Interesting information for travel lovers. Legends of the Syuyumbike Tower: an ode to eternal love and a suicide queen

The city of Kazan is famous for the fact that it houses the Syuyumbike Tower, which is considered the symbol of the whole of Tatarstan. It would seem that an ordinary building with a history of several centuries, there are many of these throughout the country, but everything in the architectural monument is shrouded in mystery, which is why interest in research does not fade away.

Historical mystery of the Syuyumbike tower

The main mystery for historians is that it is still unknown when the tower was built. And the difficulty lies not in the problem of determining the exact year, because even about the approximate century there are active disputes, during which an extensive list of arguments is attached to each of the opinions in favor of its reliability. The Kazan Tower has specific structural features that can be attributed to different eras, but supporting documents have not been found.

Chronicles from the time of the Kazan Khanate were lost at the time of the capture of the city in 1552. Later data about Kazan were kept in the Moscow archive, but they disappeared due to a fire in 1701. The first mention of the Syuyumbike tower dates back to 1777, but then it already stood in the form in which you can see it today, so no one knows when the construction work was carried out to build an observation point on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin.

There is a judgment, which is followed by most researchers, that the time of creation falls on the 17th century. In their opinion, it appeared in the interval from 1645 to 1650, but there is no mention of this building in the pictures of contemporaries and the plan of the city, compiled in 1692 by Nikolaas Witsen in his monograph. The foundation of the tower is more reminiscent of the features of the construction of an earlier period, but there is a hypothesis that a wooden structure used to stand here, which over time was replaced with a more reliable one, while leaving the old foundation.

An analysis of the architectural features characteristic of the Moscow Baroque proves that the tower was built in the first half of the 18th century, but one cannot rely only on style characteristics either. For these reasons, the issue is still open, and whether it will ever be resolved is still unknown.

External features of the structure

The building is a multi-tiered structure with a spire at the top. Its height is 58 meters. In total, the tower has seven tiers, differing in external design:

the first tier is a wide base with an open through arch. It is made so that one can pass through the tower, but most of the time the passage is closed by gates;
the second tier resembles the first in shape, but its dimensions are proportionately smaller;
the third tier is even smaller than the previous one, but it is decorated with small windows;
the fourth and fifth tiers are made in the form of octagons;
the sixth and seventh tiers are part of the observation tower.

The design of the building has angular shapes, so you can calculate how many floors you can independently. In general, few decorative elements were used in the architecture, the structure is completely centered, there are columns on the pedestals, understated arches and flyers on the parapets.

A double-headed eagle was installed at the top of the spire from 1730, but later it was replaced by a crescent. True, the religious symbol flaunted at the top for a short time due to the established policy in the country. The gilded crescent returned to the spire only in the 1980s at the request of the government of the republic.

The main feature of the Syuyumbike tower is that it is falling, like in Italy. Many people wonder why the building is tilted, because initially it stood level. In fact, this happened due to insufficiently deep foundation. Over time, the building began to lean and today it has shifted from the axis to the northeast by almost 2 meters. If in 1930 the building had not been reinforced with metal rings, the attraction would hardly have stood on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin.

Interesting information for travel lovers

It is surprising that the name of this building was different, and the existing one was first mentioned in a magazine in 1832. Gradually, it was increasingly used in speech and as a result became generally accepted. In the Tatar language, it was customary to call the tower Khan-jami, which means "Khan's mosque."

This name was also given because Queen Syuyumbike played a significant role for the inhabitants of Tatarstan. During her reign, she abolished a number of very harsh laws regarding the peasants, for which she became revered by the common people. No wonder there is a story that it was she who became the "initiator" of the construction of the tower.

According to legend, Ivan the Terrible, during the capture of Kazan, was so fascinated by the beauty of the queen that he immediately offered her to become his wife. Syuyumbike demanded that the ruler build a tower within seven days, after which she would accept his proposal. The Russian prince fulfilled the condition, but the ruler of Tatarstan could not betray her people, which is why she threw herself off the building erected for her.

