The Kazan Kremlin consists of. UNESCO heritage: the historical and architectural complex of the Kazan Kremlin

(EGROKN)
object No. 1610053000(DB Wikigida)

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. Located on the promontory of a high terrace on the left bank of the Volga and the left bank of the Kazanka.

Khan Citadel ( Ark) was surrounded by oak (possibly stone in places) walls, up to 9 meters thick with 4 passage towers: Nur-Ali, Elabuga, Bolshoi and Tyumen gates. Silty Bulak (from Tat. "sleeve", a channel connecting the Kazanka River and Lake Kaban) defended the fortress from the west; and from the least protected southeastern side, the fortress was surrounded by deep ditches.

Andrey Kurbsky left the following description of Kazan: “And the mountain is so high from the Kazan River, you can see it with your eye; on it there is a hail and the royal chambers and mosques are extremely high, muted, where their dead were laid by the tsar, in memory of them, five of them ... "("Moored" - stone).

According to the legend, the cathedral mosque had 8 minarets; at the mosques there were madrasahs and mausoleums (dyurbe). There is every reason to believe that the appearance of the mosques was similar to the stone buildings of the same time in Kasimov and Bulgar, where the smooth surfaces of the walls contrast with graceful carved and ceramic inserts of decorative elements.

The tower consists of 7 tiers: the first three tiers are square in plan and have open galleries, the rest four are octagonal. The tower ends with a 6-sided brick tent (height 58 meters or 34 fathoms 6 feet), which until 1917 was crowned with a two-headed eagle resting on a gilded "apple" (according to the Kazan Tatars, the ball contained important documents related to history and culture Tatars). The edges of all the tiers are decorated with shoulder blades or thin brick ridges. There is a through passage in the lower tier of the tower. On the western and eastern facades, the pylons of the lower tier each have 2 additional columns of the Corinthian order, crossed in the middle of the height by "typically Russian horizontal rollers". The walls are brick, mortar is lime, the foundation rests on oak piles. From 1917 to the 1930s - the Russian coat of arms was replaced with a crescent, in the 1930s the crescent was removed, in the 1990s the crescent was again hoisted on the tower. The tower is included in the list of the Forty Falling Towers of the World. Its deviation from the vertical is 2 meters. The deviation was due to the subsidence of the foundation in one part. To date, the fall of the tower has been stopped.

Palace (Vvedenskaya) Church

In the authoritative work “Kazan in the monuments of history and culture. Ed. S. S. Aydarova, A. Kh. Khalikov, M. Kh. Khasanova, I. N. Aleeva "the authors are inclined to the version that the Palace Church" was erected on the site where the Nur-Ali mosque stood during the period of the Kazan Khanate, "however This version is based on late sources (explications to the city plan of 1768, where the temple is listed as "the church facing from the mosque") and is one of the hypotheses of the history of the Vvedenskaya church (consecrated in the 19th century in honor of the Descent of the Holy Spirit).

The Vvedenskaya church was badly damaged by a fire in 1815 and stood in ruins for a long time. By order of Nicholas I, who visited Kazan in 1836, the church was restored according to the "highest" project approved in 1852 as a palace at the Governor's Palace. In 1859, the church was consecrated in honor of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. The new church accurately reproduced the constructive scheme and stylistic features of the former Vvedenskaya church, the architectural analogues of which in Kazan can be considered the destroyed Vvedensky Cathedral of the Kizichesky Monastery, and the Resurrection Cathedral - the New Jerusalem Monastery ("Bishop's Dacha"), which also had covered arched galleries and a stepped volume scheme. The palace temple itself of the Descent of the Holy Spirit with the side-altar of St. Martyr Tsarina Alexandra occupied only the second floor, on the first floor there was a chapel in the name of Nicholas the Wonderworker, the temple icon to which was donated in the middle of the 19th century by Anna Davydovna Boratynskaya.

The alternation of 4 and 8-sided volumes, the stepped structure of the church itself, is consonant with the stepped architecture of the Syuyumbike tower, surpassing the watch tower in the richness of the decoration.

Now it houses the Museum of the History of Statehood of the Tatar People and the Republic of Tatarstan.

