Kazan Kremlin drawing 19th century essay. The territory of the museum-reserve is. Museum of Natural History
Kazan Kremlin - historical, architectural and cultural monument, combining in its appearance Orthodox and Muslim, Russian and Tatar motifs. The Kazan Kremlin is located on the cape of a high terrace on the left bank of the Volga and the left bank of the Kazanka.
The formation of Kazan began precisely from the moment the fortress was built on the hill. And the fortress on the hill, as it is now believed, was founded at the beginning of the 11th century. By the 16th century, the city acquired the appearance of a powerful wooden and stone fortress with the Khan's court, high mosques and mausoleums.
In 1552, Kazan was stormed by Russian troops under the control of Ivan the Terrible and annexed to the Russian state.
According to the royal decree, the fortress was reconstructed, rebuilt in stone under the guidance of the famous Pskov masters Postnik Yakovlev (creator of St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow) and Ivan Shiryai.
In 1992, the Republic of Tatarstan was formed as part of the Russian Federation. The Kazan Kremlin became the residence of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan. In 1994, the State Historical-Architectural and art museum-reserve"Kazan Kremlin".
The territory of the Kremlin is an irregular polygon in plan, repeating the outlines of the Kremlin hill, elongated from the northwest, from the Kazanka River, to the southeast, to May 1 Square and the Gostiny Dvor building.
Kazan Kremlin - object world heritage UNESCO since 2000.
In total, this list includes 12 monuments located on the territory of the Russian Federation.
The total area of the Kremlin is 150 thousand square meters.
The outer perimeter of the walls is about 1800 meters. In the XVI-XVII centuries there were 13 towers. To date, only 8 have survived.
Spasskaya travel tower
Built in 1556-1562.
Initially, it was a white-stone two-tiered tower with a cranked passage, covered with a high wooden roof and a tent.
The upper two tiers and the tent were built on in the 18th century.
In the middle of the 19th century, to the right of the tower, a lancet arch was pierced in the fortress wall. Over time, the crankshaft was laid. Already after the revolution, a through passage through the Spasskaya Tower was broken.
In the upper tier, in the 18th century, a “chiming” clock was installed and even earlier a large alarm bell was transferred from a small belfry.
In 1963, an electric clock appeared on the tower with dials on three faces of an octagon and with an automatic strike.
Until the middle of the 19th century, there was a moat with a stone bridge in front of the tower.
Until 1917, the tower was crowned with the double-headed coat of arms of the Russian state.
Replacing the wooden tent of the South East Tower
Basement of the Transfiguration Cathedral.
Here was a monastery founded in 1556.
In 1855-1862 a multi-tiered bell tower was built in the spirit of late classicism. It was closed in 1918. Most of buildings are broken.
Sheikman's passage
In the XVI-XVIII centuries the street was called Bolshaya. After 1918 Sheikman's passage is called in honor of one of the leaders of the Kazan party organization, who was shot in 1918. white Czechs.
Left museum complex"Khazine"
The complex includes a museum natural history Tatarstan, Hermitage-Kazan Center,
Memorial Museum of the Great Patriotic War and Art Gallery.
On the right is the building of the fire station ("skullcap")
Transfiguration Tower
A guardhouse was erected on top of the tent, its covering is completed by an ensign with the image of Zilant - the coat of arms of the city of Kazan.
Kul Sharif Mosque
The main cathedral mosque of the Republic of Tatarstan and Kazan.
The construction of the temple began in 1996 as a recreation of the legendary multi-minaret mosque of the capital of the Kazan Khanate of the Middle Volga region of the 16th century. The mosque was destroyed in October 1552 during the assault on Kazan by the troops of Ivan the Terrible.
Named in honor of her last imam seid Kul-Sharif, one of the leaders of the defense of Kazan.
Granite and marble were brought from the Urals, interior decoration - carpets - a gift from the Iranian government, a colored crystal chandelier with a diameter of five meters and weighing almost two tons was made in the Czech Republic, stained-glass windows, stucco, mosaics and gilding.
The building of the mosque in plan is 2 squares intersected at an angle of 45 ° in the form of a sign known in the Muslim world, meaning "blessing of Allah"
At the corners of the main volume there are 4 main minarets, 2 small minarets and 2 more at the corners of the main entrance portal.
Total number crescents is 8 - according to the number of minarets.
The height of each of the four main minarets is 58 meters.
The dome is decorated with forms associated with the image and decorative details of the "Kazan hat" - according to one version - the crown of the Kazan khans, taken to Moscow after the fall of Kazan, and now on display in the Armory.
The internal space of the mosque is designed for one and a half thousand people, ten thousand more can be accommodated in the square in front of it.
A memorial stone dedicated to the laying of the Kul Sharif mosque.
