There are so many interesting and memorable places in our country that life is not enough to see all of them. Today we will go to Tatarstan. The attraction, which the capital of the republic is proud of, is the Kazan Kremlin, the oldest part of the city, a unique complex of historical, archaeological and architectural monuments that reveal the centuries-old history of the Tatar people, the ancient city and the republic as a whole.
The entire territory of the complex today is a museum-reserve, which has been under the protection of UNESCO since 2000. Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan) is the main attraction of the republic. On a vast territory, Tatar and Russian cultural traditions are harmoniously combined.
Kazan Kremlin: history, architecture
The development and settlement of the hill, on which the Kremlin is now located, began many centuries ago. According to some reports, the first settlement appeared here in the X century, and already in the XII century the Kremlin became an outpost of the northern borders of the Volga Bulgaria. At the end of the 13th century, the Kremlin became the center of the Kazan principality of the Golden Horde, and later the Kazan Khanate.
After Kazan was captured by the troops of Ivan the Terrible, most of the Kremlin’s structures were damaged, and almost all mosques were destroyed. The tsar ordered the erection of a white stone Kremlin here, and for this purpose architects were sent from Pskov who built the St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. The fortress was significantly expanded, and the wooden defensive structures were replaced by stone ones in the first half of the 17th century.
In the XVIII century, the Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan) lost its military function and became the cultural and administrative center of the Volga region. In the following centuries, the construction of the Governor’s Palace, the Cadet School, the Bishop’s House, the spiritual consistory, the building of public places was carried out here. In addition, the Annunciation Cathedral was reconstructed.
After the October Revolution (1917), the bell tower of the Annunciation Cathedral, the church of the Spassky Monastery, the chapel at the Spasskaya Tower and other unique objects were destroyed in the Kazan Kremlin. In the nineties of the XX century, the Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan) became the residence of the president of the republic. At this time, large-scale restoration work began.
Since 1995, work began on the construction of the Kul-Sharif mosque. Today it is one of the largest in Europe. The Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan) is a unique bright example of the synthesis of Russian and Tatar architectural style. It is also the northernmost point of distribution of Islamic culture in the world.
Today, many tourists from around the world visit Tatarstan. The attraction of the republic that causes the greatest interest is the Kazan Kremlin. It should be noted that in order to inspect all its structures, it will take at least two days, and a sightseeing tour lasts only an hour and a half. But, since we are not limited in time, we will get acquainted with the sights of the Kremlin in more detail.
Kremlin facilities
The Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan) is a museum reserve covering an area of ​​13.45 hectares. The perimeter of the walls is about 1.8 thousand meters. On this vast territory are the Great Patriotic War Memorial Museum, the Museum of Islam, the Hermitage-Kazan Center, the Museum of the History of Tatarstan and other institutions.
The Spasskaya Tower
In this tower are the front gate to the Kremlin. The architects Shiryai and Yakovlev built a tower in 1556. The height of this structure is 47 meters. The tetrahedral base has a straight arched opening. The octagonal tier has arched gaps on each side and is the belfry, where the alarm bell is located.
On top is a brick cone, which is crowned by a five-pointed star. Another octagonal cone has a clock with a fight. They glorified the Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan). An interesting arrangement of the first watches, which were installed in the 18th century, interested many foreign masters producing such mechanisms. This was explained by the fact that the clock was arranged very unusual - around the fixed hands the dial revolved.
They were exchanged for their traditional counterpart in 1780. The clock, which is located on the walls of the Spasskaya Tower today, was installed in 1963. It is noteworthy that with the start of the chimes battle, the snow-white walls are gradually painted in a saturated raspberry color.
Public places
The project of the provincial chancellery was developed by an architect from Moscow V.I. Kaftyryev. The building appeared in the Kremlin at the end of the 18th century. There were offices (for receptions) and living rooms for the governor's family. The second floor was set aside for a luxurious throne room with choirs for orchestra. At the place where the Sovereign's Court was located in the XV-XVII centuries, a guardhouse was built in the middle of the XIX century.
Today, the Tatarstan President’s Foreign Relations Department, the Central Election Commission and the Arbitration Court are located on the premises of the former office.
Transfiguration Monastery
The Kazan Kremlin, a description of which can be seen in almost all the city's advertising brochures, is famous for another object. In the southeast of the Kremlin there is a monastery complex. In the center of it are the remains of the Transfiguration Cathedral, destroyed in the twenties of the XX century. At the foot of the main wall of the cathedral you can see a small cave, which since 1596 has been the burial place of Kazan miracle workers.
The fraternal corps borders the fence of the monastery. In 1670, monastic cells were built here. Much later, a gallery and a treasury house were erected. The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, as well as the chamber of the archimandrite are located at the western wall of the complex. The church building was reconstructed according to the design of A. Schmidt in 1815. Interestingly, during the reconstruction, the sixteenth-century sub-base was preserved in its original form.
