Kokkoz Jami Mosque Explained

Kokkoz Jami Mosque
Native Name:Kökköz Cami
Coordinates:44.5499°N 33.9596°W
Religious Affiliation:Islam
Location:Sokolyne[1]
Established:1910
Architect:Nikolay Krasnov
Architecture Type:Mosque
Minaret Quantity:1

The Kokkoz Jami Mosque, also known as Yusupov's Mosque, is located in the village of Sokolyne (Kökköz), Crimea. In Crimean Tatar, kökköz translates to “falcon”, just like the Ukrainian and Russian names. The mosque was built under the patronage of Prince Felix Yusupov in 1910 by a notable contemporary architect Nikolay Krasnov, the author of the imperial residence Livadia Palace.[2]

History

The mosque is located near the former hunting lodge of Prince Felix Yusupov. Beginning of the 20th century, it became a fashion among the Russian Imperial nobility (predominantly Orthodox Christian) to make charitable contributions towards the construction of mosques in Crimea, so Prince Yusupov, one of the richest men of the Empire, supposedly followed suit.[3]

The rectangular building of Yusupov's mosque in Kokkoz has a basilican type. The walls of the mosque are decorated with inscriptions in Arabic and two circles of lancet windows. The roof is clay tile, a minaret stands next to the main building.

In 1930, the mosque was closed and turned into a warehouse. Later, after World War II, it was used as the village clubhouse and cinema. A planned demolition of the minaret by the Soviet regime was never realised. After 1990, returned survivors of the deportations of Crimean Tatars applied to return the building to the community, which was finalized in 1997.[4] To date, the mosque has remained in very good condition and was recently renovated.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Since 2014, Crimea is a subject of a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russian Federation, being de facto administered by the latter. See Political status of Crimea. Following the political split, two community organizations dispute the spiritual guidance of Crimea Muslims: Ukrainian Clerical Board of Ukraine's Muslims and Tauric Muftiate, created within the legal framework of Russian Federation.
  2. Web site: 2020-01-17. Коккоз-Джами ‒ жест князя Юсупова. Kokkoz-Jami – a gesture of Count Yusupov. 2022-01-19. Крым.Реалии. ru.
  3. Web site: Юсуповская мечеть (Соколиное) — путеводитель по отдыху в Крыму. Yusupov Mosque (Sokolyne) – Crimean tour guide. 2022-01-19. jalita.com. ru.
  4. Web site: 2020-01-17. Коккоз-Джами ‒ жест князя Юсупова. Kokkoz-Jami – a gesture of Count Yusupov. 2022-01-19. Крым.Реалии. ru.