Northern part of the Kremlin.
Blagoveshchensky cathedral
The cathedral was founded on October 4, 1552, on the day of the solemn entry of Tsar Ivan IV into Kazan.
The king personally chose a place for the future temple opposite the palace of the Tatar khans and Muslim mosques.
wooden church was cut down in three days; the construction of the white-stone temple began only in 1556.
Completed in 1562 and consecrated on August 15 of the same year.
Tower of the main building of the Cannon Yard.
In 1812-15. one of the largest cannon factories in Russia was located on the territory of the Artillery (Cannon) Yard, new cannons and parts for them were manufactured, and damaged ones brought from the army were repaired.
The Syuyumbike Tower is the architectural emblem of the city.
Its name is associated with the name of the Tatar queen Syuyumbeki - the wife of the last two Kazan khans.
It was built in the second half of the 17th - early 18th centuries.
The Syuyumbike Tower belongs to the "falling" towers (like the Leaning Tower of Pisa), as it has a noticeable slope to the northeast.
At the moment, the deviation of its spire from the vertical is 1.98 m.
The tower consists of seven tiers: the first three tiers are square quarters of different heights, the next two are octagonal, two more are a faceted brick tent and a watchtower, the last is a green spire crowned with a gilded "apple" on which rests a crescent moon.
The total height of the tower is 58 meters.
Residence of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan.
The building was built in the 40s. XIX century in the so-called. pseudo-Byzantine style. The project was made by the famous Moscow architect A. K. Ton, the author of the project of the Grand Kremlin Palace and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.
On the right are the remains of the palace of the Kazan khans.
Gate of the Presidential Palace complex
bishop's house
Currently, the building houses the Office of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan.
Currently under construction near the Kremlin road junction at the exit from the Leninskaya dam towards the city center.
View from the Kremlin street.
For all questions regarding the use of photographs, write to e-mail.
On a high hill, located on the left bank of the Kazanka River, rises the symbol and main attraction of Kazan, its heart and soul - the Kazan Kremlin, which is a historical, architectural and archaeological monument. During the capture of the city in 1551, many buildings and walls of the Kazan Kremlin were destroyed, so new ones were erected in their place. Today, centuries seem to have mixed up on its territory: buildings of the 20th century are located next to the buildings of the 10th century.Since 2000, the entire ensemble has been under the protection of UNESCO. The area of the Kazan Kremlin is 150 thousand square meters, and the total length of the walls, which are about 3 meters wide, is more than 2 km. The height of the walls of the Kazan Kremlin exceeds 6 m. A distinctive feature of the Kremlin is a unique combination of cultural and historical monuments Orthodox and Muslim religions.
Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Kazan Kremlin.
The real pearl of the complex is the functioning (since 2005) Annunciation Cathedral, built by Pskov craftsmen in the middle of the 16th century. During its existence, the temple was rebuilt and reconstructed several times. Unfortunately, in 1922 the bell tower was irretrievably lost. At the same time, many valuables stored in the temple (icons, manuscripts, early printed books, gold embroidery) disappeared without a trace. Some of the exhibits were preserved through the efforts of the art historian P. Dulsky and Professor I. Stratonov. Today, the rescued rarities are part of the collection of the Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan.
Towers of the Kazan Kremlin.
The Kazan Kremlin is famous for its watchtowers. 13 towers were immediately erected, of which only eight have survived at the moment. The Tainitskaya and Spasskaya towers are the most famous, being at the same time the gates. They were built in the 16th century.
Spasskaya Tower of the Kazan Kremlin.
Adjacent to the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands, the Spasskaya Tower of the Kazan Kremlin burned several times, it was restored, and two centuries later, its appearance was supplemented by the clock installed on it.
Tainitskaya tower of the Kazan Kremlin.
The Taynitskaya Tower got its name from a secret passage leading to a spring water source. Unfortunately, it has not survived to our time.
Syuyumbike Tower of the Kazan Kremlin.
Visitors are attracted by the Syuyumbike watch tower, built at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. It can be called Kazan " leaning tower of pisa". The deviation of the structure from the vertical is about 2 m. Thanks to the restoration work carried out and the strengthening of the foundation, its fall was stopped.
Mausoleum of the Kazan khans.
It is impossible to ignore the Mausoleum of Kazan Khans, located not far from Syuyumbike. It was discovered during sewer work quite by accident. This is the last refuge of two Kazan khans. The mausoleum was covered with a glass dome to provide access to it in any weather.
Mosque of the Kazan Kremlin.
In honor of the celebration of the millennium of Kazan, the Kul-Sharif mosque was erected on the territory of the Kremlin, admiring for its grandeur and unique beauty. In the evening, thanks to the spectacular lighting, everything here takes on an unforgettable look. The construction of a mosque near Orthodox churches symbolizes the commonwealth of two religions.
