On the left coast of the Oka, in the center of the Meshchera lowland, is the city of Kasimov, which was once considered the capital of the Tatar Khanate. It has a rich history. This could not fail to attract thousands of tourists who want to see all the interesting places that Kasimov (Ryazan region) is so famous for . Sights of this city include architectural monuments of both Tatar culture and Russian. Only here you can see the mosque, located next to the Orthodox church, and learn the history of two peoples.
Monuments of Tatar architecture
The sights of Kasimov are, first of all, Muslim buildings, which you will not find in every town in Russia. There are only four of them in the city: the New Mosque, the Old Mosque, the mausoleum of Shah Ali Khan and the mausoleum of Mashan Mohammed Sultan. All of them are located in the Tatar quarter, which is located in the area of Victory Square (the former Khan's Square). Once in its center stood the Khan's palace, which has not been able to survive to this day. Even under the reign of the first Kashim Khan, the Old Mosque was built here, from which only the minaret, which is considered the oldest building of Tatar architecture in Russia, has survived to this day. The first building of the mosque itself was destroyed and restored only in 1768, and in the 19th century another floor appeared. Later, various finishes were added. Near it is the mausoleum of Khan Shah-Ali, in which some of his relatives also rest.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a new mosque built of red brick was built on Narimanova Street. Nearby is a Muslim cemetery, where gravestones of the 18-19th centuries are found.
On the outskirts of Kasimov is another Muslim mausoleum of the Agan-Muhammed Sultan, built of red brick. In it, in addition to the ruler himself, his family and some relatives are buried.
Churches and cathedrals
The sights of Kasimov include in their list a number of places of worship, which are a worthy decoration of this settlement. On Cathedral Square is the main temple of the city - Ascension Cathedral, dated 1854. Inside you can see the murals of 1890.
The oldest church in Kasimov is the Epiphany Church, built in 1700 in the Baroque style. Before her at this place was the Epiphany Monastery.
At the entrance to Cathedral Square, guests are greeted by the Annunciation Church, dated 1740. It is built in the old Russian style. The main value of the church are two icons: the Trinity and the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. Nearby is the bell tower, erected in 1868.
One of the most beautiful buildings is the Assumption Church, erected in the Baroque style in 1775. With it is a multi-tiered bell tower.
Continuing to consider the sights of Kasimov, it is worth saying that the construction of the Trinity Church, consisting of two floors, will be interesting for visitors to the city. The first floor is decorated with arched openings, which, together with the adjacent corridor around the perimeter, form a kind of gallery. The second is built in the form of an octahedron.
In the city there is also the St. Nicholas Church, built in the old Russian style, and the Elias Church.
Other Russian architecture
Those who are going to the city of Kasimov, whose sights are so diverse, are advised to look at Cathedral Square, where you can see beautiful merchant estates. Here is also the largest and most expressive creation of the architect Gagin - Shopping arcade. One cannot but notice the three-story mansion - the Alyanchikovs' house, built at the end of the 19th century. An attractive architectural monument is the Nastavins' house, built in 1813.
On Naberezhnaya Street, there is another interesting architectural monument - the Barkovs House, which at one time was the center of social life. Here, festivities were organized and evening parties were gathered. Nearby is the estate of the Kastorov merchants and the Shishkin house.
Museums
But this is not all the sights of Kasimov. The list will be incomplete if we do not mention the museums of the city, the oldest of which is the Museum of Local Lore, part of it is located in the house of the Alyanchikovs, and the second half - in the former Khan's mosque. It presents for visitors more than 20 interesting collections. The Russian Samovar Museum is also quite interesting, with a collection of about 300 exhibits.