Presidential palace

The palace of the Kazan governor is located in the northern part of the Kremlin, on the place where the palace of the Kazan khans was located in ancient times, and in the 18th century - the chief commandant's house. The building was built in the 40s. XIX century in the so-called. pseudo-Byzantine style. The project of the "house of the military governor with premises for the imperial apartments" was made by the famous Moscow architect K. A. Ton, the author of the project of the Grand Kremlin Palace and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. The palace consists of a main building and a circumference of services adjacent to the courtyard. The construction of the palace was supervised by the architect A.I. Peske, sent from St. Petersburg, who rebuilt Kazan after the city fire of 1842. The interior decoration was carried out under the supervision of the architect M. P. Korinthsky, one of the architects of the Kazan Imperial University complex. The center of the main facade is a risalit, completed by a front with three keeled arches, possibly similar to the architecture of the khan's palace. The building has two porches on 2-order columns with arched doorways. The first and second floors are divided by a series of ordered pilasters and arched window openings. The facade in the plan is a semicircle and has a passage to the courtyard of the palace. The eclectic décor of the building combines elements of Russian classicism (articulation by the Corinthian order, rustication of the 1st floor, general symmetry), baroque (loosening the entablature over the beams of the columns of the main risalit, the character of the portico gables) and Old Russian architecture (hanging weights of the paired arches of the windows of the 2nd floor, central keeled projection, the character of the figured supports of the arched suspension passage to the Palace Church).

During the Soviet period, the building housed the Presidium of the Supreme Council and the Council of Ministers of the Tatar ASSR. Currently it is the residence of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan.

Kul Sharif Mosque

Preserved fraternal corps in the northern part of the monastery; a brick fence on the eastern side of the monastery, the church of Nikola Ratny reconstructed in the forms of the 19th century (which served as a teahouse in a military unit located here in Soviet times); basement of the Transfiguration Cathedral blown up in the 1930s; the foundation of the monastery bell tower destroyed after 1917 with the church of St. Barbarians in the lower tier, the foundation of the church of St. Cyprian and Justinia.

The building of public offices (provincial chancellery)

The 2-storey building of the governor's board - public places - is located on the right side of the main Kremlin street and the Spasskaya tower. The project was drawn up by V.I.Kaftyrev, who was sent by the Senate to Kazan in 1767 to detail the general plan of the city, developed by the commission of St. Petersburg and Moscow after the great fire in Kazan in 1765. The main one was the second floor, where high-ranking officials and important visitors climbed the main staircase, and where the "audience" hall in front of the "court chamber" was located - the central hall with 4 windows. Adjacent to it were "secret" and "secretaries", in the other rooms were "clerks". The building has a basement with vaulted rooms. For access to an extended courtyard between the public building and the eastern strait Kremlin wall, the building has two passages dividing the building into 3 sections. On the north side, the building is adjoined by the building of the former Consistory.

Cannon yard complex

The cannon yard ensemble consists of four buildings. One of the largest Russian factories for the manufacture and repair of artillery pieces was located here. The Kazan Cannon Factory made its contribution to the victory of Russian weapons in the war of 1812. After the fire in 1815, the factory ceased to exist. Recently, the Museum of Weapons - Spirit of the Warrior was opened here.

Consistory building

The building of the spiritual department in the 19th century. In Soviet times, the building housed the Ministry of Health of the TASSR.

Bishop's house

Arena

The combat arena for the exercises of the Kazan Military School was built in the 1880s according to the project of 1881, executed in St. Petersburg. The engineering solution of the roof of the building made it possible to cover a significant area (18 x 56 meters) with single-span truss structures. After held in 2003-2006. restoration in the building is supposed to arrange a depository and a reading room of the Museum of ancient books and manuscripts.

Guardhouse building

It is located in the southeastern corner, to the right of the main entrance to the Spasskaya Tower. The building was built in the 19th century on the site where from the 18th century there was a stone tseikhhaus - a warehouse of military property at the provincial chancellery, which stood nearby. The architecture of the building is extremely ascetic.

