The old Kazan Kremlin. Kazan Kremlin: a brief description and the main sights of the Kremlin

12.03.2021

Probably, no one will argue that the most popular place among tourists in Kazan is the Kazan Kremlin. It was impossible not to visit there, so on the very first day of our trip we got on a bus from morning and started dusting towards the Kremlin.

The view impressed me right after leaving the bus - beautiful!

View from the stop

We crossed the underground passage across the road, and immediately saw a bronze sculpture - an uncle is leading a harnessed horse, and children are sitting in the cart. The history of this monument is very interesting - it was erected in honor of a resident of Kazan A. Galimzyanov, who through hard work from a poor peasant turned into a rich farmer. But of the money he earned for a living, he left only the necessary minimum to his family, and gave the rest to orphanages. Even now, when Asgat Galimzyanov is almost 80, he helps children, while he himself lives in an old barrack. Amazing person! There probably are no more such people and will never be.

After taking pictures from all angles with a horse and a cart, we go up the steps to the Kremlin. Several lampposts, torn out by the roots, lie along the path. Yes, there are enough eccentrics with the letter "m" everywhere ...

Having risen to the walls of the Kremlin, for some reason we did not see the entrance, but we admired a beautiful view of Kazan and the Kazanka River from above.

There is a circus and a stadium opposite the Kremlin

A bunch of tourist buses can be seen below.

We go back down - and here it is, the entrance.
Although, as we understand later, this is rather a way out, since most tourists start their excursion from the other side of the Kremlin. By the way, who doesn't know Kazan Kremlin Is not one building, but a whole complex of architectural and historical structures.
The first to see the falling Syuyumbike tower, which is deviated from its axis by as much as 2 meters.

To the left of the tower is Museum of the History of Statehood of the Tatar People... There are 2 floors here. Admission for adults to each floor costs 50 rubles, for schoolchildren - 30 rubles, they did not take money for three years. We bought tickets for both floors, but to be honest, the 2nd floor was much more impressive. And I also really liked the kind and fashionable old lady-caretaker. It always seemed to me that just such should work in museums.

Here are some photos:

After the museum, we again admired a wonderful view of the Kazanka River and the Palace of Farmers.

Farmers' Palace

To the right of the Syuyumbike tower is residence of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, but, of course, no one is allowed there.

Residence of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan

On the right is the residence of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, and further - exhibition halls

Then we went to Blagoveshchensky cathedral however, it is forbidden to take pictures in it. In general, the interior is very beautiful there (unlike a similar one, which, unfortunately, is abandoned). Women must have their heads covered, so there are scarves and skirts at the entrance that can be worn if necessary.

Blagoveshchensky cathedral

Near the cathedral there is something like a small park with benches and monument "Architect of the Kazan Kremlin" who were directly involved in the construction of the Kremlin.

Then we head to the famous Kul Sharif mosque... Its wealth, both inside and outside, is simply amazing! The entrance, like the cathedral, is free, but allowed only in shoe covers (sold here). Women, again, need to have their heads covered. We got to the mosque just during the service and watched it from the balcony.

Kul Sharif Mosque

Service in progress

The Kremlin is not only in Moscow. On the promontory of the high terrace of the left bank of the Volga, in the heart of Kazan, there is a historical fortress - the Kazan Kremlin. This architectural and cultural monument combines Orthodox and Muslim, Russian and Tatar motives in its appearance. Since 2000 it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Photos by Slava Stepanov

A bit of history. 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.

In 1552, Kazan was taken by storm by Russian troops under the leadership of Ivan the Terrible and annexed to the Russian state.

According to the tsar's decree, the fortress was reconstructed and rebuilt in stone. One of the masters was, by the way, the creator of St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow.

In 1992, Tatarstan was formed, and the Kazan Kremlin became the residence of the President of the republic.

The territory of the Kremlin is an irregular polygon in plan, repeating the outlines of the Kremlin hill:

As already mentioned, the Kazan Kremlin is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All in all, this list includes 12 monuments located on the territory of Russia.

