Blue Mosque, Kazan

Blue Mosque is a monument to Tatar religious architecture and the stylistic forms of provincial Baroque. Built in 1819, it was closed by Soviet authorities in the 1930s and reopened for worship in 1993. Also known as the 4th Cathedral Mosque, this two-story mosque was built with the financial help of merchant Aitova-Zamanova. Its façades and interior combine a Baroque style with ornamental elements of Tatar decorative arts. The mosque has two prayer rooms and a three-story minaret.