The best historical and modern sights of Kazan on the map. The Kazan Kremlin, observation decks, embankments, Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda, a Ferris wheel and a water park with a beach in the city center. How many monuments are there on Bauman Street? Are tourists allowed into the Kul Sharif Mosque? Cultural and entertainment program in Kazan for 1-2 days.
Kazan is officially called the “Third Capital of Russia”. Now it is one of the most visited cities after Moscow and St. Petersburg. We went to Kazan a year after the FIFA World Cup and made sure that everything they say is true: the capital of Tatarstan is very beautiful and well-maintained. Kazan has UNESCO monuments, national color, museums, entertainment centers, good hotels and restaurants — the entire tourist infrastructure.
Sights of Kazan on the map
Kazan Kremlin
The Kazan Kremlin is the No. 1 attraction of Kazan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. The entrance to the territory of the Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve is free of charge. Sightseeing tours of Kazan begin from the Spassky Gate.
The Kazan Kremlin is a synthesis of Tatar and Russian architectural styles. On its territory of 150 thousand m2 there are objects of cultural and state significance of different eras. The Kremlin is surrounded by a 1.8 km long wall, along the perimeter of which 8 of the 13 originally built towers stand.
The most significant buildings of the Kazan Kremlin
- The Suyumbike Tower of the XVI century. The 58-meter-high red brick tower belongs to the leaning towers. Its slope to the northeast is about two meters. It is named after Hansha Syuyumbike, about whom a beautiful legend has been formed. Touch the wall and make a wish.
- Annunciation Cathedral It was founded on October 4, 1552, on the day of Ivan IV’s solemn entry into Kazan. All Russian emperors attended the services at the cathedral, and many famous people visited the cathedral. Now the museum of the Annunciation Cathedral is open at the temple.
- The Kul Sharif Mosque. The main mosque of the Republic of Tatarstan and Kazan was built in the center of the Kremlin in 2005. The detailed description is below.
Kazan Kremlin Museums
There are 7 museums on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin. A single ticket to all museums costs 800 rubles, each museum separately costs 100-250 rubles. Free admission every first Tuesday of the month, January 22 and May 18. Check prices and opening hours on the official website of the Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve.
- Museum of the History of Tatarstan Statehood
- Hermitage-Kazan Center
- Museum of Islamic Culture
- Museum of Natural History of Tatarstan
- Cannon Yard Museum
- Manege Exhibition Hall
- Museum of the History of the Annunciation Cathedral
During our trip, the Hermitage-Kazan Center hosted an interesting exhibition about the Golden Horde and the Empire of Genghis Khan, which we visited.
Viewing platforms of the Kazan Kremlin
- The Transfiguration Tower is the oldest observation deck in Kazan. Through the sentinel strelnitsy there is a good angle to the Kul Sharif Mosque, views of the Millennium Square, the Bulak Canal. The ticket is 100 rubles.
- The observation deck behind the Annunciation Cathedral — a view of the Kremlin embankment and the Kazanka River. Is free.
The Mirage Hotel offers a beautiful view of the Kazan Kremlin. This modern five-star hotel features an indoor pool, sauna, fitness center and a restaurant serving Tatar cuisine.
Kul Sharif Mosque
The construction of the main mosque of Tatarstan began in 1996 by order of the first President of the Republic of Tatarstan M.Shaimiev. The mosque is named after Imam Kul Sharif, an outstanding religious and statesman, poet and diplomat who fell in battle during the capture of Kazan (1552).
The Kul Sharif Mosque was opened to believers in 2005 to celebrate the millennium of Kazan. It is decorated with 4 minarets 57 meters high. Natural materials are used in the decoration: white marble, granite, onyx, serpentine. The interior is decorated with elements of stucco, gilding, stained glass, mosaics and wood carvings.
The Kul Sharif Mosque consists of 5 tiers, on which there are rooms for ablutions, a museum of Islamic culture, a hall for meeting guests, men’s and women’s prayer halls.
The Cathedral mosque accommodates 5,000 people. Mass worship services are held on Fridays and Muslim holidays, the rest of the time the temple is open to all visitors (free of charge). Shawls and skirts are given out at the entrance, you can look at the prayer hall from the tour balconies — a chandelier weighing 2 tons and Persian carpets. In the evening, the Kul Sharif Mosque is beautifully illuminated.