The address is not difficult to remember, since the Syuyumbike tower is located in the city of Kazan on the Kazan Kremlin street. It is impossible to get confused about where this leaning building is located; it is not for nothing that not only guests from all over the country, but also foreign tourists meet here.

During the tours, detailed descriptions of the stories associated with the tower are given, it is told what culture the building belongs to and what design details testify to this. You should definitely climb to the upper tiers and take a photo of the view, as from here you can observe the beauty of Kazan and the surrounding areas. In addition, there is a belief that if you make a wish at the top of the tower, it will surely come true.

The leaning Syuyumbike tower is an architectural symbol of Kazan , known not only throughout Tatarstan, but also outside the republic. For the first time, the Syuyumbike tower received the name of the legendary Tatar queen in the 19th century. So romantically called this building one of the local patriots in the local history article of a popular Kazan magazine. Since that time, legends began to be composed about the tower, many of which have survived to this day.
Nowadays, images of the tower are printed on souvenirs, postcards, badges. After the restoration, the tower was decorated with lighting, thanks to which it is visible from afar even at night.

Location and features of the structure

The Syuyumbike Tower is a watchtower or watchtower of the Kazan Kremlin, the main attraction of the capital of Tatarstan. From its top, the Volga and Kazanka rivers and the areas around them are clearly visible.
Syuyumbike is a leaning tower, tilted towards the northeast. It began to “fall” almost immediately after the completion of construction. There are two versions of the reason for this fall: some experts believe that the tower was built on an old foundation, not designed for such a large-scale structure; others - that the foundation was laid specifically for the tower, but was not deep enough.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the deviation was 128 centimeters. Restoration work carried out in the 1990s stopped the roll of the tower. Today, the deviation of the spire from the vertical reaches 1.98 meters.
The peculiarity of the tower is also that it is located inside the Kremlin as a separate structure. In the lower tier of the tower, a through passage with swing gates is provided.
The top of the tower changed its decoration several times. First, it was crowned with an apple, then alternately - with the coat of arms of tsarist Russia and a crescent.

legends

The Syuyumbike Tower was originally a watch tower, located at the entrance to the courtyard of the commandant's house - the former Khan's Palace. The name of the tower is associated with the name of the famous Queen Syuyumbike, and there are many legends about the architectural monument itself.

The most popular - about the construction of the tower at the request of Syuyumbike - is known to every inhabitant of Kazan.
The legend says that after the conquest of the city, Ivan the Terrible wished Syuyumbike to become his wife.

The tsarina understood that in case of her disobedience, the Tatar people would be exterminated, but she could not submit to the will of the Russian tsar. Therefore, she set a condition for the conqueror - in seven days to build a tower of seven tiers, as slender and beautiful as the queen herself.

When her wish was granted, Syuyumbike climbed to the very top of the tower and jumped down.

The archive of documents from the time of the Kazan Khanate has not been preserved, and the town planning plans of the city of the 16th-17th centuries were destroyed during the Moscow fire of 1701. This beautiful legend is debunked by modern theories about the time of the construction of the tower, based on the study of the foundation. It turned out that only in some places it reaches the layer of cultural deposits from the time of the Khanate. Most of the foundation penetrates into layers corresponding to later periods than the conquest of Kazan.

In addition, in the drawings of many foreign travelers who visited Kazan in the 17th century, there is no image of the tower. And on the plan of the city, the now famous building appeared only at the beginning of the 18th century. And yet, there is documentary evidence that Queen Syuyumbike lived to old age and died in the city of Kasimov.

Another legend is less romantic - the tower was built by order of Syuyumbike herself in honor of her deceased husband. This version is confirmed by fragments of the ancient foundation. But only in the part that the Syuyumbike tower was built on the site of another building from the time of the Kazan Khanate.

The legends about the Syuyumbike tower contain some historical facts, but are completely far from reality.
Most researchers are of the opinion that the first tower, which was located on the site of the modern one, was a wooden building erected in the 11th-15th centuries. The stone one was erected in the 17th century in its place.

