City Guide: Kazan

Kazan is the capital city of autonomous Tatarstan. It was also the capital city of Golden Orda khans. Kazan was set up in 1005 and celebrated it 1000th age two years ago with enthusiasm. Many places of the city were renewed for that celebration. The city is known as the center of Islam in Russia. Today 52 percent of the citizens are of Tatars, 38 percent of Russians, 2 percent of Chuvash people and 1 percent of Ukrainians. There are architectures belong to especially Islam and Orthodox Church. In 2005, the biggest mosque in Europe was opened to service in Kazan. There are still many museums, towers, wooden mosques with handcrafts, historical churches and old streets carries Tatar impressions. Huge blocks of buildings and wide boulevards are still alive as the symbols of Soviet regime.

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• Tourist Attractions

  Kazan castle, which accommodates the palaces, administrative buildings, mosques and Moslem theoretical schools of Tatar khans, has been collapsed by Russians and rebuilt with the name of Kremlin. New brick walls have taken the places of wooden walls.
  
  Since then only Suyumbike tower have managed to stand. This tower, which is 75 metres high and has 7 floors, was build for Suyumbike the wife of one of the last Tatar khans called Sefa Giray. The mausoleums belong to Tatar khans could also be seen behind the castle.
  
  The Kul Serif Mosque was the most magnificent architecture of Kazan Khanate. It was architecturally so unique that Russians built the famous colourful Vasili Church by taking it as an example. The mosque had been demolished by Dreadful Ivan who took over the city. Now Kul Serif Mosque with its eight minarets arises behind the walls of Kremlin, it was rebuilt a few years ago as a symbol of Tatarstan.
  
  Idil (Volga) River is another magnificent sight of Kazan. If the other rivers, lakes and dams around the city have been taken into account Kazan could be named as the city in labyrinth of water. Volga called as “Itil Suu” among Tatars, serves beautiful city views at many points.
  

• Culture & Entertainment

  Kazan is a symbol of Tatarstan with its culture and architecture. It could be understand that it was home for a very rooted old culture considering that the history goes 1000 years back and there were no Russian city by then. The historians are sharing the same idea that the city was built by Turkish tribes called Kipcaks and Bulgarians.
  
  Tatars, in the early years of Russian revolution, had celebrated the 1000th anniversary of the entrance of Islam in those fields in 1923 with excitement. Bolshevik Party was more considerate at those years because they needed Tatars. Then they started to make pressure on their freedom.
  
  After all, the support of Kazan University, which is the third biggest university after Moscow and Petersburg universities, on Tatar illumination protected the Kazan’s identity. Kazan University provided the possibilities to discuss many subjects from reform in religion to woman rights, science to laicism. The philosophers and the teachers of Kazan have taken on the cultural and political leadership of all Muslims in Russia.
  
  Russian style entertainment is very popular in Kazan. The Baumuna Street, which is the center of the city, is the heart of entertainment. There are many night clubs and discotheques along both the main street and the streets cross to the main street.  In Kazan where the young people are majority, especially the discotheques are in demand. People could still be seen at the café’s until midnight. It is possible to see painters and singers on the street.

• Food & Drink

  Tatar pasty is the first dish comes into mind if you are in Tatarstan.  You can get Tatar pasty, which is similar to a past called ‘row pasty’ in Turkey, almost everywhere in Kazan. The one you can get in Kazan is much more delicious than the other types. The reason of that unique delicious taste is the extra amount of the meat in pasty. 
  
  There is another meat pasty special to Tatarstan. Although the name sounds similar, the taste is quite different from Turkish meat pasty. Caccak is the national dessert that should be definitely tried. “Mufti Salad” is again another dessert that can be eaten in Kazan. 
  
  All kinds of food are pretty cheap in Kazan. Apart from the ones mentioned Russian dishes also take a big place on the menus.   
  

• Shopping

  Baumuna Street is the most imposing, the liveliest and the busiest place. Top brands, high society boutiques, anything expensive are all in this street. The goods exported from Turkey can be found in these shops.

Ticket Sales Offices: Kazan

• Kazan: Airport Map Information

  Kazan Intl. Airport

  Address	:	Kazan Airport, 420017 Kazan, Tatarstan, Russian Federation
  Phone	:	+7 843 267 88 07

• Kazan: Airport Map Information