Today in the village of Bolshaya Yelga, Rybno-Slobodsky district, a restored wooden mosque of the 19th century was opened. The ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and the chairman of the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan, Mufti of Tatarstan Kamil Samigullin.

The mosque in the village of Bolshaya Elga was built in 1879. Today it is the oldest wooden Muslim temple in Tatarstan. During the restoration work, the specialists preserved the original walls of the log house by 70%. The attic floor beams, the rafter system, the base of the minaret with two retaining columns have been recreated. The interiors of the prayer halls have been developed. The external cladding and decorative elements of the mosque facades were made.

Rustam Minnikhanov thanked everyone who took part in the restoration of the facility. “The mosque was built by our ancestors over 140 years ago. A lot of time has passed since then. Nevertheless, through joint efforts we managed to preserve and restore the building, ”the President of the Republic of Tatarstan said.

He recalled that next year the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgaria will be celebrated at the federal level. “In honor of this, we are planning to build a Cathedral Mosque in Kazan. And today, together with you, we are opening the oldest wooden mosque in the republic. And I am glad to congratulate you on this significant event, ”Rustam Minnikhanov addressed the participants of the event.

The wooden mosque in the village of Bolshaya Yelga is a monument of cult architecture, an example of Tatar wooden architecture of the 19th century. In 1993 it was recognized as a cultural heritage site.