Lala-Tulip (Bashkortostan) is the largest mosque and one of the symbols of the republic. It impresses all the guests of Ufa not only with its size, but also with its unusual shape and original interior decoration, which is extremely rare for buildings of this type.
Mosque "Lala-Tulip": how it all began
The dream of a large mosque, which could become a real cultural and educational center of Ufa and the whole of Bashkortostan, originated with local residents and the leadership of the republic in the mid-1980s. Like any other of his projects, the Bashkirs approached the design of the main religious building extremely thoroughly.
One of the main issues at the initial stage of preparation was the choice of a place for the future mosque. After long disputes and all kinds of discussions, the leadership of the republic allocated a rather impressive piece of land in a park zone on the banks of the Belaya River. The picturesque landscape was to become that exterior design that would emphasize the finest diamond.
Winning Project V. Davletshina
Many projects were submitted to the competition, the winner of which was the project “Lala-Tulip”, proposed by the local architect V. Davletshin. It was this flower that was not chosen by chance. The thing is that the tulip in Islam is a symbol of Allah, and often its designation is used instead of the name of God. The attitude of Muslims towards this flower is extremely reverent, therefore, almost all residents of Bashkiria warmly supported this idea of the architect.
It was originally planned to open a mosque in 1989, when 1,100 years of the adoption of Islam by the peoples of the Volga and Urals were celebrated on a grand scale, but they failed to carry out their plan. Mosque "Lala-Tulip", the history of its creation has become a kind of symbol of the processes that took place in our country in the late 1980s - 1990s. the years of collapse and economic devastation slowed down the construction, so the mosque went into operation in 1998.
"Lala-Tulip" - a mosque-madrassah
The main mosque of Bashkortostan is not only a building where services and prayers take place, it is also one of the largest madrassas in the republic. Madrasah is nothing more than a religious educational institution, where older students learn the basics of Muslim teaching.
The first such institutions appeared in the north of Africa back in 859, and in Russia during the empire several madrassas were built in Kazan, Ufa and Bukhara. The main educational disciplines of these educational institutions should include the study of the history of Islam, reading and commenting on the Qur'an, comprehension of the Arabic language and Sharia.
The Lala-Tulip Madrasah belongs to the type of educational institutions that corresponds to the Orthodox Theological Seminary. After undergoing training in it, graduates have the opportunity to enter higher education institutions, where future priests are trained. In total, the madrasah training classes are designed for one hundred people.
Guards - Minarets
The first thing that catches your eye when you look at the Lala-Tulip Mosque is the striking resemblance of its minarets to the flower of the same name. As you know, minarets play a special role in the architectural appearance of any mosque. Formerly security towers, they now give the whole building a special flavor.
The Lala-Tulip Mosque has two impressive minarets located on either side of the main building. If the building itself resembles an already blossoming flower, then the side towers, from which prayers are said every evening, resemble still unblown buds.
The height of each tower reaches 33 meters, and they are perfectly visible from almost any part of the city. The whole building looks especially picturesque at sunset, when the mosque dissolves in the rays of the setting sun.
External characteristic of the mosque
The Lala-Tulip Mosque, the photo of which is a tidbit for any guest of the capital of Bashkortostan, is a truly grandiose building. This is a stone building with a height of more than twenty meters, based on a square of 2500 square meters. It is based on a powerful reinforced concrete foundation, extending several meters deep into the earth.
Despite the monumentality of the structure, from afar the mosque looks extremely light, as if floating in the air. The light walls of the main building and minarets gradually turn into bright pink tops, as if trying to break away from the ground and rush up. The entrance to the mosque is located on the third floor.
The first and second floors of the mosque: rigor, solemnity, laconicism
The first and second floors of the mosque are not intended for visiting a large number of visitors. It is here that the madrasah is located, at which there is a spacious hostel, a large library and a dining room. On the territory of the madrasah there is also a conference room for meetings, which can simultaneously accommodate 130 people.
The first floor is given for various utility rooms, there are also sports and gymnasiums for listeners of madrassas, as well as a sauna and a bath.
On the second floor there are comfortable rooms for arriving guests. There is also a special hall in which the bride and groom go through the rite of marriage, and the children born - the rite of name-giving. The local mukhtasibat regularly meets in the same room. All rooms are designed in a simple style, where all objects have their own specific goals.
Prayer Hall "Lala-Tulip": a masterpiece of architecture and painting
"Lala-Tulip" is a mosque that has the most spacious prayer hall in the republic. At the same time, up to three hundred people can be in the hall itself, and taking into account balconies that are designed for women, the number of worshipers can reach up to five hundred.
The hall itself is made, as in most mosques, in an oriental style. It is characterized by the so-called floral ornament, the elements of which are present both on the walls of the room and on the stained-glass windows. This ornament symbolizes paradise trees and attunes to deep and sincere prayer.
The main role in the wall cladding is played by the coil and the most beautiful marble brought from the Mediterranean. The floor is covered with oriental carpets, under which you can find ceramic tiles. Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, which gives the hall an emphasized solemnity.
Activities of the mosque today
From the very beginning of its activity, the Lyalya-Tulip Mosque was not limited solely to the role of a religious building. Currently, it is a leading cultural and educational center of the Republic of Bashkortostan, whose activities are conducted in several areas at once.
Firstly, it is, of course, holding religious services. During major Muslim holidays, the mosque becomes a pilgrimage center not only for residents of the republic, but also for guests from other regions of Russia.
Secondly, there is a systematic educational process. In addition to the madrassas mentioned above, up to 2005, there was a Russian Islamic University in the mosque, the teachers of which carried out tremendous work in compiling teaching aids for Muslim schools and madrassas.
Thirdly, “Lala-Tulip” often acts as a platform for various conferences, exhibitions, disputes and discussions. The comfortable and roomy conference room over the past decades has witnessed many cultural and scientific events.
Finally, fourthly, meetings and negotiations between political and religious figures of the highest rank often take place in the mosque. The atmosphere of this institution, according to eyewitnesses and participants in these meetings, is conducive to conducting constructive conversations and signing mutually beneficial contracts.