Lost buildings and structures of the Kazan Kremlin

• The bell tower of the 17th century of the Annunciation Cathedral (destroyed in 1928, had 5 tiers and served as a storage place for the largest bell of pre-revolutionary Kazan),
• Transfiguration Cathedral (blown up in the 1930s);
• Bell tower with the church of St. Barbarians in the lower tier (destroyed after 1917),
• Church of st. Cyprian and Justinia.

Archaeological research of the Kazan Kremlin

The basis for archaeological research was laid in the 19th century by Kazan local historians professor of KSU (now KFU) N.P. Zagoskin and P.A. Significant archaeological excavations were carried out in the 1920s. N.F. Kalinin and N.A. Bashkirov. Systematic research conducted since 1971 under the leadership of L. S. Shavokhin and A. Kh. Khalikov made it possible to determine the stratigraphy of cultural deposits. In the 1990s, a number of archaeological studies were carried out, in particular, they did not confirm the version that the Cathedral of the Annunciation was supposedly built on the site of the main mosque of the khanate: no archaeological foundations of the Kazan Khanate period were found under the cathedral.

In our country there are so many interesting and memorable places that in order to see all of them, there is not enough life. 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, 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. The 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 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's 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 one-of-a-kind vivid example of the synthesis of Russian and Tatar architectural style... It is also the northernmost distribution point for Islamic culture in the world.

Today, many tourists from different countries 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 of its structures, 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. 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 watches, which were installed in the 18th century, attracted the interest of many foreign masters who produced such movements. 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 houses 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. The school building is located behind the arena. 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 soared into the sky fifty-seven meters. The spaciousness 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 south of the mosque, is a fire station, which is stylistically associated with 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 chapters, 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 K. A. Ton, who is known for his amazing works. This is the Cathedral of Christ and the Bolshoi in Moscow. This place used to be the location of 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 say goodbye to native city view 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 has 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 ".

Today, architectural monuments of different eras and cultures coexist here. In 2000, the Kazan Kremlin was included in the List world heritage UNESCO.

The history of Kazan begins with the most ancient fortifications of the Bulgar tribes, built on the high bank of the Kazanka River at the turn of the 10th – 11th centuries. The Kremlin hill, surrounded on three sides by water, was well suited for the construction of a fortress.

Kremlin during the Mongol-Tatar yoke

The stone Kremlin was erected in the XII century for defense northern borders Volga Bulgaria. Already by the middle of the XIII century, the Mongol hordes led by Khan Batym advanced significantly into Eastern Europe. The domination of the Golden Horde was established over Russia and Crimea. Bulgaria also fell. It became a province of the Mongol Empire. After the destruction of the former capital, the Bulgar city, the new one was moved to Kazan. The local Kremlin became the seat of the rulers. And the city was named New Bulgar. But among the local residents, this name did not take root. The previous name returned, and the Golden Horde principality began to be called the Kazan ulus.

After the collapse of the Golden Horde in 1438, Chingizid Ulug-Muhammad founded the independent Kazan Khanate. Work began to fortify the capital, the stone walls of the Kremlin were strengthened to such an extent that, according to Russian chroniclers, they became "military impregnable." A khan's palace and several mosques were erected on the territory, including the stone Nur-Ali and the wooden Khan. Subsequently, the Khan mosque received the name of the seid Kul-Sharif, who in 1552 led the defense of the Kazan Kremlin against the invasion of the troops of Ivan the Terrible.

Kazan as part of Russia

Not a single khan building has survived to this day. When the Kazan Kremlin became a Russian fortress in the middle of the 16th century, Orthodox churches were built on the places of “the focus of infidelity,” in other words, on the ruins of Muslim structures. Even the famous Syuyumbike tower, which until the 19th century was mistakenly attributed to the Khan's time, was erected much later, already in the Russian period - "the proof of this is the architecture, especially the pilastrium, unknown to the Tatars, and the place for the image."

After the conquest of Kazan, Ivan the Terrible sent Pskov architects to the city. They started building up the Kremlin. At first, the main part of the structures - towers and temples - was erected from wood. It is believed that the first built of stone was the small church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, erected around 1558. The main cathedral of the Annunciation Cathedral appeared four years later, the Church of Cyprian and Justina - in 1596 on the site of a wooden church.

