Kazan Kremlin, Kazan, Russia

The Kazan Kremlin is the historic citadel of Tatarstan. It was built at the behest of Ivan the Terrible on the ruins of the former castle of Kazan khans. The Kazan Kremlin includes many old buildings, the oldest of which is the Annunciation Cathedral (1554-62), the only 16th-century Russian church to have six piers and five apses. Like many of Kazan"s buildings of the period, it is constructed of local pale sandstone rather than of brick. The renowned Pskov architects Postnik Yakovlev and Ivan Shirjay were invited by the Tzar to rebuild Kazan Kremlin in stone. The cathedral bell tower was erected in five tiers at the urging of Ivan the Terrible and was scored to resemble the Ivan the Great Belltower in Moscow, but was pulled down by the Soviets in 1930.

The most conspicuous landmark of the Kazan Kremlin is the leaning Söyembikä Tower, which probably goes back to the reign of Peter the Great. A well-known legend connects the tower with the last queen of Kazan. Another recognizable architectural feature is the Spasskaya Tower, which anchors the southern end of the Kremlin and serves as the main entrance to the Kremlin.

The Spasskaya Tower is named after the Spassky Monastery, which used to be located nearby. Among the monastery"s buildings were the Church of St. Nicholas (1560s) and the Cathedral of the Saviour"s Transfiguration (1590s). They were destroyed by the Communists during Joseph Stalin"s rule.

Also of interest are snow-white towers and walls, erected in the 16th and 17th centuries but later renovated; the Qol-Şärif mosque, recently rebuilt inside the citadel; and the Governor"s House (1843-53), designed by Konstantin Thon, now the Palace of the President of Tatarstan. The Palace is believed to be located on the site of former Khan"s palace. Tucked between Presidential Palace and Söyembikä Tower is the palace church built on the foundation of medieval mosque.

Northern wall of the Kremlin contains another gated tower - Secret Tower, so named because it used to house a secret water supply well. This tower allows pedestrian access to Kremlin, but vehicle access is restricted to emergencies only.

The opening of the biggest mosque in Europe, the Qolşärif Mosque, was held in 2005. The facility was reconstructed on the site where presumably Kazan Khanate"s principal mosque had been standing before 1552.

References:

Wikipedia

Address

proyezd Sheykmana 3, Kazan, Russia

See all sites in Kazan

Details

Founded: 1556-1562
Category: Castles and fortifications in Russia

More Information

whc.unesco.org
en.wikipedia.org
www.kazan-kremlin.ru

Rating

4.9/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Kizichesky Monastery (2,7 km)

User Reviews

A D (2 years ago)
The jewel in the crown of Kazan is their beautiful kremlin. Picturesque, great views and just lovely to wander around in as well as see the historical sites. Adored it.

Rahmah Ramli (2 years ago)
Was here on 23 May 2023. This place is amazingly awesome. A must go place for anyone who comes to Kazan city. There are many sites to visit within the walls of the Kazan Kremlin, that a day could have passed by without one realising it. Thankful for the opportunity to be here. Alhamdulillaah.

Mustafa Shahid (4 years ago)
Amazing place. The main attraction of Kazan, this place is a must visit. The place is very well preserved. The place looks beautiful during the day, and even more during the night, best time to visit would be somewhere between 4-5pm during summers. Beautiful place, highly recommend!

Konstantin K (5 years ago)
Obviously, the highlight of downtown Kazan and the place that makes Kazan recognizeable and unique.

Dmitry Nefedov (5 years ago)
Very nice place to have a walk. View is fantastic.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Zvonimir Hrvoj

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The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

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Kazan Kremlin