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Kazan


In 1558, English explorer Anthony Jenkinson saw Kazan, then the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, and stated: "This is a wonderful city standing on a high hill, built in both Russian and Tartar architectural style and having a strong fortress…" Kazan, which celebrated its 1000th anniversary in 2005, has long reflected this statement and interwoven Eastern and Western culture. This exotic mix, with ancient Muslim mosques standing shoulder to shoulder with weathered Orthodox cathedrals, makes Kazan a fascinating place to visit.

The mixing began in 1552 when Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible besieged and conquered the old Tatar capital and forced its Muslim khan to convert to Christianity. The Tsar partly rebuilt the Tatar's old fortress as a Russian Kremlin in white limestone. Today the historic Kremlin is the perfect example of Kazan's special blend of East and West and is the best place to start any visit to the city.

The Kazan Kremlin preserves its Tatar origins in its layout, but inside the walls is a wonderful hodge-podge of Russian, Italian baroque, and Tatar design. In 2000 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This large complex, with pleasant parks beside government offices and venerable religious buildings, includes both mosques and churches. The most beautiful of the churches is the newly renovated Annunciation Church. It was designed by the same architect who oversaw St. Basil's Cathedral and was built in an Oriental style to commemorate Ivan’s success. The Annunciation Church's interior walls are covered with paintings from the nineteenth century. Nearby is the very large but far from anicent Kul Sharif Mosque, built less than 50 years ago on the site of old mosque demolished by Ivan the Terrible.

Another historical site in Kazan’s Kremlin is the Suyumbike Tower, standing six feet higher than the Leaning Tower of Piza. It was named after the ill-fated Tatar princess Suyumbike who refused to marry Ivan the Terrible. Legend has it that to protect her people, Suyumbike promised to marry the cruel Tsar on the condition that he build a tower higher than any other mosque in the city in just a week. Unluckily for her, the tower was built and the princess, thinking nothing could be worse than marrying Ivan, jumped off the tower to her death.

Apart from the Kremlin and the numerous churches and mosques, Kazan has several museums. The Tatarstan Sate Museum of Arts contains classical Russian paintings, including the Renaissance painting 'Madonna with Child,' created by the famous Florentine master Domenico Puligo (1492-1527). Its impressive collection of graphic arts contains sketches by West-European, Russian, and Tatar artists. The Archaeological Museum of Kazan State University contains archaeological artifacts dating back to the Paleolithic Ages. The Shalyapin Chamber Hall has a small museum in it as well, dedicated to the legendary Russian singer Fyodor Shalyapin, whose life was closely connected with this city.

View our Russian cruise routes that visit Kazan.