In the first half of the 19th century, during the reign of Nicholas I, a decision was made to create an imperial residence in the Kazan Kremlin, where the governor plays the role of the tsar's governor. In this regard, a special role is assigned to the construction of a governor's palace with premises for imperial apartments on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin. The palace was designed with the participation of the architect Konstantin Ton, who conceived to create a smaller copy of the Grand Kremlin Palace in Kazan. Nicholas I personally supervised the progress of construction. The resulting building is a vivid example of the so-called Russian-Byzantine style.

Kazan Kremlin today

Over a thousand-year history, the appearance of the Kazan Kremlin has changed several times, but deep underground the masonry of ancient fortresses, mosques and burials has been preserved. Now on its territory there are several museums dedicated not only to the fortress itself, but also to the history of the Tatar people, Islamic culture and nature of Tatarstan. There is also a memorial museum of the Great Patriotic War, in memory of 350 thousand Tatarstan people who did not return from the front.

"In order to preserve historical continuity" in 1995 it was decided to recreate the main shrine of the Kazan Khanate - the Kul-Sharif mosque.

And in 2003, in the park near the Annunciation Cathedral, a symbolic sculpture "Architects of the Kazan Kremlin" was unveiled - Russian and Tatar architects look at the fruits of their labors. After all, unique architectural ensemble was created by the efforts of both peoples. However, the unique Kremlin complex is not only a place of pilgrimage for tourists, but also a center of administrative management. On the territory of the Kremlin, in the former building of the Governor's Palace, today is the official residence of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan.

This is the heart of Kazan, the central and most ancient part of it. In addition to the fact that this place is unusually interesting for its history, it is good and easy to walk there, relax, be alone with your thoughts.

Kazan is a city with more than a thousand years of history, and it got its beginning precisely from the Kremlin buildings. The emergence of the Kremlin, and with it Kazan itself, is considered to be the emergence of the first Bulgar defensive structures on a high hilly area in the period between the tenth and eleventh centuries. The conditions for the location of the hill on which the Kremlin stood were favorable in terms 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 Russia was conquered by the Mongols, Kazan was a military settlement with developed trade, it was 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 major transit routes, as a result of which the city expanded significantly. In the fifteenth century, after the collapse of the Horde, Kazan and the surrounding territories formed the Kazan Khanate, independent of any state, with the Kremlin as its center. It was at this time that various types of production flourished in Kazan. Modern archaeologists have discovered in the Kremlin territory forges for smelting metal, the simplest equipment for leatherworking. Construction and architecture, science and arts and crafts were actively developing. In 1552, the army of Tsar Ivan the Terrible took Kazan, and the Kremlin became the administrative pivot 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, defensive structures and towers were rebuilt, buildings of Russian architecture began to appear along with the preserved objects of the Bulgar and Tatar-Mongol culture. From about the middle of the nineteenth century, the Kremlin took on its appearance, which has survived to the present day. Under the USSR, the Kremlin was the administrative nucleus of the Tatar People's Republic, and since the collapse of the Soviet Union it has been the State Center of the Republic of Tatarstan, an art-architectural and historical museum-reserve included in the list of the world cultural and natural heritage UNESCO.

Well, let's start our walk around the Kremlin. And first of all, the white-stone Kremlin walls meet us. Their length along the perimeter is almost two kilometers. The entrance to the territory from the side of Millennium Square, which adjoins, among others, the famous "flying saucer" - the State Circus of Kazan and the metro station "Kremlin", is through the gate of the Preobrazhenskaya Tower. During the times of the Kazan Khanate, the Temenskaya Tower was in its place, but to this day it has not survived and was rebuilt. Tourists enter the ancient and beautiful corner of Kazan - the Kremlin through the large wooden gates of the tower. There is a small niche above the gate for the icon over the gate, but now it is empty. The tower itself is white stone, and its top is wooden. A café is open for tourists on the second floor during the warm season. Entering through the gate, we, as it were, climb a hill along the cobblestones, go up the Kremlin hill.

