The Irkutsk Cathedral Mosque, a prominent landmark in Irkutsk, Russia, has a rich history, including a wooden structure built in 1898, followed by a stone mosque with a minaret inspired by Kazan mosques, and periods of closure and restoration. It is located in the old section of town on Karl Liebknecht Steet.

The appearance of the first free Muslim settlers in the Irkutsk province is recorded by official sources at the beginning of the 19th century. According to the 1835 census, there were already up to 350 of them living in the city of Irkutsk alone. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, in the general flow of settlers associated with the policy of developing Siberia and implementing peasant reforms, many Muslims also rushed here from the European part of Russia. These were mainly Tatars and Bashkirs from the Volga and Ural regions – Kazan, Orenburg, Ufa and Perm provinces.

With their hard work and activity, they contributed to the development of the harsh region. With peasant labor, sometimes in the most difficult conditions of survival, more than one hectare of taiga land was uprooted for arable land. Workers, artisans and merchants participated in the construction of cities, towns and railways, in the development of production and trade. Strong in spirit and determination, many found their new homeland here, bringing with them their national culture and religion – Islam.

The mosque’s design solution was based on samples of stone mosques of the Middle Volga region, in particular, the city of Kazan, which are distinguished by the peculiarity of the influence of European and Orthodox architecture. This was expressed both in architectural detailing and in the overall composition, with strict symmetry and development of the longitudinal axis, along which its main elements are sequentially located: a high porch, an entrance volume with a minaret, a sunnet and, finally, the main hall and mihrab.

The construction is especially expressive because it is made of massive stone blocks of natural stone, processed with great care. The style of the building borrowed both the images of the ancient religious buildings of the Volga region and the features of the era of eclecticism and modernity.

The design of the minaret reflected the influence of the architecture of mosques in Turkey and Egypt which can also be traced. The mosque, being a monument of history and culture, is subject to restoration with a complete restoration of its original appearance.

The mosque becomes a centre for the rehabilitation of Islam in Irkutsk. Under its arches, Muslims gather for Friday prayers – representatives of different peoples of Russia, Central Asia, the Caucasus and far abroad, who by the will of fate found themselves in Irkutsk. A school for religious education has been opened, giving everyone the opportunity to join one of the great world religions.

All premises and buildings of the mosque, returned in the 80s to the use of the Muslim community, are declared monuments of history and culture. The mosque was opened in 1897 and it can accommodate up to 2000 people.