Chistopol's Nur Mosque, which is also known as the First Congressional Mosque, is one of the oldest surviving mosques in the whole of Tatarstan. It was built in 1857 using the funds of a local merchant. The lime green mosque comprises a main structure with a dome and a side minaret. During the Soviet years the mosque remained open. The name Nur comes from Al-Nur, the 24th sura of the Koran which means Light.