Governor's Palace, built in the 19th century, attracts tourists with its architecture. Today it serves as a representative office of the head of the Republic of Tatarstan.
Museums of the Kazan Kremlin.
There are several museums on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin:
- Museum of the history of the Tatar people and the Republic of Tatarstan, located in the Vvedenskaya Church.
- Complex "Cannon Yard".
- The Junkers School, with a department of the Hermitage, a WWII museum, an art exhibition and a museum of natural history.
- Museum of Islamic Culture, which is located on the ground floor of the mosque.
Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery.
The complex of the Kazan Kremlin also includes the Transfiguration Monastery, founded in 1556. In the first years of Soviet power, most of its buildings were blown up. Nowadays, restoration and restoration work is being carried out.
Kazan Kremlin (Tatar name Kazan kirmane, Qazan kirmäne), is the oldest part of Kazan, a complex of architectural, historical and archaeological monuments, revealing centuries of history cities and republics of Tatarstan. The entire territory of the Kazan Kremlin is a museum-reserve.
The Kazan Kremlin has its own official website, where you can find a description, history, architecture and other interesting information about the Kremlin, as well as the time of excursions and events organized on the territory of the Kremlin: http://www.kazan-kremlin.ru.
We visited Kazan in September, the weather was cool and overcast. However, this did not spoil the impression of the city and its main attraction - the Kazan Kremlin.
Undoubtedly, not a single tourist visits Kazan without seeing its main building, so to speak, the very heart of Kazan - the Kremlin, so the first thing we did upon arrival was to see the Kazan Kremlin.
View of the Kazan Kremlin
The territory of the Kremlin is large, with a whole complex of buildings of the most beautiful and unique architecture, which includes churches, temples, museums, administrative buildings and structures, main square and the white-stone Kremlin itself. All this is enclosed by a wall that used to serve to defend the Kremlin of Kazan. All objects located on the territory of the Kremlin have a large historical, architectural and cultural value, therefore, are strictly protected by the government of the Republic of Tatarstan. Indeed, since 2000, the Kazan Kremlin has been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The territory of the Kazan Kremlin and its buildings are the official residence of the President of Tatarstan. Therefore, visiting the Kremlin during working hours on the territory of the complex, you can see many people in suits and with diplomats hurrying about their official business.
Entrance to the territory of the Kremlin is free and free. Entrance to each individual museum is paid separately at the entrance to a particular museum. There are days when admission to the Kremlin museums is free, so if possible, do not miss the chance and come to the Kremlin on these days. These days are January 22, April 18, May 18, September 1 - for first-graders, October 1-10 - for pensioners, November 30 - for mothers with children. Of course, the days of "open doors" may change, check on the site, we gave the site address at the beginning of the article.
Opening hours for visiting the Kazan Kremlin:
daily,
From October 01 to April 30: from 8:00 to 18:00 through the Spasskaya travel tower and the Tainitskaya tower of the Kazan Kremlin. From 18:00 to 08:00 through the Spasskaya travel tower;
From May 01 to September 30: from 8:00 to 22:00 through the Spasskaya travel tower and the Tainitskaya tower of the Kazan Kremlin. From 22:00 to 08:00 through the Spasskaya travel tower.
We spent more than three hours in the Kremlin, walking and inspecting every corner of it.
The entire territory of the complex is an irregular polygon, repeating the outlines of the Kremlin hill, on which the Kremlin itself is located, elongated from the northwest, from the Kazanka River, to the southeast, towards May 1 Square. It is located on the cape of a high terrace on the left bank of the Volga and the left bank of the Kazanka River. That is why the Kremlin opens beautiful view part of the city of Kazan.
You can get to the Kremlin from any part of the city, by buses, trolleybuses or metro - the Kremlin station.
Now we will list the architectural objects located on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin, and below we will post photographs and descriptions of objects, temples and churches.
The ensemble of the Kazan Kremlin includes:
The complex of defensive structures. It consists of the southwestern tower, the Spasskaya tower, the southeastern tower, the Preobrazhenskaya tower, the Konsistorskaya, Bezymyanny, Tainitskaya and Resurrection towers;
Complex of the Governor's Palace. Its composition includes Presidential palace, the palace church, the Syuyumbike tower, the ruins of a building from the Khan's Palace complex and the ruins of the mausoleum of the Kazan khans;
Complex of the Annunciation Cathedral. It includes the Annunciation Cathedral, Bishop's House, Bishop's Consistory and a monument to the architects of the Kazan Kremlin;
Complex of Presences. It consists of government offices and a guardhouse;
Complex of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery. It includes the Church of St. Nicholas the Ratny, the Spassky Cathedral and the Fraternal Corps;
Complex of the Junker School. It includes the Junker School and the Manege;
Cannon Yard Complex. It consists of the Main (East) building, northern, southern and western buildings;
Kul Sharif mosque complex. It includes the Kul Sharif Mosque itself, a memorial stone dedicated to the foundation of the mosque and an administrative building.