Kremlin embankment of Kazan
The Kremlin embankment of Kazan is a favorite vacation spot for Kazan residents and guests of the city. The landscaped embankment of the Kazanka River stretches for 1.5 km from the walls of the Kazan Kremlin to the Kazan National Cultural Center.
There are restaurants and cafes on the Kremlin Embankment, festivals and events are held. People come here to watch fireworks on Kazan City Day (August 30). We got to the final of the Red Bull Air Race aviation championship, the epicenter of which was also the Kremlin Embankment.
The Kremlin embankment of Kazan is divided into 2 zones — pedestrian and sports. Roller skates, scooters, bicycles, and velomobiles can be rented along the designated paths. We took scooters and drove to the Millennium Bridge.
The Palace of Farmers
The Palace of Farmers is located on the Palace Square near the northern wall of the Kazan Kremlin. The unusual eclectic building was built in 2010 for the Ministry of Agriculture of Tatarstan.
The central portal is decorated with a 20-meter bronze tree symbolizing fertility. After dark, the Palace of Farmers is illuminated with green and white lights. Concerts are held on the square in front of the palace.
Ushkova’s House
The former mansion of the Ushkov industrialists (early XX century) is a wedding gift from chemical magnate Alexei Ushkov to his future wife Zinaida. One of the most beautiful buildings in Kazan was built in the Art Nouveau style with Baroque elements and is distinguished by elegance and decorativeness.
The main decoration of the mansion is the grotto garden, which can be seen from the huge windows facing the street. Stalactites hang from the ceiling of the grotto, plants sprout through decorative stones, and a fountain in the form of a fabulous fish in an aquarium with shells.
Since 1919, the National Library of the Republic of Tatarstan has been located in the Ushkova House. You can get inside with a guided tour (record on the spot or by phone).
Bauman Street
Bauman Street is the central pedestrian street of the city, called Kazan Arbat. It starts from Millennium Square near the Kazan Kremlin and ends at Tukai Square. The total length is about 2 km. A walk along Bauman Street will introduce you to the architecture of the XVII–XX centuries.
Historical buildings of Bauman Street
- Epiphany Cathedral and Bell tower
- St. John the Baptist Monastery
- St. Nicholas Cathedral
- V.I.Kachalov Drama Theatre
- Solomin-Smolin House
- The building of the City Magistrate
- Printing House
- The National Bank
The dominant feature of Bauman Street is the bell tower of the Epiphany Cathedral. Its height is 74 meters. It took 2 million bricks to build the bell tower. We climbed the stairs to the observation deck (100 rubles), from where the entire Bauman Street and the central district are clearly visible.
Opera singer Fyodor Chaliapin was baptized in the Epiphany Cathedral, and a nearby hotel is named after him. Chaliapin Palace Hotel is popular for its location and atmosphere — spacious classic rooms, a bar with live piano music.
Monuments on Bauman Street
Modern monuments, fountains and sculptures installed throughout Bauman Street serve as photo points, places for meetings and making wishes.
- Clock (Tukai Square)
- Fountain-monument of Su anasa (86 Bauman Street)
- Fountain of Pigeons (45 Bauman Street)
- Monument to Fyodor Ivanovich Chaliapin (78 Bauman Street)
- Fountain with frogs (58 Bauman Street)
- The horse in the coat (56 Bauman Street)
- The zero kilometer of Kazan (19 Bauman Street)
- Catherine II’s Carriage (17 Bauman Street)
- Monument to the Kazan Cat (44 Bauman Street)
- Horse-country (22 Bauman Street)
Bauman Street is a real tourist street, where shops, restaurants and cafes sell souvenirs at every turn. The Tourist Information Center of Kazan is located at 49 Bauman Street.
Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda
Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda is an authentic corner in the center of Kazan. This historic area on the left bank of Lake Kaban was founded in 1552 and inhabited by freedom-loving Tatars. Tatar industrialists, merchants of the first and second guilds, clergy and intellectuals (scientists, writers, doctors) lived in the Old Tatar settlement.