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.

Built in 1556-1562 The upper two tiers and the tent were added in the 18th century:

Inside the Spasskaya Tower:

In the upper tier in the 18th century, a “ringing” clock was installed, and even earlier a large alarm bell was removed from a small belfry. In 1963, an electric clock with dials appeared on the tower.

In front of the tower until the middle of the 19th century there was a moat with a stone bridge:

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:

In the XVI-XVIII centuries, this 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:

To the left is the Khazine museum complex, to the right is the building of the fire department (skullcap):

A guardhouse was erected on top of the tent:

This is the main cathedral mosque of the Republic of Tatarstan and Kazan:

The construction of the temple began in 1996 as a reconstruction of the legendary multi-ministerial mosque in the capital of the Kazan Khanate of the Middle Volga region of the 16th century. The mosque was destroyed in October 1552 during the storming of Kazan by the troops of Ivan the Terrible:

Granite and marble were brought from the Urals, the 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:

The building of the mosque in the plan is 2 squares crossed at an angle of 45 ° in the form of a sign known in the Muslim world, meaning "blessing of Allah":

In 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:

The total number of 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 cap" - according to one version - the crown of the Kazan khans, taken to Moscow after the fall of Kazan, and exhibited today in the Armory:

The mosque accommodates 1,500 people, the square in front of it can accommodate another 10,000:

Memorial stone dedicated to the laying of the Kul Sharif mosque:

It 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. Built in the second half of the 17th and early 18th centuries.

The Syuyumbike Tower belongs to the "leaning" towers (like, for example, the Leaning Tower of Pisa), as it has a noticeable slope to the north-east. At the moment, the deviation of its spire from the vertical is 1.98 m:

The tower consists of seven tiers:

The total height of the tower is 58 meters:

The building was built in the 40s. XIX century in the so-called. pseudo-Byzantine style. The project was carried out by the 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:

The gates of the Presidential Palace complex:

Currently, the building houses the Office of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan:

At the moment, a transport interchange is being built near the Kremlin:

And the last picture is a view from the Kremlin street.

Photos of the Kazan Kremlin (2012) gelio wrote in September 19, 2012

The Kazan Kremlin is a historical, architectural and cultural monument that combines Orthodox and Muslim, Russian and Tatar motives in its appearance. The Kazan Kremlin is located on the promontory 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 wood and stone fortress with the Khan's courtyard, high mosques and mausoleums.

In 1552, Kazan was taken by storm by Russian troops under the leadership of Ivan the Terrible and annexed to the Russian state.

According to the tsar's decree, the fortress was reconstructed, rebuilt in stone under the guidance of the famous Pskov masters Postnik Yakovlev (the creator of St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow) and Ivan Shiryay.

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" was created.

The territory of the Kremlin is an irregular polygon in plan, repeating the outlines of the Kremlin hill, elongated from the north-west, from the Kazanka River, to the south-east, to the May 1 Square and the Gostiny Dvor building.

Kazan Kremlin is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.
In total, this list contains 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 Passage Tower
Built in 1556-1562.

Initially, it was a white stone two-story tower with a cranked passage, covered with a high wooden roof and a hipped roof.
The upper two tiers and the tent were added in the 18th century.

In the middle of the 19th century, to the right of the tower in the fortress wall, a lancet-shaped arch was pierced. Over time, the cranked passage was laid. After the revolution, a through passage through the Spasskaya Tower was pierced.

In the upper tier, in the 18th century, a "ringing" clock was installed, and even earlier a large alarm bell was removed from a small belfry.
In 1963, an electric clock with dials on three faces of an octagon and with an automatic striking appeared on the tower.

In front of the tower until the middle of the 19th century there was a moat with a stone bridge.

Until 1917, the tower was crowned with the double-headed coat of arms of the Russian state.

Replacement of the wooden tent of the South-East Tower

Basement of the Transfiguration Cathedral.
There was a male 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 the buildings were broken.