And, of course, the museums of the Kazan Kremlin: the Museum of Natural History of Tatarstan, the Museum of Islamic Culture, the Museum of the History of Statehood of Tatarstan, the Hermitage-Kazan Center, the Manezh Exhibition Hall, the Museum of the Cannon Yard and the Museum of the History of the Annunciation Cathedral.
And now, as promised, everything in order, accompanied by photographs
In the photo below the main street Kazan Kremlin and its main attraction - the white stone Spasskaya Tower. It is through the gates of this tower that main entrance to the territory of the Kremlin. The tower is called the Main Tower. In general, all the buildings of the Kazan Kremlin are its sights and architectural and historical values.
The main street is named after Yakov Semenovich Sheikman. The entire street is paved with cobblestones. It is on this street that the locals love to walk and take pictures of the newlyweds.
Spasskaya (Main) tower
The leaning tower of Syuyumbike. This is not a photo taken crooked, the tower is tilted just like that, which is why it is called a leaning tower.
There is a legend and belief about this tower.
Let's start with the legend. According to legend, Ivan the Terrible, Prince of Moscow and All Rus', fell in love with the beautiful Queen Syuyumbike and asked her to marry him. The queen, however, could not reciprocate the prince and, in response to his proposal, promised to become his wife, but the king had to build a tower, with which she wanted to say goodbye to her beloved city for the last time. The king was a man of words and deeds and ordered the tower to be erected as soon as possible. The tower was built in 7 days. They built a tier per day, from which the tower has seven tiers. The queen was stunned by such a speed of erection of the building, after which she climbed to the very top of the tower and threw herself off it. Her love for her hometown was so strong. In the direction where the queen fell, and the tower tilted. In honor of the queen, the tower was named Syuyumbike.
Now believe. There is a belief among the masses of the townspeople that if you rub a yellow coin on the tower and throw it over your back, while making a wish, the wish will certainly come true. They say that people's wishes come true. We learned about the belief after visiting the Kazan Kremlin, so we could not verify it in personal practice. Maybe you can. We will be glad if you share your experience in the comments.
House of the Government of Tatarstan. View from the backyard.
Mosque Kul Sharif. It is also called the pearl of the Kazan Kremlin. So it is, this tall beauty is visible from anywhere in the Kremlin, and serves as its main decoration.
On the square at the main entrance to the mosque there is a memorial stone dedicated to the laying of the mosque, and behind the mosque there is an administrative building. This is where the east meets the west.
Light building on the left near the Kul-Sharif Mosque - Junkers College
One of the towers of the Kazan Kremlin - Nameless round tower. Near the building of the cannon yard. The white building in the photo is the southern building of the cannon yard.
Main (Eastern) building of the cannon yard
Part of the Kremlin wall is a defensive wall. Previously, the walls served as a support and protection for the entire courtyard.
This is what the wall looks like when you look at it from inside the Kazan Kremlin
And this, the white building in the background of the photo, is the building of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Tatarstan and the square in front of it. This building of charming architecture is clearly visible from the observation deck of the Kazan Kremlin, behind the Cathedral of the Annunciation.
And finally, a photo of a panorama of a part of the city of Kazan from one of viewing platforms Kazan Kremlin. In the photo, the Kremlin embankment and the Kazanka River.
On opposite side Kazanka river residential part of the city of Kazan with sleeping areas
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This is the heart of Kazan, its central and oldest part. In addition to the fact that the place is unusually interesting with its history, it is good and easy to take a walk, relax, be alone with your thoughts.
Kazan is a city with more than thousand years of history, and he got his start from the Kremlin buildings. The birth of the Kremlin, and along with it Kazan itself, is considered to be the appearance of the first Bulgarian defensive buildings on a high hilly terrain between the tenth and eleventh centuries. The conditions for the location of the hill on which the Kremlin stood were favorable from the point of view of nature and geography. This place was surrounded from different sides: the Kazanka River, a system of lakes, swampy meadows and impenetrable forests, and a channel with a muddy bottom.
