a unique Kazan Tatar mosque architectural style.

In 1930, Stalin ordered the closure of mosques. Except for the earliest built Marjani Mosque, the other 11 mosques in Kazan were closed and converted for other uses, many mosque buildings were damaged, and the minarets were demolished. It was not until after the late 1980s that these mosques were gradually returned to the Kazan Tatar Muslims.

In August 2019, I visited Kazan and Moscow and recorded thirteen traditional Kazan Tatar mosques.

1. Marjani Mosque: 1770

2. Apanay Mosque: 1771

3. Galeevskaya Mosque: 1801

4. İske Taş Mosque: 1802

5. White Mosque: 1805

6. Pink Mosque: 1808

7. Blue Mosque: 1819

8. Nurulla Mosque: 1849

9. Soltan Mosque: 1868

10. Bornay Mosque: 1872

11. Azimov Mosque: 1890

12. Zakabannaya Mosque: 1926

13. Historical Mosque of the Moscow Tatar Community: 1823

1. Marjani Mosque: 1770

The Marjani Mosque was built between 1766 and 1770 with the permission of Catherine the Great, and it was the first brick mosque built in Kazan after Russia destroyed the Khanate of Kazan in 1552. This mosque is the oldest existing mosque in Tatarstan and the only mosque in Kazan that was not closed during the Soviet era.

According to a legend, after Catherine the Great approved the construction of a mosque in Kazan, the Christian leaders of Kazan believed that the mosque would be built taller than the churches, so they submitted a petition to Catherine the Great requesting that the mosque be prohibited from building a tall minaret. Catherine the Great replied, 'I am the Tsar of the Russian land, but the sky is not under my jurisdiction.' In the end, the mosque was successfully built.

The mosque is located in the Old Tatar Quarter (Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda) by Lake Kaban. It is a typical Kazan Tatar mosque style formed by the fusion of traditional Tatar style and Baroque style. It is said that the architect was Vasily Kaftyrev. The interior of the mosque adopts the 'Petersburg' Baroque style. Merchant İ.Ğ. Yunısov donated the construction of the staircase in 1861 and expanded the mihrab in 1863. At that time, the mosque was named Yunısovs' Mosque after his family. In 1885, merchant Z.Ğosmanov donated the reconstruction of the minaret. In 1887, merchants W.Ğizzätullin and M. Wälişin added decorative balconies to the minaret.

The current name of the mosque comes from the Tatar scholar Şihabetdin Märcani, who served as the imam of the mosque from 1850 to 1889.



















There is an exhibition hall inside the mosque with an old photo album recording the former appearance of the Kazan Tatar Muslims.



















The two Tatar magnets bought at the Märcani Mosque show the rural life of the Volga Tatars, one hunting rabbits and the other beekeeping.





The goose meat sold in the mosque, smoked goose meat, and smoked horse meat are all specialty delicacies of the Kazan Tatars.



2. Apanay Mosque: 1771

The Apanay (Apanaevskaya) Mosque was the second mosque approved by Catherine the Great to be built in Kazan, and it was donated by the merchant Apanaev between 1768 and 1771. The mosque architecture is a fusion of traditional Tatar style and 'Moscow' Baroque style. In 1872, architect P. I. Romanov expanded the second floor of the mosque. In 1882, the mosque built a brick wall and a shop. In 1887, the shop was expanded to the second floor.

The mosque was closed in 1930, the minaret was demolished, and it later became a kindergarten. The mosque reopened after 1995, and the minaret was rebuilt in 2011.













The imam of the mosque

3. Galeevskaya Mosque: 1801

The Galeevskaya Mosque was built with funds donated by merchant Musa Mamyashev between 1798 and 1801. The mosque was originally in the early Classicist architectural style of the late 18th century, and was expanded twice in the late Classicist style in 1882 and 1897.

The most famous imam of the mosque was Galimjan Galeev (1857-1921), who was a Tatar educator, reformer, and politician. Galimjan graduated from the famous Mir-Arab Madrasa in Bukhara and began serving as the imam of the Galeevskaya Mosque in 1882. He founded the Muhammadiya Madrasa at the mosque, teaching mathematics, geography, Russian, and other secular subjects. It became the most important new-style Tatar school at the time, cultivating a large number of Tatar elites and educators.

The mosque was closed in the 1930s, the minaret was demolished, and it was designated as an architectural monument in 1981. By 1992, the mosque contained a hotel, a collective farm house, and various public facilities. After 1998, it became the school building of the Russian Islamic University and the girls' dormitory of the Muhammadiya Madrasa. After restoration in 2015, the mosque reopened.













4. İske Taş Mosque: 1802

İske Taş is also called the Boulder Mosque, built in 1802 with a donation from merchant Ğabdulla Ütämişev. Legend has it that this mosque was built on the site of a cemetery for soldiers who sacrificed their lives defending the city of Kazan in 1552, and the marker of the cemetery was an ancient boulder (zur iske taş).

