Temple architecture as a form of representation of Tatar cultural identity and ethno-religious myth-making

The paper focuses on the visual forms of Tatar cultural identity expressed in temple architecture. Muslim buildings are viewed through the prism of ethno-religious myth-making. The interplay of ethnic traditions and confessional contexts is analyzed. There is a traceabil-ity between the dominant paradigm of the view of ethnicity's historical evolution and the assessment of temple architecture. The role of the religious component in the identification of the ethnic group and its impact on the cultural policy of the region has been emphasized. Muslim material cultural patrimony objects from the UNESCO World Heritage List of the Republic of Tatarstan are being studied. Various types of buildings for public worship are considered in their connection with the common Muslim, Turkic, Horde and Bulgar heritage. The influence of religious and national government policies (Russian Empire, Soviet Union, Russian Federation) on the Tatars' comprehension of their history and the formation of historiographical schools and temple consciousness is analyzed.