Junkers College
On the territory of the Kremlin there is an arena, which was built according to the design of the one built earlier in St. Petersburg. This building was intended for combat training. Today it houses the Institute of Literature and Art. Ibragimova. Behind the arena is the school building. It was created by the architect Pyatnitsky under the barracks for the cantonists.
The building was transferred to the military department in 1861, later a cadet school was opened in it.
Kul Sharif Mosque
In the courtyard of the school is the most beautiful mosque in the city. Four minarets soared into the sky at fifty-seven meters. The capacity of this grandiose structure is 1,500 people. The minarets are painted in turquoise color, which gives the building a surprisingly bright image. In addition to the mosque, the complex includes a huge open library-museum, a publishing center and the imam’s office.
A rounded small beautiful building with a turquoise dome, located south of the mosque, is a firehouse that is stylistically connected to the architectural complex. Kul Sharif was recreated in 2005. Funds for its construction were donated by citizens, as well as enterprises of the capital.
Blagoveshchensky cathedral
This is the oldest stone building in Kazan, which has survived to this day. It was consecrated in 1562. The architecture of the cathedral traces the trends of Pskov, Vladimir, Ukrainian and Moscow architecture. The helmet-shaped makovits located on the lateral heads were replaced by bulbous ones in 1736. The central dome is made in the style of Ukrainian Baroque.
A museum of the Volga Orthodoxy was created in the main basement of the church. A little further is the bishop’s house, which was built in 1829 on the site where the palace of Kazan bishops was previously located. The ensemble completes the ensemble. This building was rebuilt from the bishop's stables.
Artillery Yard
Behind the mosque and the school is the Cannon Courtyard, more precisely, its southern building. This is the oldest structure of the complex - it was built at the very beginning of the XVII century. An artillery factory began operating here in the 19th century. And last year there was a restoration. The creation of the exposition of the Museum of the Cannon Yard began.
Nowadays, permanent exhibitions, demonstrations of fashion collections, chamber performances are held on the territory of the complex. Near the southern building you can see a fragment of a brick building on a stone base. By depth, this object belongs to the khan's era of the Kremlin. In those days, residential buildings were built here.
Governor's Palace
It was built in 1848 for the governor of Kazan with the royal chambers for special guests of honor. The work was supervised by K.A. Ton, who is known for his amazing work. This is the Cathedral of Christ and the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow. At this place was previously the Khan's palace ensemble.
The passage is connected with the palace church on the second floor of the palace. It was called Vvedenskaya, built it in the XVII century. Inside the church today is the Museum of the History of Statehood, and the President of Tatarstan with his family lives in the governor's palace.
Tower Syuyumbike
This is a symbol of Kazan. The tower was named after the Tatar queen. According to legend, Ivan the Terrible, who learned about the beauty of Syuyumbike, sent messengers to Kazan with a proposal to the beautiful girl to become the Queen of Moscow. But the messengers brought the refusal of the proud beauty. The angry tsar captured Kazan. The girl was forced to agree to the proposal of Ivan the Terrible, but she put forward a condition: that in seven days there should be a tower in the city that eclipsed all existing minarets in height.
Ivan the Terrible fulfilled the desire of her lover. During the festive feast, Syuyumbike said she wants to say goodbye to take a look at her hometown from the height of only the tower that was built. Climbing to the top platform, she rushed down.
Externally, this building is very similar to the Borovitsky tower of the Moscow Kremlin. Unfortunately, accurate data on the time of the creation of this attraction have not been preserved.
The tower consists of five tiers, which are reduced in size. The last levels are octahedrons, which are crowned by a tent in the form of an octagonal truncated pyramid and a spire with a crescent. From the spire to the ground, the height of the building is 58 meters. In the last century, three reconstructions took place here, since the tower was dropped. Today, the deviation from the vertical of the spire is 1.98 meters.
Tainitskaya tower
Below Syuyumbike are Tainitsky entrance gates. This name was given to them in honor of the dungeon, which leads to the source. During the siege of the city, it was used by local residents. Previously, the tower was called Nur-Ali. Russian residents of the city called her Muraleeva. She was blown up during the capture of the Kremlin. It was through this gate that Ivan IV entered the city.
The tower was restored, but the architectural decoration was completed in the XVII century. Now on the upper tier is the cafe "Muraleev Gate".
Kazan Kremlin: excursions, prices, opening hours
The guests of the city and local residents are invited to take a walk through the museum-reserve accompanied by professional staff. Tours are conducted in Tatar, Russian, German, English, Turkish, Italian and French.
The entrance through the Spasskaya Tower is open daily. Through the Taynitskaya Tower, the entrance to the Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan) is also carried out. Opening hours: in the summer - from 8:00 to 22:00, and in the winter - until 18:00.
The cost of the tour for a group of six people is 1360 rubles. From a group of more than six people - 210 rubles per adult.
How to get there
The Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan), whose address is Kremlyovskaya 2, is located on the left bank of the Volga. You can get here by buses No. 6, 29, 37, 47, trolleybuses No. 4, 10, 1 and 18. Stop "TSUM", "Ul. Bauman "or on the metro - stop" Kremlin ".