Until the time when Rus' was conquered by the Mongols, Kazan was a military settlement with developed trade, replenished with new stone structures, and when the Golden Horde had already established its possession, the Kremlin began to play the role of a kind of capital of the Kazan principality. An important role for the development of Kazan at that time was its location on the Volga, the intersection of large transit routes and as a result, the city has grown significantly. In the fifteenth century, after the collapse of the Horde, Kazan and the surrounding territories formed the Kazan Khanate, independent of any state, the center of which was the Kremlin. It was at this time that various types of production flourished in Kazan. Modern archaeologists have discovered on the Kremlin territory forges for smelting metal, the simplest equipment for leatherworking. Construction and architecture, science and arts and crafts were actively developed. In 1552, the army of Tsar Ivan the Terrible took Kazan, and the Kremlin became the administrative core of the entire Volga region conquered by Russia, and since 1708 - the main settlement of the Kazan province. After the annexation of Kazan, the Kremlin changed significantly, many buildings were rebuilt, fortifications and towers, buildings of Russian architecture began to appear along with the surviving objects of the Bulgar and Tatar-Mongolian culture. From about the middle of the nineteenth century, the Kremlin took on its appearance, which has survived to this day. Under the USSR, the Kremlin was the administrative core of the Tatar People's Republic, and since the collapse Soviet Union it is the State Center of the Republic of Tatarstan, an artistic, architectural and historical museum-reserve, included in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List.
Well, let's start our walk around the Kremlin. And the first thing that meets us is the white-stone Kremlin walls. Their length along the perimeter is almost two kilometers. The entrance to the territory from the Millennium Square, which is adjacent, among others, to the famous "flying saucer" - the State Circus of the city of Kazan and the metro station "Kremlevskaya", is carried out through the gates of the Transfiguration Tower. During the time of the Kazan Khanate, the Temenskaya Tower was in its place, but it has not survived to this day and was rebuilt. Through the large wooden gates of the tower, tourists enter the ancient and beautiful corner Kazan - Kremlin. Above the gate there is a small niche for a gate icon, but now it is empty. The tower itself is white stone, and its top is wooden. There is a cafe on the second floor during the warm season for tourists. Entering through the gate, we kind of climb up the hill along the paving stones, we go up the Kremlin hill.
Next we come across the corner round South-West Tower, which in the turbulent old times was one of the most important defensive objects in the Kremlin. And finally we see main tower- Spasskaya, snow-white, stately, welcoming her guests.
Now a large arch in the wall adjacent to the tower is the main entrance to the Kremlin. The Spasskaya Tower was built in the sixteenth century by Russian architects, but throughout its history it has been repeatedly rebuilt and restored. Initially, a church was erected on the site of the tower, in which the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands was kept, it was a kind of symbol of the conquest of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible. A little later, the church was built on, and it turned out that it became, as it were, enclosed in the arms of the tower, which received the name Spasskaya. Since its construction, the tower has burned several times, after which it was restored. For a long time it housed an alarm bell, the strikes of which notified people of a fire. And in the eighteenth century, a clock was installed on the tower, which was originally with fixed hands, but with a rotating dial, and today it has been replaced by modern ones, which glow crimson in the evening during the battle. Also in the twentieth century, the tower was crowned with a large five-pointed star, which completed modern look a kind of "hostess" of the Kremlin.
From the main gates of the Kremlin there is a wide pavement made of paving stones, on both sides of which, beautiful lanterns are placed on the sidewalks. To the right of the entrance arch, a long two-story (and in some places even three-story) yellow building originates - the Complex of Presences. The provincial office was located here, in which there were rooms for lawyers, secretaries, petty employees, as well as living rooms families of the governor-general, who was appointed to Kazan from the capital, banquet halls for festive receptions. The Chancellery was connected with the Consistory, one of the governing bodies of the Orthodox Church. The local bishop and his inner circle from among the high priests supervised church affairs. During the Soviet Union, the Consistory housed the Ministry of Health Autonomous Republic Tatarstan.
The Complex of Offices also includes the L-shaped building adjacent to the Chancellery, which is closest to the wall near the Spasskaya Tower - the building of the Guardhouse, which until the twentieth century was the premises of military commanders. During civil war it received a different purpose: after the capture of Kazan by the White Guards, the guardhouse became last place conclusions of party leaders who were later shot at the Kremlin walls. Behind the Guardhouse, in the very corner of the Kremlin territory, there is a small southeast tower, which was part of the complex of defensive structures. By the way, there are several similar small round towers on the territory of the Kremlin, in addition to the South-East, there is also the South-Western, Nameless Round Tower, Konsistorskaya, and only fragments remain of the North-Eastern Tower.
On the left side of the Spasskaya Tower is the complex of the Transfiguration Monastery. From the Transfiguration Cathedral, which was destroyed by the Bolsheviks at the beginning in the first half of the twentieth century, now only a few parts have survived. Now the building is being restored. Planned to be posted here in the future Archaeological Museum. The Church of St. Nicholas the Ratny is getting used to the Cathedral, which survived in Soviet times due to the fact that it became a teahouse in a military unit, located at that time on the territory of the Kremlin. The Fraternal Corps adjoins the fence, which delimits the territory of the monastery complex and the footpath, which served as housing for the monks. On the territory of the monastery in different eras, burial places of church servants and noble people were organized, that is, in other words, there was a cemetery here.