The legend of the gilded ball

There is an interesting story about the gilded ball that crowns the tower. According to legend, the Kazan khans kept their chronicles in the ball, and it was made of pure gold. But during a thorough examination of the ball in 1830, no annals were found in it, and it was made of brass. At the same time, eyewitnesses claimed that the ball was rusty and full of holes, and the documents may have been stolen.

Architectural characteristics

The Syuyumbike Tower in Kazan has seven tiers; red brick was used for its construction. The three lower tetrahedrons are reduced in height and width; two octagons are installed on them. The tower is completed by a faceted tent in the form of a truncated pyramid, and the sentinel guard located above it is decorated with a spire with a gilded crescent on an apple.

The lower tier is decorated with two pylons, interconnected by a cylindrical vault.
The facades of the tower are decorated with a variety of decorative finishes: fly, belts with a simple overlap or curb.
The edges are marked with thin rollers or spatulas.
Door and window openings end with three-centered arches.

The foundation of the tower is built on oak piles. Inside there is a spiral staircase that leads to the watchtower. The total height of the building is fifty-eight meters.

The Syuyumbike Tower is made in a strict architectural style, reminiscent of the Moscow baroque, but with elements of Kazan-Tatar art - a minaret-like top, stalactite capitals, and three-quarter columns.

How to get to the Syuyumbike Tower

You can get to the famous Kazan sights:

by metro - Kremlevskaya station;
by trolley bus No. 7 - stop "Central Stadium";
on buses No. 1, 15, 35, 47, 75, etc. - stop "Central Stadium".

The falling Kazan tower Syuyumbike is two meters higher than the falling Leaning tower.
In the eighteenth century, the tower provided a magnificent view of more than 50 kilometers, thanks to which the city was always aware of the danger that threatened it.
In Soviet times, excavations were carried out near the Syuyumbike tower - the remains of a mosque and khan's tombs, fragments of tombstones with inscriptions, and coins were found.
In 1994, the territory of the Kazan Kremlin, where the leaning tower is located, was declared a cultural museum-reserve.
The Syuyumbike Tower is captured in the Russian film "O.K. Treasures". The main characters in the story make their way into the tower in search of treasure. To shoot close-ups in the Moscow pavilion, a life-size fragment of the Syuyumbike tower was rebuilt.
Since 1991, the tower has served as a minaret - prayers are read in it for compatriots who died in 1552 during the capture of Kazan by Ivan IV.
If you believe the local old-timers, the wish made while climbing the stairs to the gates of the tower will certainly come true.

Syuyumbike Tower (Russia) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

Tours for May in Russia
Hot tours in Russia

Previous photo Next photo

The pearl of the Kazan Kremlin is poetically called the architectural symbol of Kazan - the Syuyumbike tower, which, in addition to its historical significance, is also known as an object of urban mythology. This is one of the so-called leaning towers, because it has a strong vertical slope to the northeast.

The height of the Syuyumbike tower is 58 m, and its location inside the Kremlin on a hill, away from the fortress walls, determined its purpose as a guard or watch tower. A panoramic view of the Volga and Kazanka, as well as the surroundings of the Kremlin, was the best suited for defensive purposes.

The question of the time of construction of the Syuyumbike tower is one of its mysteries. For neither the archive of documents from the times of the Kazan Khanate, nor the urban planning plans of Kazan of the 16-17th centuries have been preserved (they burned down in the Moscow fire of 1701). Therefore, there are several versions of the building: 17-18 centuries, the second half of the 16 century, or even the period of the Kazan Khanate, before the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible in 1552.

How is the Syuyumbike tower connected with Queen Syuyumbike - one of the legendary women in the history of the Islamic world, the wife of the Kazan khans Jan-Ali and Safa-Girey, the great-great-great-granddaughter of the head of the Nogai Horde dynasty - Edigei, who for several years was the ruler of the Kazan Khanate?

