In the 18^th century, Ufa became one of the centers of the Muslim culture in Russia. In 1998, they completed one of the most beautiful mosques called Lyalya Tyulpan.

It looks rather unusual from the outside. It’s modern on the one hand, but at the same time you’ll always know that it is a mosque.
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A tour guide.

The mosque is not only the house of worship but the whole worshipping center with its own school, dormitory, library, conference hall, etc. The mosque seats about a thousand of parishioners.

They are happy to see non-Muslims too. Just try to adhere to their customs and to respect them (don’t forget to take off your shoes!).

It is very modest on the inside because nothing should distract those who pray. This is also the reason why men and women pray separately.

They have to take off their shoes because inside the mosque they knee stand and touch the carpet with their heads and faces. Simple hygiene.

In 1773, Catherine II adopted a law according to which all religions became permissible.

It was the Time of Troubles. In Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Udmurtia and other areas, people were rising in rebellion, so they had to issue a decree to combine interests of the state with interests of the believers.

Most of the mosques were upclassed, some of them opened their own schools. In 1788, Catherine established the Ufa Religious Assembly led by the Mufti, thus making Ufa the Muslim center of Russia.

Up to now, Ufa has been the residence of the spiritual leader of all Muslims of Russia and CIS countries.

‘Exit’.

It was very smart of Catherine to establish that Assembly because in that way she brought order and law into the country and its Muslim population.

People often ask the same question: why is it Ufa and not Kazan which is the Muslim center in Russia? The answer is very simple. At that time, Kazan was conquered and by force converted to Orthodoxy. Bashkiria, on the contrary, joined the Russian Empire by its own will, so it was reasonable to give that power to Ufa and not Kazan.

Let’s go back to modern times. Today, in the mosque they hold special introduction courses for those who want to learn something about the Koran and Islam.

Here they also hold meetings and conferences.

‘Take off your shoes!’

Yearly, over a hundred people study at the institute under the mosque. They are mostly part-time students. The institute has a dormitory for 60 people.

Today, Islam allows a divorce. Moreover, on both the husband’s and the wife’s initiative.

These two minarets are made in the form of tulip buds. Let’s go up there!

Their height is 53 meters which makes them the third tallest minarets in Russia.

This is a view of the city of Ufa. Near the mosque there is a park and the Museum of Military Glory.

Heat Power Station #1.

In the foreground you see a university building. In the background, two ‘Stalin era’ eight-storey buildings.

A fitness center.

Another park.

Heat Power Station #3.

A beautiful sunset.

Location: Ufa

via kukmor