The next building after the Fraternal Corps is the Manege, which today is part of the Khezine museum complex along with the Junkers' School. The Manege was built in 1880 and served as the venue for the exercises of the Kazan Military School. Now the Museum of Ancient Books and Manuscripts is being transferred to the building. The Junker School itself is an elongated three-story building in which the National Art Gallery, a branch of the St. Petersburg Hermitage Museum, Museum of the Great Patriotic War, as well as the Museum of Nature of Tatarstan is being formed. So this building is very rich in museums.
From behind the building of the school, the minarets of the Kul-Sharif mosque, the modern pearl of the Kazan Kremlin, are already looking out, shining with their splendor. The most beautiful Muslim temple, built for the anniversary of the capital of Tatarstan in 2005, fits perfectly into the architecture of ancient buildings. Without exaggeration, the mosque is beautiful! Its sparkling blue towers against the backdrop of the white walls of the Kremlin have already become a kind of hallmark of Kazan. The mosque brings a certain balance of Orthodox and Muslim culture within the walls of the Kremlin, and together with Orthodox churches personifies the friendship of the Tatar and Russian people - the main nationalities in Tatarstan.
The mosque got its start in 1996, when a stone with a memorial sign was laid on the territory behind the Junker School, on which is the text of the decree on the reconstruction of the mosque, which was once located on the territory of the Kremlin in the sixteenth century. The stone is now located near the already rebuilt mosque. The Kul-Sharif Mosque is richly decorated both outside - granite and marble decoration, and inside - Persian carpets, carved stone and wood decoration, gilding, beautiful stained-glass windows on the windows lie on the floors.
The entrances to the mosque are separate for men and women, as are the prayer halls themselves. Women are given headscarves to cover their heads, and skullcaps for men. It is undesirable to appear in the mosque in shorts and T-shirts, short skirts. This, however, applies to any temple. In the mosque you can also visit the Museum of Islam, which tells about the development of Islam in the Volga region. Entrance to the museum is paid separately, visiting the mosque itself is free.
On the territory of the Kul-Sharif complex there is also a small building similar in color and design to the mosque, nicknamed the "skullcap". It houses the fire department. Nowadays, large Muslim events are held in the mosque and on the site near the complex, the main shrine of Islam can accommodate about 1.5 thousand people.
The next large complex of buildings along the course from the Junker School and the mosque is the Cannon Yard. During its history since the end of the seventeenth century the complex has been rebuilt many times, and now it consists of the Main (Eastern), Northern, Southern and Western buildings. IN different time there were weapons factories, foundries for the production of guns, dormitories for officers, military warehouses and cellars for food. On the territory of the complex there are also the ruins of ancient walls and buildings, which, in contrast to the austere appearance of the restored buildings and the brilliance of the Kul-Sharif mosque, seem to send us mentally into the past.
The main building currently houses a dining room, the Armorial Hall, the Museum of the Cannon Yard. From afar you can see a long spire on the guard tower, with the inscription "Cannon yard" and a golden dragon - zilant, which is one of the iconic symbols of Kazan.
The northern building with a green roof and the flags of Tatarstan and Russia fluttering on it is reserved for the premises of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan. Behind the Cannon Yard there is already a beautiful view of the Kazanka River, shining in the rays of the sun in fine weather.
And the Taynitskaya tower, rectangular, white stone, with a wooden roof, “guarded” the Kremlin borders in this area. It was built on the site of a tower blown up by the army of Ivan the Terrible, and since there was a hiding place in it - an underground passage to a spring that allowed the besieged to extract water, the new tower got its name thanks to this secret passage.
In the highest northern corner of the Kremlin is the complex of the Governor's Palace, which includes the Palace itself, the Palace Church, the Syuyumbike Tower and the nearby ruins of ancient mausoleums and towers. The Governor's Palace - the residence of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, is a functioning administrative institution and is a beautiful two-story building of a pleasant delicate green color, very loved by the Tatars in architecture. Around the palace territory is fenced with fragments of elegant forging, large openwork gates for entry and two arches with wrought iron doors for the passage of people. The Presidential standard flutters on the roof of the palace. Everything looks very elegant, but without too much pomp, it seems that at any time of the year it blows in the summer here. On the western side of the palace is the Palace Church, the entrance to which is also carried out from the second floor of the Palace through the passage. The Syuyumbike tower, located next to the church, made of red brick, and which is the architectural emblem of Kazan, I consider one of the most remarkable buildings of the Kremlin. This is the so-called "falling tower", it deviates slightly from its axis. In the course of numerous restorations, at the moment, the further movement of the tower has been stopped.
