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Kazan > Attractions
Attractions of Kazan
Kazan Kremlin
The Kazan Kremlin In 2000, the Kazan Kremlin was included in UNESCO’s World
Heritage List. The town that celebrated its 1000th anniversary in 2005 was founded
in the form of settlements in the Kremlin area. This most intriguing place is
surrounded by legends and mysteries. The Kremlin was built in the heydays of
the Kazan Khanate and was almost completely destroyed during the seizure of
Kazan by Ivan the Terrible in 1552. The Suyumbike Tower, named after the last
queen of Kazan, is the symbol of Kazan. Suyumbike was revered by Tatars who
still keep alive many legends about her.
The Kazan Kremlin is the symbol of the co-existence of the Muslim and Orthodox
cultural traditions. The Annunciation Cathedral, the oldest Orthodox temple
in the Middle Volga Region, stands near the Suyumbike Tower. The Kul Sharif
Mosque was erected in the yard of the former military school in place of a mosque
destroyed during the seizure of Kazan.
In the heart of Kazan are the city’s oldest temples - St. Paul and
Peter Cathedral, built in memory of Peter I’s visit to Kazan, and the
Marjani Mosque (Yunusovskaya Mosque), the construction of which was permitted
by empress Ekaterina II. Restoration works are carried out in the Holy Virgin
Nunnery of Kazan that possesses the Kazan Holy Virgin Icon, returned by Vatican
by Kazan’s 1000th anniversary.
Old Tatar Settlement
This historical and cultural conservation area is situated in the heart of
Kazan on the banks of the Kaban Lake and the Bulak Canal.
Bauman Street
Bauman Street is the main pedestrian mall of the city and its business and
entertainment centre. This four- century-old street is decorated with fountains
and has numerous landmarks including the Bell Tower of the Epiphany Church (1756),
F. Shalyapin monument, a bronze replica of Ekaterina Il’s carriage, Kachalov
Drama Theatre, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Walk
of Fame. Numerous cosy cafes, restaurants, bars and clubs offer a wide choice
of entertainment and recreation.
Peterburgskaya Street
Street Peterburgskaya Street former Georgievskaya, Egorievskaya, Kirpicftnaya
and Sverdlova), which used to be an area of state felt factories opened by a
decree of Peter I, has acquired a new look. This newly renovated pedestrian
street, styled after the Northern Capital and bearing its name, was opened by
the 1000th anniversary of the city as a gift from St. Petersburg.
M sa Dzhalil Tatar State Opera and Ballet Theatre
The Opera and Ballet Theatre is one of the most beautiful buildings in Kazan
and is very similar to the Bolshoi of Moscow. Its classic style appears in harmony
with Tatar decorative patterns. The Theatre’s repertoire is based on opera masterpieces,
the Tatar classics and ballets. This a venue for the F. Shalyapin International
Opera Festival held in February and the R. Nuriev International Ballet Festival
held in May.
The picture of Tatarstan cannot be complete without Sabantuy (Plough
Feast), a vivid celebration of spring agricultural labour, combining
folk songs, dances and rituals and conducted at the beginning of a short break
in field works before haymaking and harvesting time. Sabantuy is an expression
of the folk mind, an inexhaustible source of cultural inspiration for the Tatar
people and an opportunity to develop its talents, strengths, agility and intelligence.
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