Shaykman's Pass
In the XVI-XVIII centuries, the street was called Bolshaya. After 1918. called Sheikman's passage, in honor of one of the leaders of the Kazan party organization, who was shot in 1918. white Czechs.

On the left is the museum complex "Khazine"
The complex includes the Museum of Natural History of Tatarstan, the Hermitage-Kazan Center,
Museum-Memorial of the Great Patriotic War and the Picture Gallery.
On the right is the building of the fire department ("skullcap")

Preobrazhenskaya tower
A guardhouse was erected on top of the tent, its covering is completed by a warrant depicting 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 building of the mosque in the plan is 2 squares crossed at an angle of 45 ° in the form of a sign, known in the Muslim world, meaning "blessing of Allah"

In 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.

The total number of crescents is 8 - according to the number of minarets.

The height of each of the four main minarets is 58 meters.

The inner space of the mosque is designed for one and a half thousand people, the square in front of it can accommodate another ten thousand.

Memorial stone dedicated to the foundation of the Kul Sharif mosque.

The 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 the site for the future temple opposite the palace of the Tatar khans and Muslim mosques.

The wooden church was cut down in three days; the construction of the white-stone church was started 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. On the territory of the Artillery (Cannon) yard there was one of the largest cannon factories in Russia, new guns 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.
Built in the second half of the 17th and early 18th centuries.

The Syuyumbike Tower belongs to the "leaning" towers (like, for example, the Leaning Tower of Pisa), as it has a noticeable slope to the north-east side.
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 in the plan are square fours of different heights, the next two are octagonal, two more are a faceted brick tent and a watchtower, the last is a green spire topped with a gilded "apple" on which a crescent rests.

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 drawn up by the famous Moscow architect A.K. Ton, the author of the design 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.

Gates of the Presidential Palace complex

Bishop's house
Currently, the building houses the Office of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan.

At the moment, a transport interchange is being built near the Kremlin at the exit from the Lenin Dam in the direction of the city center.

View from the Kremlin street.

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. An attraction that 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 is now a museum-reserve, which has been under the protection of UNESCO since 2000. Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan) is the main attraction of the republic. Tatar and Russian cultural traditions are harmoniously combined on a huge territory.

After Kazan was taken by the troops of Ivan the Terrible, most of the Kremlin's structures were damaged, and almost all the mosques were destroyed. The tsar ordered to build a white-stone Kremlin here, and for this purpose architects were sent from Pskov to erect the Moscow Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed. The fortress was significantly expanded, and wooden defensive structures were replaced by stone ones in the first half of the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan) lost its military function and became the cultural and administrative center of the Volga region. In subsequent 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 vivid example of the synthesis of the Russian and Tatar architectural styles. It is also the northernmost distribution point for Islamic culture in the world.

Today many tourists from different countries of the world visit Tatarstan. The sight of the republic, which arouses 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 the 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. This vast territory houses the WWII Memorial Museum, the Museum of Islam, the Hermitage-Kazan Center, the Museum of the History of Tatarstan and other institutions.

Spassky Tower

This tower houses the Main Gate to the Kremlin. Architects Shiryai and Yakovlev built the tower in 1556. The height of this structure is 47 meters. The four-sided base has a straight arched opening. The octagonal tier has arched openings on each side and is a belfry where the alarm bell is located.

Above is a brick cone, which is crowned with a five-pointed star. Another octahedral cone houses a striking clock. They glorified the Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan). The interesting design of the first watch, which was installed in the 18th century, attracted the interest of many foreign masters who produce such mechanisms. This was explained by the fact that the watch was arranged in a very unusual way - the dial revolved around the fixed hands.

They were changed to 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 beginning of the chiming clock, the snow-white walls gradually turn into a rich crimson color.

Official places

The project of the provincial chancellery 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 set aside for a luxurious throne room with choirs for orchestra. A guardhouse was built in the middle of the 19th century on the place where the Tsar's yard was located in the 15th-17th centuries.