Next, we come across the angular round South-West Tower, which in the turbulent old days was one of the most important defensive sites in the Kremlin. And, finally, we see the main tower - Spasskaya, snow-white, stately, welcoming its guests.

Nowadays, 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 during its history it was rebuilt and restored several times. 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 of the Spasskaya. Since its construction, the tower burned several times, after which it was restored. In it for a long time housed an alarm bell, the strikes of which notified people about the fire. And in the eighteenth century, a clock was installed on the tower, which originally had fixed hands, but a rotating dial, and nowadays have been replaced by modern ones, which glow in crimson in the evening during the battle. Also in the twentieth century, the tower was crowned with a large five-pointed star, which completed the modern appearance of a kind of "hostess" of the Kremlin.

From the main gate of the Kremlin there is a wide cobblestone pavement, on both sides of which beautiful lanterns are placed on the sidewalks. To the right of the entrance arch begins a long two-story (and in some places three-story) yellow building - the Public Seats Complex. The provincial office was located here, in which there were premises for lawyers, secretaries, minor employees, as well as living rooms for the family of the governor-general, who was appointed to Kazan from the capital, banquet halls for festive receptions. The Chancellery was merged with the Consistory, one of the governing bodies of the Orthodox Church. The local bishop and his inner circle from among the high priests were in charge of church affairs. During the Soviet Union, the Consistory housed the Ministry of Health of the Autonomous Republic of Tatarstan.

The Complex of Public Places 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, in which the premises of military commanders were located until the twentieth century. During the 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 South-East tower, which was part of a complex of fortifications. By the way, there are several small round towers similar in structure on the territory of the Kremlin, besides the South-East there is also the South-West, Nameless Round tower, Consistorskaya, and only fragments of the North-East tower are now left.

On the left side of the Spasskaya Tower is the complex of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery. From the Transfiguration Cathedral, which was destroyed by the Bolsheviks at the beginning in the first half of the twentieth century, today only some parts have survived. The building is currently being restored. It is planned to place an archaeological museum here in the future. The Church of Nikola Ratny, which survived in Soviet times thanks to the fact that it became a teahouse in the military unit, located at that time on the territory of the Kremlin, gets used to the Cathedral. The Fraternal Corps, which served as housing for monks, adjoins the fence, which delimits the territory of the monastery complex and the footpath. On the territory of the monastery in different eras, the burials of church clergy and noble people were organized, that is, in other words, there was a cemetery here.

The next building after the Brotherhood building is the Manege, which today is part of the Khezine museum complex along with the Junker 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, the Great Patriotic War, as well as the Museum of Nature of Tatarstan is being formed. So this building is very rich in museums.

The minarets of the Kul-Sharif mosque, the modern pearl of the Kazan Kremlin, are already peeping out from behind the school building, 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 whiteness of the Kremlin walls have already become a kind business card Kazan. The mosque brings a certain balance of Orthodox and Muslim culture within the walls of the Kremlin, and together with the Orthodox churches it embodies 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 in the sixteenth century on the territory of the Kremlin. The stone is still located near the already rebuilt mosque. The Kul Sharif Mosque is richly decorated both outside - trimmed with granite and marble, and inside - Persian carpets, trimmed with carved stone and wood, gilding, beautiful stained-glass windows on the windows lie on the floors.

The entrances to the mosque for men and women are separate, as are the prayer halls themselves. Women are given headscarves 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. The 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, called the "skullcap". The fire department is located in it. 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 on the way from the Junker School and the mosque is Cannon Dvor. During its history from the end of the seventeenth century, the complex was rebuilt many times, and now it consists of the Main (East), North, South and West buildings. V different time there were weapons factories, foundries for the production of guns, hostels for officers, military warehouses and food cellars. On the territory of the complex there are also ruins of ancient walls and buildings, which, in contrast to the austere view of the restored buildings and the splendor of the Kul-Sharif mosque, seem to send us mentally into the past.

The main building currently houses the dining room, the Armorial Hall, the Cannon Yard Museum. From afar one can see a long spire on the guard tower, with the inscription "Cannon Yard" and a golden dragon - zilant, which is one of the cult symbols of Kazan.

