Authorities in the Russian region of Chechnya on Friday inaugurated what
they said was the largest mosque in Europe in a pomp-filled ceremony attended by
local and foreign officials.
Named after the Prophet Mohammed, the marble-decorated mosque has capacity
for more than 30,000 people and has been described by the Chechen authorities
as the “largest and most beautiful” mosque in Europe.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, an ally of President Vladimir Putin, said
the mosque, located in Shali, a town of 54,000 just outside the regional
capital Grozny, was “unique in its
design, and majestic in its size and beauty”.
The mosque’s grounds, planted with flowers and sprinkled with fountains, can
host an additional 70,000 worshippers, local authorities said.
Kadyrov, who was appointed by Putin to rule the Muslim-majority region in
2007, has spearheaded a revival of Islam in Chechnya, including by building
opulent mosques.