Now it is an open-air museum, where the national flavor and atmosphere of old Kazan are especially felt. It is home to the shortest street in the city and the oldest mosque in the capital of Tatarstan.
Sights of the Old Tatar settlement
- Marjani Mosque
- Yunusov-Apanaev House
- Shamil’s House
- Kunche Street
- Chak-chak Museum
On excursions around the Old Tatar settlement, guides talk about the daily life of the Kazan Tatars, their traditions and religion. You can end the walk with a tea party with Tatar pastries or a master class. book a tour
There are several small hotels in Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda:
Kaban Lake Embankment
The photogenic embankment of Kaban Lake starts from the Kamal Theater Square. According to legend, Khan’s gold is buried in the lake. People come to Kaban Lake to walk, meet sunrises and see off sunsets. We came here in the evening.
Until 1980, Kaban Lake was considered the dirtiest lake in the city — industrial waste was drained into it. Now it has been cleaned and landscaped, 12.5 thousand plants and trees have been planted along the banks, but it is still impossible to swim.
A light and musical fountain beats from the lake, citizens and guests of the city ride boats and catamarans, feed ducks, sit in summer cafes overlooking the Old Tatar settlement. On a modern playground, children gain knowledge about hydromechanics in a playful way.
The next two attractions of Kazan are located on the other side of the Kazanka River. You can get to them by the Kremlin Dam. A large number of bus and trolleybus routes run along the dam, and an underground metro line is laid in parallel.
Kazan Family Center
A new landmark and symbol of the city of Kazan was built in 2013. The Kazan family center is a registry office, on top of which there is an observation deck with a height of 32 meters. The Kazan Kremlin, the Kremlin Embankment, the old and new parts of Kazan are clearly visible from above.
A multi-level lawn has been laid out in front of the center and a sculptural composition “He and She” has been installed, symbolizing family values. In the evening, the “Cauldron” is illuminated with red lights, similar to flames.
- A river boat trip along the Kazanka River begins from the Kazan family center. The 1-hour mini-cruise is accompanied by the guide’s stories. Buy a ticket
Kazan Riviera
The largest hotel and entertainment complex in Kazan was included in this list for a reason. The modern year-round center with an aquapark, a Ferris wheel and a hotel is popular not only among Kazan residents, but also among guests of the city.
We came to the Riviera on a hot June day to ride the Ferris wheel and were very sorry that we did not take our swimsuits with us. Visit the Kazan Riviera with the whole family, or better yet, stay at the Riviera Hotel to take advantage of all the benefits.
The Riviera Hotel
The building of the Riviera Hotel is the tallest in Kazan. There is an observation deck on the 25th floor at a height of 100 meters. The hotel is located in close proximity to sports facilities: Tatneft Arena Ice Palace, Aquatics Palace, AkBars Arena Stadium. The Riviera Hotel has 210 rooms of various categories with panoramic views of the river and the Kazan Kremlin. view prices
The Riviera Water Park
On the territory of the Riviera water Park there are more than 50 different attractions, water slides, a slow river, an 80-meter heated pool, a year-round outdoor pool, a SPA area. The summer outdoor beach “Riviera” is equipped with sun loungers.
The prices for visiting the water park on weekdays and Sundays are the most favorable — from 1,190 rubles for a full day and 650 rubles for 2 hours. Admission is free for children under 4 years old or up to 120 cm tall.
Ferris Wheel “Around the World”
The Kazan Ferris Wheel consists of 36 comfortable cabins, each of which is dedicated to one of the cities of the world. We went for a ride in Tokyo. The interior design of the booths reflects the atmosphere of their city and country: photographs and national music. Spectacular panoramas of the Kazan Kremlin and the water area open from above.
The ticket price for the Ferris wheel “Around the World” depends on the time/day of the week and the number of laps. It is cheaper on weekdays until 18:00. Admission is free for children under 4 years old or under 100 cm tall, accompanied by adults.
The Kazan Riviera entertainment complex also includes 5D and 3D cinemas, a bowling alley, a karaoke bar, a concert hall, a fitness club, conceptual restaurants and cafes.
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