Travel to the “Sports Capital” of Russia

The “sports capital” of Russia, it turns out, is not called Sochi, but Kazan. It is about this amazing city that we will talk about.

Kazan is a city of unimaginable combinations: it is there, walking along the street, you meet not just people of different nationalities, but carriers of sharply different cultures. This is a city where Islam borders on Orthodoxy, elegant and exquisite houses, 19th-century bohemians with modern architecture; walking the streets, you come across old houses, and now these are historical museums of famous political and cultural figures.

Having got a little idea about the diversity of the city on the Volga, get acquainted with it. Perhaps the most famous place with which many associate Kazan is the Kul Sharif mosque. The main mosque of the Republic of Tatarstan located on the territory of the Kremlin. But the building that we are facing now is not the first project. It was rebuilt several times and as a result settled on this option. This majestic “holy shrine” for Muslims amazes with its unique design. Every detail is harmoniously combined with others, there is nothing that could be done without symbolism. The mosque looks especially impressive in the evening, with lighting.

Not the last place is occupied by the Kazan University. He is known for the fact that he studied there, but, due to his character, did not finish it V.I. Ulyanov-Lenin. The university combines many institutes and colleges. With his name associated people such as Lobachevsky, Tolstoy, Butlerov.

Also in Kazan there are many beautiful squares – favorite places for tourists and locals with beautiful panoramas for photos. Like any city, it has many theaters. One of the most striking is the Ekiyat puppet theater. It is popular not only because of its truly fabulous exterior, but also because both adults and children dream of visiting it. The thing is that the interior design is created in such a way that all the details are huge in size. It is designed so that absolutely every person on the background with high dolls, columns and other things felt like a tiny child. Theatre allows you to plunge into the world of childhood and again believe in magic.

Well, it is impossible not to note the sports interest of Kazan. In 2013, the city hosted the summer Universiade, after which the city was greatly transformed, now, standing on the observation deck or passing in the center, you notice not only classic elegant buildings, but also sports facilities: stadiums, bases, arenas. This only adds to the impression of the city.

Kazan is the city where you will not get bored in a week or two, because getting acquainted with its culture, you do not leave yourself time for boredom. Going to the puppet theater, immersed in a fairy-tale world and forget about reality, time stops for you. Walking along the old streets and exploring the architecture of the ancient part of the city, you immerse yourself in that distant time, experiencing historical moments. This is especially facilitated by a walk in the Kazan Kremlin – a place without visiting which you can assume that you have not been to Kazan. And who among us has not dreamed of visiting space, flying around the Earth, seeing the asteroid belt and the moon with his own eyes? Perhaps there are no such people. And to plunge into the “atmosphere of space” helps the planetarium. It is literally saturated with the theme of the mysterious space. Without taking a break from a comfortable chair, you fly to distant parts of the solar system, looking at planets, stars and much more. Also, you can ride on various, small attractions that interest even the experienced traveler.

So, the trip to the sports capital has come to an end. I was lucky enough to visit Kazan for 3 days, and I want to say that this is not enough to see the city from the inside, to feel its energy. In my opinion, to visit all the above sites, you need to go for at least a week, especially, this is only a small part of the amazing places of this and the truth of the beautiful city. For those who really want to discover this corner of Russia, Kazan has saved many mysteries and beautiful places.

Author of text and photo: Ekaterina Sokolova