Cathedral Mosque Ruins

The Cathedral Mosque is the oldest building in Bolgar. It was built soon after the Mongol conquest and was fully completed by 1260. Unfortunately, the mosque has only survived as ruins: fragments of walls rise above the earth, and the interior space is divided into stone squares that served as the base of the columns, located inside the hall of the mosque. Near the mosque stands a large minaret - 32 metres tall. This is a stylization of a typical 13th century minaret, which collapsed in 1841, because of the underground passage that was once built under it in search of treasure. Inside is a spiral staircase. According to legend, if you climb the staircase of the minaret, the amount of sins will be forgiven, as per the amount of steps you climbed.