The tower got its name after the first female queen in the history of the Muslim world. Syuyumbike was the wife of the last two Kazan khans, and after the death of her second husband, she became regent in the infancy of her son, who was supposed to be the heir to the throne. In the arch of the tower there is a beautiful forged gate depicting the sun, moon and signs of the zodiac.
From the Governor's Palace we pass to the most beautiful temple - the Cathedral of the Annunciation. Exactly this ancient building, which has survived to this day almost in its original form on the territory of the Kremlin, as well as the largest in size. Erected in the sixteenth century, the Cathedral experienced fires, reconstructions, and completion of individual parts in its lifetime. During the formation of Soviet power, a wonderful bell tower was destroyed. The cathedral was looted, rich interior decoration, icons, dishes, old books were taken out. Few of these have been preserved. In the nineties of the last century, a thorough restoration inside the temple began, it was painted by the best icon painters of the country, bit by bit recovering after the barbarism of the Bolsheviks. By the celebration of the millennium of Kazan, a huge amount of work was completed, and the cathedral, as if straightening its shoulders after many years of humiliation, proudly shone, giving those around it warmth and light. Now the Annunciation Cathedral is like the older Orthodox brother of the Kul-Sharif mosque. The same stately, snow-white, with the extraordinary beauty of the sky-colored domes with golden stars, only keeping a centuries-old history.
The territory near the Cathedral is in harmony with the temple itself, it has a lot of greenery, small Christmas trees, flower beds, benches for rest, gazebos entwined with bushes.
Here you can also see a monument to the architects of the Kazan Kremlin, one of which is a Tatar architect, and the second is a Russian one. This is a collective image of many famous and nameless creators of the appearance of the Kremlin. The architects were united by friendship and love for their native land, they worked side by side, built and restored.
Behind the Cathedral, there is a beautiful panoramic view from above of the Volga, the surroundings of the Kremlin, as well as a view of modern Kazan on the opposite bank of the river.
Near the small building of the Bishop's House, located near the Cathedral, and acting as the residence of the head Orthodox Church Kazan, there are historical fragments of the most ancient Kremlin buildings. Everything here is conducive to spending time in peace, to think and enjoy the beauty of the creations of human hands, to mentally pay tribute to those people who created all this splendor that we can enjoy at the present time. One has only to come or come here once, and then return again and again to an alluring corner called the Kazan Kremlin.
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In our country, there are so many interesting and memorable places that in order to see all of them, life is not enough. Today we will go to Tatarstan. The attraction that the capital of the republic is proud of is the Kazan Kremlin, the oldest part of the city, unique complex historical, archaeological and architectural monuments which reveal the centuries-old history of the Tatar people, 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. The Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan) is the main attraction of the republic. On a vast territory, Tatar and Russian cultural traditions are harmoniously combined.
After Kazan was taken by the troops of Ivan the Terrible, most of the Kremlin buildings were damaged, and almost all mosques were destroyed. The tsar ordered the construction of a white-stone Kremlin here, and for this purpose architects were sent from Pskov to build the Moscow Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed. The fortress was significantly expanded, and the wooden fortifications were replaced with stone ones in the first half of the 17th century.
In the 18th century, the Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan) lost its military function and became a cultural and administrative center Volga region. In subsequent centuries, the construction of the Governor's Palace, the cadet school, the bishop's house, the spiritual consistory, the building offices. In addition, the Annunciation Cathedral was reconstructed.
After the October Revolution (1917), the bell tower of the Annunciation Cathedral, the temple of the Spassky Monastery, the chapel at the Spassky 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 one-of-a-kind vivid example of the synthesis of Russian and Tatar architectural style. It is also the most north point spread of Islamic culture in the world.
Today, many tourists from different countries world visit Tatarstan. Landmark of the republic, which causes the greatest interest, - Kazan Kremlin. It should be noted that in order to inspect all its facilities, it will take at least two days, and 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 buildings
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 there are the Museum-Memorial of the Great Patriotic War, the Museum of Islam, the Hermitage-Kazan Center, the Museum of the History of Tatarstan and other institutions.
Spasskaya Tower
This tower houses the Front Gates to the Kremlin. The architects Shiryai and Yakovlev built the tower in 1556. The height of this building is 47 meters. The tetrahedral base has a straight arched opening. The octahedral tier has arched openings on each side and is a belfry where the alarm bell is located.
On top is a brick cone, which is crowned with a five-pointed star. Another octagonal cone contains a striking clock. They glorified the Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan). The interesting device of the first clock, which was installed in the 18th century, interested many foreign craftsmen who produce such mechanisms. This was explained by the fact that the clock was arranged very unusually - a dial rotated around the fixed hands.