The northern building with a green roof and fluttering flags of Tatarstan and Russia is set aside for the premises of the Office 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 sun in good 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 cache in it - underground passage to the spring, which allowed the besieged to get water, then the new tower acquired its name thanks to this secret passage.

In the highest northern corner of the Kremlin there is a complex of the Governor's Palace, which includes the Palace itself, the Palace Church, the Syuyumbike tower and the ruins of ancient mausoleums and towers located nearby. The Governor's Palace - the residence of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, is an operating administrative institution and is a beautiful two-storey building of a pleasant gentle green color, very beloved by the Tatars in architecture. Near the palace territory is fenced with a fence with fragments of elegant forging, large openwork gates for the entrance and two arches with forged doors for the passage of people. The Presidential Standard flutters on the roof of the palace. Everything looks very elegant, but without unnecessary pomp, it seems as if summer blows here at any time of the year. 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 along the passage. The red-brick Syuyumbike tower next to the church, which is the architectural emblem of Kazan, I consider one of the most remarkable buildings in the Kremlin. This is the so-called "falling tower", it deviates slightly from its axis. During numerous restorations on this moment further movement of the tower was stopped.

The tower got its name after the first woman 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 wrought-iron gate depicting the sun, moon and zodiac signs.

From the Governor's Palace, we pass to beautiful temple- Annunciation Cathedral. This is the oldest building that 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 has experienced fires, reconstructions, and the completion of individual parts in its lifetime. During the formation of Soviet power, a remarkable bell tower was destroyed. The cathedral was plundered, rich interior decoration, icons, dishes, old books were taken out. Only a little of this has been preserved. In the nineties of the last century, a thorough restoration began inside the church, it was painted by the best icon painters of the country, bit by bit recovering from the barbarism of the Bolsheviks. By the celebration of the millennium of Kazan, a huge 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 Cathedral of the Annunciation is like the elder 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 in itself a centuries-old history.

The territory near the Cathedral is in harmony with the temple itself, there is 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 whom is a Tatar architect, and the other is a Russian one. This is a collective image of many famous and nameless creators of the Kremlin's appearance. The architects were united by friendship and love for their native land, they worked side by side, built and rebuilt.

Behind the Cathedral there is a beautiful panoramic view from above to the Volga, the vicinity of the Kremlin, as well as a view of modern Kazan on the opposite bank of the river.

Near the small building of the Bishops' House, located near the Cathedral, and playing the role of the residence of the head of the Orthodox Church of Kazan, there are historical fragments of the most ancient Kremlin buildings. Everything here disposes to spend time in peace, to think and enjoy the beauty of the creations of human hands, 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 come back again and again, to an alluring corner called the Kazan Kremlin.

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An architectural monument from which the history of Kazan began, the main attraction and the heart of the capital of Tatarstan, telling its history to tourists. All this is the Kazan Kremlin - huge complex combining the history and traditions of two different peoples.

History of the Kazan Kremlin

The historical and architectural complex was built over several centuries. The first buildings date back to the 12th century, when it turned into an outpost of the Volga Bulgaria. In the 13th century, the Golden Horde sat here, which made this place the seat of the entire Kazan principality.

Ivan the Terrible, together with his army, took Kazan, as a result of which most of the structures were damaged, and the mosques were completely destroyed. Grozny summoned Pskov architects to the city, who proved their skill in Moscow by designing. They were given the task of developing and building a white-stone Kremlin.

In the 17th century, the material of the fortifications was completely replaced - the wood was replaced by stone. Within a hundred years, the Kremlin ceased to play the role of a military facility and turned into a major administrative center of the region. In the next two centuries, new structures were actively built on the territory: the Annunciation Cathedral was reconstructed, a cadet school, a consistory and the Governor's Palace were erected.

The revolution of the seventeenth year led to new destruction, this time the Spassky Monastery was subjected to them. In the nineties of the twentieth century, the President of Tatarstan made the Kremlin the residence for the presidents. 1995 marked the beginning of the construction of one of the largest mosques in Europe - Kul Sharif.

Description of the main structures

The Kazan Kremlin stretches for 150 thousand square meters, and its total length of walls is more than two kilometers. The walls are three meters wide and 6 meters high. A distinctive feature of the complex is the unique combination of Orthodox and Muslim symbols.