According to one of the mythological versions, the queen built a tower in honor of her beloved husband Safa Giray, who died in 1549. According to another, the tower was built in 7 days by order of Ivan the Terrible, who wished to take Syuyumbike as his wife, but she rushed from the seventh tier out of grief towers.

In reality, recorded in the documents, Queen Syuyumbike, together with her son Utyamysh-Girey, was betrayed by her murzas and handed over to Ivan the Terrible along with the Kazan treasury. A year and a half later, against her will, Syuyumbike was married to Khan Shah-Ali, and her son was left to be raised at the royal court.

As you can see, fairy tales are fairy tales, but the life of the queen was no less tragic. Perhaps this was the reason why at the beginning of the 19th century the current name was assigned to the tower, as a memory of the Khan's time, the symbol of which was Syuyumbike.

Address: Kazan, Sheikman Ave.

Hello friends! In touch Alexander blogger Kazanets. Today's article for tourists I will tell about Syuyumbike tower, recognized as a symbol of Tatarstan. After reading, you will learn the history of the tower, the legend about Queen Syuyumbike, and most importantly, how to make a wish near the tower…

Heard a couple of reviews of tourists who say that there is nothing surprising in this tower. But this is not true.. the tower has many features and secrets that can make it unique.

Overview of the Syuyumbike tower in Kazan

1. Tower Syuyumbike- a watch tower in the Kazan Kremlin .. refers to the "falling" towers, as it has a noticeable slope to the northeast. The deviation of its spire from the vertical is 1.98 m.

The height of the tower is approximately 58 meters with seven tiers, each one different from the other.

The first tier is so wide that it serves as a roadway through the arch, but most of the time it is inaccessible to traffic. The second tier is slightly smaller than the first. The fourth and fifth tiers are octagonal. The observation deck is located on the sixth and seventh tiers.

2. Now the entrance to the tower is not available for tourists, and the first tier is decorated with gates - "Day and night".

Interesting fact:

The axis of the passage of the tower is directed to the sunrise on the day of the winter solstice.

From 1730, an eagle was placed on top of the tower, but after 1917 it was replaced by a Muslim crescent. Later, he was also ordered to be removed, and only since 1990 did the government allow the symbol to be returned to its place.

All eyewitnesses note that the peculiarity of the tower is its position. It is falling, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. The foundation of the tower is not so strong, so there was a tilt. Although this fact is a danger, many eyewitnesses are attracted by this Syuyumbike tower.

I remember how, at the age of 11, I stood next to the tower for the first time and thought - if only it didn’t crash now) This effect is enhanced when you stand close, and clouds are floating in the sky ...

The Mystery of the Syuyumbike Tower

A huge question for historians is still when the tower was built. And discussions sometimes concern not just the year of construction, but the definition of the century when the structure was nevertheless created.

3. Many experts do not just speak out, but even cite reliable facts to support their opinion.

The peculiarity of the tower is that it includes elements that belong to the creation at different times. The chronicle of the building has not been known since 1552, when Kazan was recaptured by proxy.

The history of Kazan was kept for some time in the archive of the city of Moscow until the fire in 1701. And only 1777 is associated with information about the Syuyumbike tower. However, at that time it was already in a form that can be seen today. Hence, there is no information about the moment of construction and transformation.

Most experts are of the opinion that the tower was built in the 17th century, namely the period from 1645 to 1650, but there is no mention of the tower in the city plan created in 1692.

Of course, the building itself is difficult to compare with the 17th century, however, according to the information that has come down to our times, a wooden building used to stand on the site of the tower, it was just replaced with stone over time, which is more reliable than wood.

Legend of Queen Syuyumbike

I heard this legend from one guide when I was filming a video tour of the program for tourists ... :)

After the capture of Kazan, Tsar Ivan the Terrible wanted to marry Queen Syuyumbike .. and take her to Moscow.

4. The queen had to agree, but on the condition that the king build a tall and slender (like herself) tower .. as a token of his love.

The conditions were accepted, and every day the tower rose one tier in height ... and by the end of the 7th day, the tower was completely ready. Then the queen said that she wanted to go up to the top of the tower in order to look at her possessions and her beloved city for the last time.