The mosque was rebuilt in the Classicist style by Alexander Schmidt in 1830, and its three-story minaret resembles the minarets of mosques in the ancient Bolghar and Kasimov regions of the Tatars.

According to the decision of the Central Executive Committee of the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the late 1930s, the mosque was closed and later converted into a school and warehouse, and was not returned to the Muslims until 1994.



















5. White Mosque: 1805

The White Mosque was built between 1801 and 1805. Similar to the İske Taş Mosque built in the same period, its exterior is in the Classicist style. The mosque was closed in 1929 and converted into a school and fur workshop. In the 1930s, the minaret was demolished, and the eastern and southern parts of the main hall were rebuilt. The mosque became an architectural monument in 1960 and was returned to the Muslims in 2004, but it is still not open.







6. Pink Mosque: 1808

The Pink (Rozovaya) Mosque was built in 1808 with a donation from merchant Musa Apanaev and was the Islamic center of the Novaya Tatarskaya Sloboda area of Kazan. The mosque was closed in 1931 and reopened in 1991, by which time the Novaya Tatarskaya Sloboda had become an industrial zone. Today, it is the Kazan Higher Muslim Islamic Madrasa.













7. Blue Mosque: 1819

The Blue (Zangar) Mosque was built between 1815 and 1819 with funds donated by merchant Akhmet Aitov-Zamanov, and the architect was Alexander Schmidt. Bolshaya Meshchanskaya Street was once the residence of the poorest residents of the Old Tatar Quarter, and the residents here built a wooden mosque in 1778. In 1815, the original wooden mosque was moved to another village, and the current brick mosque in the Classicist style was built here.

The mosque was expanded twice in 1864 and 1907. The mosque was closed in 1932, the minaret was demolished, and it was converted into housing. It reopened in 1993, and the minaret was rebuilt in 2009.









8. Nurulla Mosque: 1849

The Nurulla Mosque was built between 1845 and 1849 with a donation from merchant Ğ. M. Yunısov, featuring a minaret in the ancient Volga Bolghar style and a dome in the Middle Eastern style.

The mosque is part of a series of supporting buildings around the Sennoy Bazaar. The Sennoy Bazaar was the trade center of the Old Tatar Quarter of Kazan in the 18th and 19th centuries. At that time, the mosque was mainly used by Tatar merchants who came to the Sennoy Bazaar to do business, and it was initially named Sennobazarnaya Mosque after the bazaar.

The mosque was closed in 1929 and converted into apartments and offices, during which time the minaret was destroyed. It was not returned to the Muslims until 1992 and was renamed Nurulla Mosque. The minaret was restored between 1990 and 1995.



















The Tubetei (Тюбетей) hat of the Kazan Tatars bought at the shop of the Nurulla Mosque







9. Soltan Mosque: 1868

The Soltan Mosque was built in 1868 with a donation from Tatar merchant Zigansha Usmanov. The area where the mosque is located is called Zabulachye, which means behind the Bulak Canal. During the Kazan Khanate period, this was outside the city and had a settlement called Kuraisheva Sloboda. After Ivan the Terrible conquered Kazan in 1552, this place remained a Tatar settlement, but it was gradually surrounded by Russian settlements, and churches began to be built right next to the mosque.

In the 19th century, Tatar merchant Cihanşa Ğosmanov was determined to build a mosque here that was more beautiful than the church next to it. The mosque was completed in 1868, and to commemorate him, people called the mosque Ğosmanov Mosque or Cihanşa Mosque.

At first, the walls of the mosque were red, so it was also called the Red Mosque. Now the mosque is called the Soltan Mosque, which is to commemorate Zigansha's son, Sultan Abdulgaziz Usmanov, who continued to take care of the local community after his father's death.

The mosque was closed in 1931, and later the minaret was destroyed. It became an architectural monument in 1980. The minaret was rebuilt in 1990, and it reopened in 1994.













10. Bornay Mosque: 1872

The Bornay (Burnaevskaya) Mosque was built in 1872 with funds donated by Tatar merchant Mukhametsadyk Burnayev, and the architect was Peter Romanov.

The mosque is located in the Old Tatar Quarter behind Lake Kaban. In 1799, Tatar merchant Salikh Mustafin built a wooden mosque here. Initially, the mosque was built for the students of the Apanaev Madrasa, and later the surrounding residents also began to use it. Unfortunately, the mosque was later destroyed by fire. In 1872, Tatar merchant Mukhametsadyk Burnayev donated funds to build the current brick mosque on the basis of the burned-down wooden mosque and named it after himself.

The mosque is in the national romantic eclectic style, blending Russian and Tatar architectural decorations. In 1895, shortly before Burnayev's death, a magnificent minaret was designed and built by architects Fyodor Malinovsky and Lev Khrshonovich.

The mosque was closed in 1930, but fortunately, the minaret was preserved, and it reopened in 1994.









11. Azimov Mosque: 1890

The Azimov Mosque was built between 1887 and 1890 with funds donated by Tatar merchant Mortaza Äcimev. The mosque was built in the national romantic eclectic style and is known as the most beautiful mosque in Kazan.