It was built in the 16th century and was originally much smaller than the current temple, because it was often expanded. In 1922, many antiques disappeared from the church forever: icons, manuscripts, books.

Built in the forties of the nineteenth century in a style that is called pseudo-Byzantine. It is located in the northern part of the complex. Here in the 13-14 centuries was the palace of the Kazan khans.

- the most famous and largest mosque of the Republic, erected in honor of the millennium of Kazan. The goal was to recreate the appearance of the ancient mosque of the khanate, which was located here many centuries ago. Kul-Sharif looks especially beautiful in the evening, when the illumination gives it a fabulous look.

The Kremlin is also famous for its famous authentic towers. Initially, there were 13 of them, only 8 have survived to our time. The most famous among tourists are Spasskaya and Taynitskaya, built in the 16th century and acting as gates. Front part Spasskaya Tower is directed to the main street of the complex. It burned and rebuilt several times, it was built on and reconstructed until it acquired its current form.

It has this name due to the presence of a secret passage that led to water source and was useful during sieges and hostilities. It was through her that the Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible entered the Kremlin after his victory.

Another famous tower, popularly often compared with its Italian "sister" -. The reason for this is the almost two-meter tilt from the main axis, which occurred due to the subsidence of the foundation. Rumor has it that the tower was designed by the same builders, which is why it is so similar to the Borovitskaya tower. It is built of bricks and consists of seven tiers and is 58 meters long. There is a tradition of making a wish by touching its walls.

Nearby, on the territory of the Kremlin, there is a burial place for two Kazan khans. It was opened quite by accident when they tried to carry out the sewage system here. After a while, it was covered with a glass dome on top.

- this is one of the largest places for the manufacture and repair of artillery pieces. Production began to decline in 1815 when a fire broke out, and 35 years later the complex ceased to exist altogether.

- another interesting Kremlin object, which in the 18th century served as an arsenal, in the 19th century as a cannon factory, and in our time serves for exhibitions. There is a branch of the St. Petersburg Hermitage and the Khazine gallery.

The value is monument to the architect, which is located in a park surrounded by flowers.

Kazan Kremlin museums

In addition to historical buildings, there are many museums on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin. Among the most exciting are:

• , illuminating the geological history of the planet and Tatarstan in particular. Here you can find out your weight on a space scale, participate in excavations, communicate with prehistoric animals and feed ancient fish.
  
• demonstrates the cultural characteristics of the Tatar people living on the territory of the Volga region and their contribution to Islam.
  
• talks about the formation of the traditions and culture of Tatarstan, the development and changes from antiquity to the present day. Exhibitions are held here, replacing each other every two or three months.
  
• "Hermitage"- a branch of the famous museum, exhibiting paintings, historical and cultural collections, regularly holds graphic exhibitions.
  

Excursions

Excursions to the Kazan Kremlin are an opportunity to get to know the history, culture and customs of all of Tatarstan. The complex contains many interesting facts, riddles and secrets, so do not miss the chance to solve them and take memorable photos.

Each museum located on the territory of the complex has its own ticket office. For 2018, there is an opportunity to purchase a single ticket for 700 rubles, which will open the doors to all museums-reserves. Ticket prices for pupils and students are lower.

Attraction opening hours vary for several reasons. You can enter the territory for free all year round through the Spassky Gate. A visit through the Taynitskaya Tower is possible from 8:00 to 18:00 from October to April, and from 8:00 to 22:00 from May to August. Please note that photography and video shooting is prohibited in the churches of the Kazan Kremlin.

How to get to the Kazan Kremlin?

The attraction is located on the left bank of the Kazanka River, a tributary of the Volga. You can get to the main highlight of Kazan in different ways. Buses (No. 6, 15, 29, 35, 37, 47) and trolleybuses (No. 1, 4, 10, 17 and 18) go here, you need to get off at the stops "Central Stadium", "Palace of Sports" or "TSUM". Near the Kazan Kremlin there is the Kremlevskaya metro station, to which there are routes from different parts of the city. The exact address historical complex in Kazan - st. Kremlin, 2.