Kazan Kremlin

Kazan Kremlin - the living heart of Kazan.

Kremlin - the living heart of Kazan. Hence began the city, was born here is his story. New mnogominaretnaya mosque in the old Ottoman-style Orthodox cathedral stand side by side in this fortress. It is necessary to pass along its medieval walls, climb the towers to look to museums, to understand who they are and what Kazan .

The history of the Kazan Kremlin.

A thousand years ago on a hill at the confluence of settled Finno-Ugric tribes. Once established in the territory of modern Tatarstan State Great Volga Bolgaria in 10-13 centuries Kazan was a small fortress on the border with Russia. After the Mongol invasion in 1236 under the walls of Kazan comes Bulgar population of the Volga Bulgars ravaged by the Mongols, the city becomes a commercial and political center.

Then, after the collapse of the Golden Horde, the Kremlin became the center of the Kazan Khanate, which existed about 100 years, from 1438 to 1552. In the mid-16th century conflict with Moscow principality exacerbated, and the Khanate of Kazan is a war, the Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible. In October 1552 the Russian army conquered Kazan and destroy its Kirman (fortress). For the construction of the new Kremlin invited architects from Pskov and Novgorod led Faster Yakovlev and Ivan Shiryaev. White stone fortress, which can be seen today was built after the mid-16th century Russian architects of the white stone of the Volga. Today the Kremlin is the residence of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan and benefit the most southern example of the architectural style of Pskov in Russia.

What to see in the Kazan Kremlin.

1. On the territory of the fortress is the famous "falling" tower queen Suyumbika;2. The Kremlin is the first Orthodox church in the Middle Volga - Cathedral of the Annunciation;3. Kul Sharif mosque.

(and much more).

It deviates from the axis of 2 meters. Tower was named in honor of the last queen of Kazan. The legend says: Ivan the Terrible to hear about the beauty queen wants to marry her. Having been refused, Ivan the Terrible fell to Atlanta. Wanting to save his besieged city, Syuyumbeki agreed to become his wife, but set a condition: if chosen for the week will build seven storied tower. And when the request was fulfilled, the queen threw herself back down. In fact, the fate of Syuyumbeki was a 29-year-old daughter of the Nogai nobleman was taken to Moscow and separated from her infant son.

Tower Syuyumbike.

It was built in the middle of the XVI century, Pskov masters. Its architect was the author of Postnik Yakovlev famous St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square. According to ancient sources, the cathedral was built the day before the attack on the soldiers of Kazan Ivan the Terrible. Over the long history of the church has experienced many renovations. In May 1836 council visited Nicholas I. After the imperial orders of the church was enlarged and turned into winter. It was visited by Peter I, Catherine II, and almost all members of the imperial house, as well as Radishchev, Pushkin and Rachmaninov. Not just here in the church choir sang Feodor Chaliapin.

Cathedral of the Annunciation.

In 2005 opened a new Kul Sharif mosque, which became the main mosque in Tatarstan. Kul-Sharif - the so-called chief priest of the Kazan khanate, a Muslim theologian and educator. He died in 1552 during the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible, but then was burned down a mosque. Religious building in the Kazan Kremlin to recreate almost five hundred years after the destruction. The main dome is shaped like a "Kazan cap" - the crown of Kazan khans, which is taken away in Moscow after the fall of Kazan and now exhibited in the Armory. Erected Kul Sharif Turkish builders, chandeliers made for her in the Czech Republic, granite and marble brought from the Ural Mountains. More than two thousand square meters of the mosque carpet Persian carpet - the gift of the Iranian government. In addition to prayer halls mosque in the building you can visit the Kul-Sharif is located in the basement of a museum of Islamic culture.

Kul Sharif mosque.