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PROPERTY, BUSINESS, INVESTMENT
BUSINESS EMIRATES
UKRAINE -UAE
mayAllah forgive all sins of himself
andhis children in themonthof
Muharram in the year of ninehundred
and fourteen”. This proved that the
mosquewas built in 1508. Later on, the
mosquewas rebuiltmany times and its
exterior changed significantly. In early
16th century, to thenorth from the
ruins of ScythianNaples, a large city of
Ak-Mechetwas built in theCrimean
Khanate. In 1508 (or 914Hegria –by
Muslim calendar), Kebir-Jamimosque
was consecrated. It is thought that
thewhitewalls of themosquegave
thename to themedieval city of
Ak-Mechet (WhiteMosque). Ak-Mechet
was a rather large settlement by
medieval standards. Ak-Mechet had the
populationof roughly 10,000people
not counting thevisitors. Ak-Mechet had
the residenceof Kalga-Sultan, the second
most important person inCrimean
Khanate, after theKhan. Someof the
houseshad twoandeven three stories.
Thecityhadmosques, bazaars, hotels
(khans), itwasdecoratedwith fountains
and the life swarmed in this city.
At this time, Kebir-Jami is themainFriday
mosque,Mufti’s residenceand thecentral
Spiritual AdministrationofMuslims inCrimea.
Symbolic importanceof thecenter for national
movement of Crimean tartarswasunderscored
by the fact that thecornerstonewas laid in the
beginningof theconstruction in lateOctober
1991, by theChairmanof CrimeanTartarsMajlis
Mustafa Jamilev. Theconstructionused funds
of theMuslimcommunityandeverything
thatwasbasedon theneedsof thecult and
religious lifedetermined the solutionsusedby
thearchitects. First of all thishadaneffect on
the sizeof themosque. Spaceof theoratory in
Kebir-Jami built in the16thcenturywas small
–7by7meters. This spacewasnot enough
for thecongregation inKebir-Jami during the
periodof timewhenAk-Mechet (Akmejit)was
a small Tartar townand thenprovince inside
Russiancounty, thereforeduringnumerous
reconstructions after the fires anddestruction
in the17th-19thcenturies thesepremiseswere
extendedon theaccount of the sidewings
andother additional buildings. The restoration
architectswhoworkedhere in1991-1994,
basedon theneedsof central, Capital City
mosquedecided to sacrifice theexact shape
of initial structureof Kebir-Jami and reproduce
thedimensionsof later constructionperiods.
Thiswashow the large rectangular hallwas
built (18 õ14meters). Quick completionof
this constructionprojectwas a requirement;
therefore the things that hadno sufficient
financing tobemade idealwere simplified.
For instance, theminaret of themosque that
wasbasically restoredaccording to the16th
centurydesignhas simplemetal railing instead
of theoriginal carved stonebarrier around the
openbalcony. The roof of thebuilding isquite
special, too. On theoutside, theybuilt a false
dome that resembles theclassical silhouette
of domemosquesof theearly16thcentury,
however, on the inside, theceiling is flat. The
entiredecorationand inventoryon the interior
including thehighwoodenmimbar and
the fretworkofmihrabnichewith stalactite
ornamentsweremadeby thecongregation
memberswhoareenthusiast craftsmenand
painters. Thishas itsownadvantages. It is fair to
say that thesewere local peoplewho restored
Kebir-Jami on their ownand that the renewed
Kebir-Jamimosqueat this time is thepublic
and religious center for theentireMuslim
populationof Simferopol.
CRIMEA