The place where the mosque is located is called Pleten (wicker fence), located between the Old Tatar Quarter and the New Tatar Quarter. In 1851, Tatar merchant Mustafa Azimov built a wooden mosque here. Between 1887 and 1890, his son Murtaza Azimov donated funds to build the current brick mosque and named it after them. Because many Muslim workers from the soap factory lived in the Pleten area, it is also called Zavodskaya (Factory Mosque).

The mosque was closed in 1930 and occupied by a school until it was returned to the Muslims in 1989 and opened in 1992.



















12. Zakabannaya Mosque: 1926

The Zakabannaya Mosque is also called the 'Mosque of the 1000th Anniversary of the Adoption of Islam', built between 1924 and 1926 to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the Volga Bolghars' conversion to Islam in 922 AD. Stalin personally approved the construction of the mosque, which was designed by architect A. E. Pechnikov in 1914 and built with private donations.

The mosque was closed in 1930 and reopened in 1991. It was the last mosque built in Kazan before Stalin ordered the closure of mosques in 1930.













13. Historical Mosque of the Moscow Tatar Community: 1823

Moscow has had Tatars from the Golden Horde settling there since the 14th century. In 1571, the Crimean Tatars burned down almost the entire city of Moscow except for the Kremlin, and the early Tatar settlements were destroyed in one fell swoop. At the beginning of the 17th century, with the establishment of the Romanov dynasty, the city of Moscow became prosperous again, and many Tatars from the Volga and steppe regions came to do business. The Tatar community (Татарской слободе) located south of the Moskva River, opposite the Kremlin, was formally formed, and the main road of the community, Tatarskaya Street, was first mentioned in documents in 1682. And the center of the Moscow Tatar community is the 'Historical Mosque'.













The Tatar community mosque (мечети в Татарской слободе) is now called the 'Historical Mosque (Исторической мечети)'. The earliest records of the mosque can be traced back to 1712, and it was also mentioned in the 1744 census. Due to the plague epidemic in Moscow in the 1770s, the owner and congregants of the mosque passed away one after another. The mosque was sold to a merchant and was eventually destroyed by fire when Napoleon withdrew from Moscow in 1812. After that, religious activities were moved to the homes of local Tatar merchants.

After the old mosque was destroyed, the Tatar Muslim merchants in Moscow kept applying to build a new mosque, but they were all rejected. Until 1823, Tatar merchant Nazarbay Khashalov was finally approved to build a mosque on Bolshaya Tatarskaya Street, provided that it could not be named 'mosque (мечети)' and could not have the appearance of a mosque. Therefore, the mosque building built at that time was almost the same as the surrounding houses.



Schematic diagram of the original mosque

Between 1833 and 1867, the imam of the mosque was Rafek Bekbulatovich Ageev. Under his efforts, the Muslim community in Moscow gradually improved, and his home was also the earliest Islamic school in Moscow. Between 1867 and 1913, the imam of the mosque was Khairetdin Rafekovich Ageev, who graduated from a madrasa in Kazan, was proficient in 8 languages, taught Islamic knowledge and the Tatar language to military cadets for many years, and was also a translator for the Armory.

In the mid-to-late 19th century, due to the increasing number of Muslims in Moscow, many people could only pray outside the mosque on Fridays, especially in the cold winter. In 1881, Tsar Alexander II approved the mosque to have the appearance of a religious building. Therefore, in 1882, the mosque was expanded under the direction of architect Dmitry Pevnitsky. The new mosque was expanded on both the east and west facades and a minaret was added. After the expansion, it could accommodate 1,500 people.



The mosque in 1883 after reconstruction

The imam of the mosque between 1914 and 1937 was Abdulla Hasanovich Shamsutdinov. He was a Kasimov Tatar who studied at an Islamic madrasa in Bukhara and had served as an imam in Yining, Xinjiang. In 1914, he presided over the opening of a new Islamic madrasa at the mosque and helped the Moscow Muslim Charitable Society become active, making the Moscow Muslim community more united and organized. In the early 1920s, he also began to translate the Quran into the Tatar language.

On April 29, 1936, the imam and his wife were arrested on charges of participating in 'anti-Soviet activities' due to the 'Duma leadership conspiracy case'. On February 10, 1937, the imam was shot for being accused of treason, and his wife died in the torture chamber of the NKVD.

In 1939, the mosque was forced to close. During the Soviet era, the mosque was successively occupied by a printing house and several departments. Between 1944 and 1947, Moscow Muslims tried to get the mosque back, but were ultimately unsuccessful. In 1967, the minaret of the mosque was demolished.

After the 1980s, the elders of the Tatar community repeatedly demanded the return of the mosque. However, since the early 1980s, the printing workshop of the Art Carving Association that occupied the mosque had been protesting, and the return process was delayed until it was finally returned to the Muslims in 1991.

In 1992, the mosque was restored and reopened in 1993. In 1997, the mosque was restored again and became what it is today.



The mosque after the minaret was demolished



The mosque after the minaret was demolished view all