Kenasses

Karaim kenasses in Evpatoria are located on Karaimskaya Street. The temple complex of the Crimean Karaites occupies 0.25 hectares and consists of the building of the Big and Small Kenassah (prayer houses), the building of a religious school (midrash), a charitable dining room, an economic courtyard and several courtyards (Vineyard, Marble, Prayer Expectations, Ritual, Memorial). It has long been the center of religious life of the Karaites of Evpatoria. Since 1837 - the spiritual center of the Karaites of Russia. The kenasse complex consisting of the Great Kenassa and the Small Kenassa was built in the early XIX century according to the project of Samuel and Solomon Babovich. In 1805, the construction of the Great Cathedral Kenassa was completed, and in 1815, the building of the Small Kenassa was built on the site of the dilapidated Karaite temple of the XVI century.

Both kenasses are double-light buildings of the hall type with windows arranged in two levels. In the Big Kenassa, the upper row of windows has a pointed ending, in the Small one - semicircular. The northern facades are framed by glazed arched galleries-verandas (“azara”), where the service of the elder of the community was waiting. The entrances to the buildings are made in the form of pointed arches decorated with stone carvings. The roof of buildings is a tiled four-sided roof. In 1851, a marble obelisk was erected in memory of the visit of Emperor Alexander I to kenasses (November 1825). In 1927, both temples were closed. In 1942, during the German occupation, the Small Kenassah was opened, at the same time the Karaite Museum was recreated in the Great Kenassah. The last closure of the temple took place in 1959. In different years, various Soviet institutions were located in the buildings of the complex: an anti-religious museum, nursing courses, sports sections, a kindergarten, a technical inventory bureau, a local history museum. Since 1991, the leader of the Evpatoria Karaite religious community is Viktor Zakharovich Tiriyaki. On his initiative, a fund for the restoration of the Small Kenassa in Yevpatoria was created. In 1998-1999 he was responsible for the restoration of the monument. On September 13, 2005, the kenassa was reopened. In 2007, the restoration of the marble obelisk was completed, on the top of which, after a long absence, a double-headed eagle made of gilding was restored. The Kenass complex is an architectural monument of the XVIII century. of national importance. Currently, it hosts excursions, the Karaite library "Karai-bitikligi" works, as well as a small museum of Karaite culture and a cafe of Karaite cuisine called "Karaman" Built in 1805-1807. It is intended for festive worship services.

Reopened on 9 September 2005.

Built in 1815.
Small kenassa is used for worship on weekdays and ordinary Saturdays. A stone staircase has been preserved that led to a separate entrance to the barred balcony for Karaite women. The ancient altar of the Small Kenassah was previously located in the Karaite Kenassah of the city of Galich.