The Moscow Cathedral Mosque is the main Juma Mosque of Moscow, one of the largest and highest mosques in Russia and the most spacious in Europe. The first building of the mosque was built in 1904, and in 2011 it was demolished to construct a new one, which was opened on September 23, 2015. The mosque is in the Meshchansky district in Vypolzov Lane near Durov Street and Olimpiysky Prospekt next to the Olimpiysky sports complex and the Prospekt Mira metro station.
Since 1996, the Council of Muftis of Russia and the residence of Mufti Ravil Gainutdin have been in a separate building on the territory of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque.
The opening of the rebuilt mosque took place on September 23, 2015.
Vladimir Putin, Recep Erdoğan, and Mahmoud Abbas, as well as delegations from Azerbaijan, Jordan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, representatives of Christian religious organizations, attended the ceremony. A memorial plaque was installed at the mosque in memory of the solemn event.
The new mosque is a six-story neo-Byzantine-style main building, combining traditional Moscow and Kazan architecture motifs with several different-sized minarets, turrets and domes.
The main dome, covered with gold leaf, is 46 meters high and 27 meters in diameter. The two main minarets are 78 meters high (according to other sources, 72 meters), which makes the mosque the tallest in Russia, along with the Salavat Yulaev mosque under construction in Ufa. Their shape symbolizes the centuries-old friendship of the Russian people: the minarets are similar to the Moscow Kremlin’s towers and the Syuyumbike Tower of the Kazan Kremlin.
The small minaret is located above the historical part of the complex. It is crowned with a crescent moon, preserved from the old building. The roof and turrets are painted bluish-green, like the first Moscow mosque. For the gilding of the dome and minarets, 12 kilograms of gold leaf were used. Thus, the designers referenced the image of Moscow with golden domes.
The total area of the building is 18,900 m². Before reconstruction, the area of the mosque was 964 m². The capacity can reach 10,000 worshipers.
Three of the six floors are dedicated to worship.
The total area of the building is 18,900 m². Before reconstruction, the area of the mosque was 964 m². The capacity can reach 10,000 worshipers.
Three of the six floors are dedicated to worship.
See also architecture of Moscow, churches and cathedrals of Moscow
