The Grand Mosque in Makhachkala (Yusuf Bei Cami) is the main mosque of the Republic of Dagestan, Russia. It is supposed to have been patterned after the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul. The building can accommodate up to 17,000 worshipers.[1][2] Its construction was financed by Turkey.[2] The mosque was completed and consecrated in 1998. It is the focal point of the city's main thoroughfare, Imam Shamil Avenue.
Yusuf Bei Camii Russian: Джума мечеть Махачкалы | |
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Religion | |
Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
Status | Active |
Location | |
Location | Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia |
Geographic coordinates | 42°58′09″N 47°29′38″E |
Architecture | |
Type | Ottoman |
Completed | 1998 |
Specifications | |
Capacity | 17,000 |
Dome(s) | 57 |
Minaret(s) | 2 |
Minaret height | 42 m (137 ft) |
The construction of the mosque was started in 1991 thanks to the financing of one of the wealthy Turkish families. The Blue Mosque in Istanbul was taken as a model. The grand opening took place in 1997. The first imam was the Turk Hafiz Aydin.
In 2004-2007 the building was reconstructed in order to increase its capacity to 15 thousand people. In July 2007, a telethon was held in Makhachkala, thanks to which more than 25 million rubles were collected to expand the mosque and improve the surrounding area.
The current imam since 2021 is Muhammad Atangulov.