There are a lot of different alternatives to plan a superb vacation. But, one of the best plans is to stand in the shoes of history’s wonderful travelers. And what do these travelers do? They visit the temples of past civilizations such as Angkor Wat and Sacsayhuaman. It will make for a thrilling experience and a good story. However, of course, you will have to share that pile of ancient stones with a lot of other tourists.
The practice of visiting temple has always been serene. It kinds of connecting us to someplace elsewhere. When our bare foot touches the ground, it is soothing, not only for the feet but for the mind, too.
When we touch the holy water, its cold feeling sends signals down our spines and it really is a priceless feeling. The sound of the bell is like a melody to our ears. The statue of the lord, whoever it may be, seems so pure, it kinds of talk to us. The eyes on the statue are often filled with wisdom and serenity.
Temple of All Religions
As intended to show the peaceful coexistence of several religions, the construction of the temple of all religions is a series of different religious temples built altogether in one complex. It is a place to go out of your way to visit. It does not matter whether you think it is over-the-top or even a little bit tacky, you cannot help but be amazed at what the contractors are in the midst of creating. It is clearly a work in progress with a lot of the exteriors finished. It will be the most colorful place you will visit in Kazan. The spirit of the place is genuine, too. It definitely makes one of the top sights on your Russia trip.
So, in this article, we will discuss more the temple of all religions we must visit in Kazan.
The History of the Temple of All Religions
The construction of the temple was started by the sculptor, public figure, architect, and healer Ildar Khanov back in 1994. He gathered donations and constructed a building on his own land. A brilliant idea came to him after spending his holiday in Tibet and India. While he was there, he studied oriental art, Buddhism, Tibetan, yoga, and Chinese medicine. In 1989 in Moscow, he met the son of Russian artist Nicholas Roerich Svetoslav, with whom he disclosed the idea of building the Universal Church or known as the Temple of All Religions.
For about two decades, Khanov and the volunteers lived inside the site as they built the temple. Khanov picked bright colors such as yellows, neon greens, and blues of mosaics, stained glass, and painted domes to make it stand out against the forested background landscape. Up until now, the construction has not been completed, even though the work continues periodically. Still, the temple has gained popularity among visitors as an architectural landmark.
The Purpose
There are sixteen spires, minarets, and cupolas that are intended to personalize each of the world’s major religions, and each has a Star of David, Christian cross, Chinese dome or Muslim crescent. There are also the words “Peace,” “Freedom,” “Brotherhood,” and “Solidarity,” that are carved on the outer walls in various languages.
This is not to say that the initial purpose is to merge all religions into one because Khanov knew each religion has its own history and cultural necessity. In fact, the purpose is to bring all religions together and to give them a communication and meeting place. It is not necessarily a place for praying or of worship but of culture.
The temple also has an eagerness to provide an environmental school, an astronomical society, an art school, a children’s Conservatoire, and a rehabilitation center.
Tourist Spot
The temple is a unique complex that shows some architectural styles of major religions in the world and presents other faiths including ones which are no longer practiced. The constructions which are already complete are the Catholic hall, the Jesus Christ Hall, the Buddhist room, and the Egypt hall. There are also an art gallery, a theatre, and a tea room.
Obviously, the temple is an object of art as well as a private house. Tourists come as a visitor. They come to Khanov’s family private house and see what they built.
The reason why the temple is a magnet for tourists is that because the place is unconventional. There is no other temple in the world quite like it. There are some similar objects such as a religious temple in Bali, Indonesia where seven confessions are made but it is a normal, fully functioning temple. There is also one in Amsterdam which is the temple of two confessions but it is also a little bit different. The temple of all religions in Kazan has another message.
How to Reach the Temple
The temple is located in the Old Arakchino village on the borderland of Kazan, street of Old-Arakchinsky, 4. In order to reach there, you can take a train from the railway station of Kazan to the Staroye Arakchino station and then proceed to walk for about ten minutes. The train costs 22 rubles.
There is another alternative to get there which is taking bus number 2 from the tourist spot from the Tukaya square, with the streets of Moscow, and from the railway station. The arrival stop is located 300 meters from the temple which is equal to a ten-minute walk down the street of Old Arakchinsky. From there, there is also a bus number 45 that runs approximately every 20 minutes.
Written above is a little insight into the temple of all religions we must visit in Kazan. We do not have to be or feel different from each other even if we truly are different or if we have different religions. The temple shows us that we just have to tolerate each other.