Having risen to the very top, the queen jumped out of the window, as she did not want to be the wife of the hated king. In memory of the beloved queen of the city, the tower was named after her.

In fact, it's just a legend... :)

Make a wish

The mystery of the tower and its unusual appearance make it not only an object of cool photos, but also make you believe in miracles.

5. There is a belief that in order for a wish to come true - you need to touch the tower, close your eyes ... and vividly imagine the picture of your dream as if it had already come true. Then it will definitely come true.

I checked - it works. * ;)

*assuming you are working on your dream and not rubbing the couch with your lower back.

6. By the way, at night the tower is illuminated from all sides, so it is even from other regions of Kazan.

7. But the most beautiful photos can be taken at a summer sunset ...

That's all, friends. Shanti everyone.

P.S. Write in the comments - did you make a wish at the tower ... and did it come true? :)

We started our acquaintance with Kazan with a tour of the Kazan Kremlin. You can get to this place by metro, you need to get off at the Kremlevskaya station and walk a little. It becomes visible immediately after exiting the subway, so do not get lost. Kremlin in Kazan- This is a unique complex of historical and archaeological monuments, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The territory of the Kremlin is large and there are many beautiful and interesting places. I'll tell you about one- "falling" Syuyumbike tower, which is considered one of the main architectural symbols of the city and is known far beyond the borders of Tatarstan. To be honest, before I knew about only one leaning tower, which is considered the most famous- Pisa, poety was a little surprised to learn that we have similar facilities.

The Syuyumbike Tower in Kazan is essentially a sentinel (watchtower). It is tilted towards the northeast. Now the deviation of the spire of the tower from the vertical is about 2 meters so it can be seen even with the naked eye. Tower consists of 7 tiers. Her general height is 58 meters. The upper tier is decorated with a crescent (until 1918 there was a double-headed eagle in its place).

As for the date of construction of the tower, this question is still open: according to some sources, the tower was built in the 17th-XVIIIcenturies, according to others- at the end of the 16th century, and some even attribute the construction of the tower to the period of the Kazan Khanate, that is, to 1552. The history of the tower is shrouded in several interesting legends, the existence of which was told to us by our guide. According to one of them, the Syuyumbike Tower was built by order of the ruler of the Kazan Khanate, Syuyumbike, in honor of her husband Safa-Girey, who died in 1549. According to another legend, the tower was built in just 7 days by order of Ivan the Terrible. The fact is that the Russian tsar offered the queen Syuyumbika to marry him. But when the wedding celebration began, the queen wanted to climb to the top of the tower to take a last look at the city. There she did not find the strength to part with her native city and jumped down. In fact, such legends, although they include several real historical facts, are completely far from reality. They are based on romantic tales of the 19th century, which were written in guidebooks of that time around Kazan.

The Syuyumbike Tower was restored many times and its foundation was strengthened. I cannot but notice that for many generations of local residents the tower is a sacred symbol and a place of worship. Since 1991, Syuyumbike has been performing the functions minaret, where memorial prayers are read for all those who died in 1552, when the city was taken by Tsar Ivan IV of Kazan. Near the tower, many archaeological excavations were carried out, as a result of one of them, coins from the reign of tsars Alexei Mikhailovich and Mikhail Fedorovich were found at the very base of the tower.

By the way, they say that when you climb the stairs to the gates of the tower, if you make a wish, then it must come true.

The tower is a passage, in its lower tier there is a through passage, which is blocked by hinged forged gates with images of the crescent, the sun and all the signs of the zodiac.

Unfortunately, you can’t go inside the tower, so you can only look at it from the outside. I repeat that now the Syuyumbike tower is one of the symbols of the city, so its images can be seen on postcards, badges, souvenirs.

In the evening, the tower is illuminated.

Looking at the Syuyumbike tower and the Kremlin as a whole, I involuntarily imagined what the city was like in the distant past, how some khan’s guards walked along the square to bow to their ruler Syuyumbike.