They were changed to a traditional analogue 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 beginning of the chiming clock, the snow-white walls gradually turn into a rich crimson color.
Presences
The project of the provincial office was developed by the architect from Moscow V. I. Kaftyriev. 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 reserved for a luxurious throne room with choirs for the orchestra. In the place where the Sovereign's Court was located in the 15th-17th centuries, a guardhouse was built in the middle of the 19th century.
Today, the premises of the former office house the Department of External Relations of the President of Tatarstan, the Central Election Commission and the Arbitration Court.
Transfiguration Monastery
The Kazan Kremlin, the description of which can be seen in almost all advertising brochures of the city, is famous for another object. The monastery complex is located in the southeast of the Kremlin territory. 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 was the burial place of the Kazan wonderworkers.
The fraternal building borders on the fence of the monastery. Monastic cells were built here in 1670. Much later, a gallery and a treasury house were erected. The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, as well as the chambers of the archimandrite, are located at the western wall of the complex. The church building was reconstructed according to the project of A. Schmidt in 1815. Interestingly, during the reconstruction, the basement of the 16th century was preserved in its original form.
Junker School
On the territory of the Kremlin there is an arena, which was built according to the project built earlier in St. Petersburg. This building was intended for military training. Today it houses the Institute of Literature and Art. Ibragimov. Behind the arena is the school building. It was created by the architect Pyatnitsky under the barracks for cantonists.
The building was handed over 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 cities. Four minarets soared fifty-seven meters into the sky. The capacity of this grand structure is 1500 people. The minarets are painted in turquoise, which gives the structure a surprisingly light appearance. In addition to the mosque, the complex includes a huge open library-museum, a publishing center and the office of the imam.
rounded small beautiful building with a turquoise dome, located south of the mosque, is a fire station, which is stylistically related to architectural complex. Kul Sharif was re-established in 2005. Funds for its construction were donated by the townspeople, as well as enterprises of the capital.
Blagoveshchensky cathedral
This is the most ancient stone structure 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. Helmet-shaped domes, located on the side domes, were replaced in 1736 with bulbous ones. The central dome is made in the Ukrainian baroque style.
In the main basement of the temple, a museum of Orthodoxy of the Volga region was created. A little further is the house of the bishop, which was built in 1829 on the site where the palace of the Kazan bishops used to be. The consistory completes the ensemble. This building was rebuilt from the bishop's stables.
Artillery Yard
Behind the mosque and the school is the Cannon Yard, or rather, its southern building. Exactly this ancient building complex - it was built at the very beginning of the 17th 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 foundation. According to the depth of occurrence, this object belongs to the Khan's era of the Kremlin. In those days, houses were built here.
Governor's Palace
It was built in 1848 for the governor of Kazan with royal chambers for special guests. The work was supervised by K. A. Ton, who is known for his amazing works. This is the Cathedral of Christ and the Bolshoi in Moscow. The Khan's palace ensemble used to be on this site.
The second floor of the palace is connected with the palace church by a passage. It was called Vvedenskaya, it was built in the 17th century. Inside the church, today the Museum of the History of Statehood operates, and the president of Tatarstan and his family live in the governor's palace.
Tower Syuyumbike
This is the symbol of Kazan. The tower was named after the Tatar queen. As the legend says, Ivan the Terrible, having learned about the beauty of Syuyumbika, sent messengers to Kazan with an offer to the beautiful girl to become the Moscow queen. But the envoys brought a refusal from the proud beauty. The enraged 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 would eclipse all existing minarets in height.
Ivan the Terrible fulfilled the desire of his beloved. During the festive feast, Syuyumbike said that she wanted to take a farewell hometown view from the height of the newly built tower. Climbing to the top platform, she rushed down.
Outwardly, this building is very reminiscent of the Moscow Kremlin. Unfortunately, there is no exact data on the time of creation of this attraction.
The tower consists of five tiers, which are decreasing 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 structure is 58 meters. In the last century, three reconstructions took place here, as it was recorded. Today, the deviation from the vertical of the spire is 1.98 meters.
Taynitskaya tower
Below Syuyumbike are the Tainitsky entrance gates. This name was given to them in honor of the dungeon that 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. It was blown up during the capture of the Kremlin. It was through these gates that Ivan IV entered the city.
The tower was restored, but the architectural decoration was made in the 17th century. Now on the upper tier there is a cafe "Muraleevy Vorota".
Kazan Kremlin: tours, prices, opening hours
guests of the city and local residents the excursion department of the Kremlin invites you to take a walk around 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. The entrance to the Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan) is also carried out through the Tainitskaya Tower. Opening hours: in summer - from 8:00 to 22:00, and in 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 Kremlevskaya, 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", "St. Bauman" or by metro - stop "Kremlevskaya".
