The Kazan Kremlin

The Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve is a unique architectural and historical monument, rightfully ranked among the most remarkable objects of world heritage, which in 2000 was included in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List, and since then all historical and architectural monuments located on its territory are under the protection of this influential international organization. The interior of the fortress has preserved the regular planning and construction of the 18-19 centuries.

 

We will meet you on the Kremlin-1 at the white-stone Spasskaya Tower with a clock and a five-pointed star and in 2 hours we will reveal all the secrets of this ancient fortress.

The Kremlin is Kazan’s main attraction from which you should start exploring the city. We will show and tell you the history of Kazan since its foundation by the Bulgarians on the high Kremlin hill “Bogyl Tau”.

You will visit:

 

• The Kul Sharif Mosque is built in memory of one of the most legendary monuments of Kazan Khan - the cathedral mosque, which amazed everyone who saw it with its greatness. This is the most beautiful mosque of our republic, built in 2005 for 10 years from white Chelyabinsk marble according to the project of the author's group of architects such as: A.V. Golovin, A.I. Iskhakov, I.F. Saifullin, A.H. Sattarov, M.V. Safronov, S.P. Shakurov. You will climb to the mosque’s 5th floor and see the 24-hour Qur’an project live.

 

• The Annunciation Cathedral is the largest building of the Kazan Kremlin and the oldest surviving stone buildings of Kazan, located in the center of the complex. Built in 1561-1562 by Pskov masters headed by Postnik Yakovlev and Ivan Shiryai by the authors of the Cathedral of Basil the Blessed. The consecration of the cathedral took place in 1562. The cathedral underwent numerous repairs and three reconstructions after fires, restored in 1996-2005.

 

• Forge of the Cannon Yard - where you can mint coins and buy handmade souvenirs. You will demonstrate your work potter, tanner, jeweler, tea master and of course blacksmith. You can even order master classes on the folk craft of Tatars.

 

• Observation deck - it is located behind the Orthodox church and it offers a magnificent view of the embankment of the Kazanka River and the Palace of Farmers. In the summer, a wedding ceremony is held on it and this is the best place for a Kremlin photo shoot.

 

 

You'll see:

 

• The falling tower of Queen Suyumbike is one of the falling towers of the world. One of the legends says that Ivan the Terrible, having heard about the beauty and charm of the Kazan ruler, sent ambassadors to Kazan with a proposal to become a Moscow queen. But the proud Syuyumbike rejected his hand, and the angry king came with a huge army under the walls of the city and besieged him. Then the beauty agreed to marry, but as a wedding gift asked to build in seven days in Kazan the highest tower. Hasty construction began - on the first day the first, the largest in size, tier was built, on the second day - the second, etc. Finally, by the end of the seventh day, the tower was built and the wedding feast began. Syuyumbike asked permission to climb to the very top of the tower built for her to look at the city for one last time and say goodbye to its inhabitants. According to legend, climbing the tower, Syuyumbike turned into a beautiful bird and flew away.

 

• Mausoleum of Chingizids – in 1977, during excavations on the territory of the Kremlin, archaeologists found at the foot of the Syuyumbike tower the remains of the Khan’s mausoleum, in which several Muslim burials were found. The most preserved remains were sent to Moscow for anthropological examination. Scientists have identified two bones as the remains of khans Mahmud (died in the 60s of the XV century) and Muhammad-Emin (died in 1518) - the last khan from the dynasty of the founder of the Kazan Khanate Ulu-Muhamed.

 

 

• In the 19th century, the governor’s palace was designed by the capital architect Konstantin Ton, the author of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow. The palace is a witness to important historical events. Until 1917, it served as the residence of the Kazan governor. On the night of October 25-26, 1917, a meeting of members of the revolutionary headquarters opened in the building, at which Soviet power was proclaimed in Kazan. In the Soviet era, the building housed the Presidium of the Supreme Council and the Council of Ministers of the TASSR. Currently, the palace houses the grand residence of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan. Receptions of high-ranking guests are held here, distinguished residents of our republic are awarded.

 

• Junker School - built in the 1840s. Initially, it was built as a barracks for the school of military cantonists - the only military educational institution in the city in the first half of the XIX century. In 1861, the building was granted to the military school, transformed five years later into the Kazan Juncker Infantry School. Juncker School trained officers for divisions of Kazan and Moscow military districts. During the existence of this educational institution, more than 25,000 officers left its walls. After the revolution, the school was disbanded. In 1918, the 1st Soviet Kazan Infantry Command Courses were opened here. In the 1920s, the Tatar-Bashkir military school was located here, later the Kazan Infantry School, where one of the leading Soviet military commanders, the future Marshal V.I. Chuikov, taught.

 

• The cannon courtyard is a monument of military architecture. The complex was a closed frame of four buildings. They once housed copper smelting furnaces, foundries, forges, woodworking workshops, warehouses and the Order, which performed administrative and technical functions.

 

 

• The arena has the status of an exhibition hall, in which a variety of exhibitions are regularly exhibited. Before the revolution, the arena was used to train combat training of the cadets of the Kazan Infantry Junker School.

 

• And much more, we will not give away all the secrets.