Today, the premises of the former chancellery house the Department of Foreign Relations of the President of Tatarstan, the Central Election Commission and the Arbitration Court.

Transfiguration Monastery

The Kazan Kremlin, a description of which can be seen in almost all advertising brochures of the city, is famous for another object. In the southeast of the Kremlin, there is a monastery complex. In its center 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 miracle workers.

The fraternal corps is bordered by the fence of the monastery. In 1670, monastic cells were built here. A gallery and a treasury house were erected much later. 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 building of the church was reconstructed according to the project of A. Schmidt in 1815. It is interesting that 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 a project previously built in St. Petersburg. This structure was intended for drill training. Today it houses the Institute of Literature and Art. Ibragimov. Behind the arena is the building of the school. It was created by the architect Pyatnitsky as 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

The most beautiful mosque in the city is located in the courtyard of the school. Four minarets shot up into the sky fifty-seven meters. The capacity of this grandiose structure is 1500 people. The minarets are painted in turquoise color, 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 imam's office.

A rounded small beautiful building with a turquoise dome, located to the south of the mosque, is a fire station, which is stylistically connected with the architectural complex. Kul Sharif was recreated in 2005. Funds for its construction were donated by the townspeople, as well as the 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. In the architecture of the cathedral, the trends of Pskov, Vladimir, Ukrainian and Moscow architecture can be traced. The helmet-shaped poppies, located on the side heads, were replaced by bulbous ones in 1736. The central dome is made in the Ukrainian Baroque style.

In the main basement of the church, a museum of the 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 was located earlier. The ensemble ends with a consistory. This building was rebuilt from the bishop's stables.

Artillery yard

Behind the mosque and the school is the Cannon Yard, more precisely, its southern building. This is the oldest building in the 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, restoration took place here. The creation of the exposition of the Cannon Yard Museum began.

Nowadays, permanent exhibitions, fashion collections, and chamber performances are held on the territory of the complex. Next to the southern building, you can see a fragment of a brick building on a stone foundation. In terms of depth, this object belongs to the khan era of the Kremlin. In those days, dwelling houses 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 KA Ton, who is known for his amazing works. This is the Cathedral of Christ and the Bolshoi in Moscow. This place was formerly the khan's palace ensemble.

The passage is connected with the palace church on the second floor of the palace. It was named Vvedenskaya and was built in the 17th century. The Museum of the History of Statehood operates inside the church today, 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. As the legend says, Ivan the Terrible, having learned about the beauty of Syuyumbike, sent messengers to Kazan with an offer to a beautiful girl to become a Moscow queen. But the messengers brought a refusal from 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, which eclipsed all existing minarets in height.

Ivan the Terrible fulfilled the wish of his beloved. During the festive feast, Syuyumbike said that she wanted to take a goodbye look at her hometown from the height of the newly built tower. Climbing to the upper platform, she rushed down.

Outwardly, this building is very reminiscent of the Moscow Kremlin. Unfortunately, no exact data have been preserved about the time of the 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 octahedral truncated pyramid and a spire with a crescent moon. From the spire to the ground, the building is 58 meters high. In the last century, three reconstructions took place here, since it was recorded. Today, the deviation from the vertical of the spire is 1.98 meters.

Taynitskaya tower

Below Syuyumbike are the Taynitsky entrance gates. This name was given to them in honor of the dungeon that leads to the source. During the siege of the city, local residents used it. Previously, the tower was called Nur-Ali. The Russian inhabitants 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 completed in the 17th century. Now on the upper tier there is a cafe "Muraleevy Vorota".

Kazan Kremlin: excursions, prices, opening hours

The Kremlin excursion department invites guests of the city and local residents 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. The entrance to the Kazan Kremlin (Tatarstan) is also made through the Taynitskaya Tower. Opening hours: in summer - from 8:00 to 22:00, and in winter - until 18:00.

The cost of the excursion for a group of six people is 1360 rubles. For a group of more than six people - 210 rubles per adult.

How to get there?

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", "Ul. Bauman "or by metro - stop" Kremlin ".