An architectural monument from which the history of Kazan began, the main attraction and the heart of the capital of Tatarstan, telling tourists its history. All of this is the Kazan Kremlin - a huge complex that combines the history and traditions of two different peoples.
History of the Kazan Kremlin
The historical and architectural complex was built over several centuries. The first buildings date back to the 12th century, when it turned into an outpost of the Volga Bulgaria. In the 13th century, the Golden Horde sat here, which made this place the seat of the entire Kazan principality.
Ivan the Terrible, together with his army, took Kazan, as a result of which most of the structures were damaged, and the mosques were completely destroyed. Grozny summoned Pskov architects to the city, who proved their skill in Moscow by designing the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed. They were given the task of developing and building a white-stone Kremlin.
In the 17th century, the material of the fortifications was completely replaced - the wood was replaced by stone. Within a hundred years, the Kremlin ceased to act as a military facility and turned into a major administrative center of the region. In the next two centuries, new structures were actively built on the territory: the Annunciation Cathedral was reconstructed, a cadet school, consistory and the Governor's Palace were erected.
The revolution of the seventeenth year led to new destruction, this time it was the Spassky Monastery. In the nineties of the twentieth century, the President of Tatarstan made the Kremlin the residence for the presidents. 1995 marked the beginning of the construction of one of the largest mosques in Europe - Kul-Sharif.
Description of the main structures
The Kazan Kremlin stretches for 150 thousand square meters, and its total length of walls is more than two kilometers. The walls are three meters wide and 6 meters high. A distinctive feature of the complex is the unique combination of Orthodox and Muslim symbols.
Blagoveshchensky cathedral erected in the 16th century and was originally much smaller than the current temple, because it was often expanded. In 1922, many antiques disappeared from the church forever: icons, manuscripts, books.
Presidential palace built in the forties of the nineteenth century in a style that is called pseudo-Byzantine. It is located in the northern part of the complex. Here in the 13-14 centuries was the palace of the Kazan khans.
Kul Sharif - the most famous and largest mosque of the Republic, built in honor of the millennium of Kazan. The goal was to recreate the appearance of the ancient mosque of the khanate, located here many centuries ago. Kul-Sharif looks especially beautiful in the evening, when the illumination gives it a fabulous look.
The Kremlin is also famous for its famous authentic towers. Initially, there were 13 of them, only 8 have survived to our time. The most famous among tourists are Spasskaya and Taynitskaya, built in the 16th century and acting as gates. Front part Spasskaya Tower is directed to the main street of the complex. It burned and rebuilt several times, it was built on and reconstructed until it acquired its present appearance.
Taynitskaya tower has such a name due to the presence of a secret passage that led to a water source and was useful during sieges and hostilities. It was through her that the Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible entered the Kremlin after his victory.
Another famous tower, Syuyumbike, is popularly compared with its Italian "sister" - the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The reason for this is the almost two-meter tilt from the main axis, which occurred due to the subsidence of the foundation. It is rumored that the tower was designed by the same builders who built the Moscow Kremlin, which is why it is so similar to the Borovitskaya tower. It is built of bricks and consists of seven tiers and is 58 meters long. There is a tradition of making a wish by touching its walls.
Nearby on the territory of the Kremlin is Mausoleum, in which two Kazan khans are buried. It was opened quite by accident when they were trying to carry out the sewers here. After a while, it was covered with a glass dome on top.
Cannon yard complex - this is one of the largest places for the manufacture and repair of an artillery gun. Production began to decline in 1815 when a fire broke out, and 35 years later the complex ceased to exist altogether.
Junker school Is another interesting Kremlin object, which in the 18th century served as an arsenal, in the 19th century as a cannon factory, and in our time serves for exhibitions. There is a branch of the St. Petersburg Hermitage and the Khazine gallery.
The value is monument to the architect, which is located in a park surrounded by flowers.
Kazan Kremlin museums
In addition to historical structures, there are many museums on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin. Among the most exciting are:
Excursions
Excursions to the Kazan Kremlin are an opportunity to get to know the history, culture and customs of all of Tatarstan. The complex keeps many interesting facts, mysteries and secrets, so don't miss the chance to solve them and take memorable photos.
Each museum located on the territory of the complex has its own ticket office. For 2018, there is an opportunity to purchase a single ticket for 700 rubles, which will open the doors to all museums-reserves. Ticket prices for pupils and students are lower.
Attraction opening hours vary for several reasons. You can enter the territory for free all year round through the Spassky Gate. A visit through the Taynitskaya Tower is possible from 8:00 to 18:00 from October to April, and from 8:00 to 22:00 from May to August. Please note that photography and video shooting is prohibited in the churches of the Kazan Kremlin.
How to get to the Kazan Kremlin?
The attraction is located on the left bank of the Kazanka River, a tributary of the Volga. You can get to the main highlight of Kazan in different ways. Buses (No. 6, 15, 29, 35, 37, 47) and trolleybuses (No. 1, 4, 10, 17 and 18) go here, you need to get off at the stops "Central Stadium", "Palace of Sports" or "TSUM". Near the Kazan Kremlin there is the Kremlevskaya metro station, to which there are routes from different parts of the city. The exact address of the historical complex in Kazan is st. Kremlin, 2.
