Kazan - Каза́нь - Tatar - Казан - Qazan - Tatarstan

[mendeleyev]

Kazan (Russian: Каза́нь; Tatar: Казан, Qazan)


The capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan is one of Russia's largest cities. It is a major industrial, commercial and cultural center, and remains the most important center of Tatar culture. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in central European Russia.





"Qazan" is originally a name for a special cooking pan, a variant of a wok, but more solid and heavier. It was believed that the city of Kazan is named after this object because of its geographical similarity with a "qazan"-pan; namely the city is situated in a U-shaped lowland.





There is a long-running dispute as to whether Kazan was founded by the Volga Bulgars in the early Middle Ages or by the Tatars of the Golden Horde in the mid-fifteenth century, as written records before the latter period are sparse. If there was a Bulgar City on the site, estimates of its foundation range from the early 11th century to the late 13th century .





Kazan was largely destroyed as a result of several great fires. After one of them in 1579, the icon Our Lady of Kazan was discovered in the city. During the Time of Troubles in Russia the independence of the Kazan Khanate was restored with the help of the Russian population, but this independence was suppressed by Kuzma Minin in 1612.





Kazan was largely destroyed in 1774 as a result of a revolt by border troops and peasants led by the Don Cossack ataman (captain) Yemelyan Pugachev, but was rebuilt soon afterwards, during the reign of Catherine the Great. Catherine also decreed that mosques could again be built in Kazan, the first being Marjani Mosque. But discrimination against the Tatars continued.





In the late 1980s and in the 1990s, after the dissolution of the USSR, Kazan again became the center of Tatar culture, and separatist tendencies intensified. Since 2000, the city has been undergoing a total renovation. A single-line metro opened on 27 August 2005. The Kazan Metro has five stations. But there are plans to extend the line in both directions. Kazan celebrated its millennium in 2005, when the largest mosque in Russia, Qolsharif, was inaugurated in the Kremlin, and the holiest copy of Our Lady of Kazan was returned to the city. Major objects like Millennium Bridge also were inaugurated that year.





The origin of the historical and architectonical complex of the Kazan Kremlin is related to the Muslim period of the Golden Hord and the Khanate of Kazan. In 1552, Kremlin was conquered by Ivan the Terrible and became a Christian centre of the Volga region. It is the only preserved Tartar fortress in Russia and also an important site of pilgrimage. It consists of a group of historical buildings and of remains of previous houses dating from the period between 10th and 16th centuries.





The Volga River passes through Kazan dividing the city on each of it's banks. Cruise ships and small charter boats are available to give you a view of the city from the rivers edge. Travel by Train is still one of Russia's most accommodating forms of transportation. Trips can be short distances or span the entire country.





Russian and Tatar languages are widely spoken in the city. Russian is understood by practically all the population, apart from some older Tatars. Tatar is widely spoken mainly by Tatars. The offensive term Mankurt (Mañqort) is used for Tatars who are ashamed of their own culture and language. Not much English is spoken in the city, but young people tend to understand it. About a third of the marriages are mixed between Muslim and Orthodox.





The most convenient way to get to Kazan, both for domestic and international travelers, is by air. Kazan International Airport is well suited for any type of aircraft. Regular and charter flights are operated by airlines such as Tatarstan, Lufthansa, Aeroflot, Transaero, S-7, KD-avia, etc. The flight between Kazan and Moscow takes 1 hour and 20 minutes. Direct or connecting flights are available to 87 cities in 47 different countries around the world.





One can say that Kazan’s culture is diverse and open to the world. The city is reaching out internationally by hosting annual events such as the International Rudolf Nureyev Classical Ballet Festival, the International Fyodor Shalyapin Opera Festival and the Europe-Asia Contemporary Music Festival. Kazan is a city with cultural crossroads from many regions.

The population of Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, includes more than a hundred nationalities, many of which have their own language, centuries-old traditions and holidays. Both for Russia and the entire world, Kazan has become a symbol of tolerance, peaceful and harmonious co-existence of different religions and cultures. The people of Kazan are noted for their affability, hospitality and religious tolerance.
 

[Manny]

For anyone considering visiting Kazan, the busy Moscow airports can be bypassed with ease.

The same Lufthansa flights that fly from Frankfurt to KUF Samara actually continue onward to KZN Kazan. It just sits on the tarmac at Samara for 30 minutes while people and luggage get on and off, then takes off again on a final short hop.

You can see opinions from people who have visited Kazan airport here: Kazan airport comments by travelers

If men were thinking of meeting several ladies on one trip, and wanted the destinations within easy reach, Kazan would be logistically convenient to tie in with Samara and Togliatti.

[mendeleyev]

Kazan has recently been notified that their bid to host the 2013 University Games (Universiade) has been accepted!





More here: www.kazan2013.ru



Wikipedia: The Universiade is an International multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The name is a combination of the words "University" and "Olympiad". The Universiade is often referred to in English as the World University Games or World Student Games; however, this latter term can also refer to competitions for sub-University grades students, as well.

[Chris]

While we are talking about Universities:

Kazan State University

Was Founded in 1804, Kazan State University is the second oldest university in the Russian Federation. An internationally acknowledged centre of academic excellence, it is routinely listed among the 5 to 10 best institutions of higher education in the country. The history of KSU is associated with many world-renowned figures, like the father of non-Euclidian geometry, Nikolai Lobachevsky; the writer, Leo Tolstoy; the discoverer of the Antarctic, Ivan Simonov; the founder of organic chemistry, Alexander Butlerov; a father of modern linguistics, Ivan Baudouin de Courtenay; the discoverer of electron spin resonance, Evgeniy Zavoisky; and the Soviet leader Vladimir Ulianov, otherwise known as Lenin. Today many of our graduates are prominent politicians, famous professionals, successful businessmen and distinguished scholars working in a variety of countries.

The University stands out as one of the architectural diamonds in the centre of the 1,000 year-old city of Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan and a city populated by 1.2 million people, mostly Russians and Tatars. While located in the same time zone as Moscow, Kazan straddles Europe and Asia on the left bank of the great Volga River, some 500 miles east of Russia's capital. To reach the city from Moscow takes an hour by plane, overnight by train or four-days by a leisurely boat ride down the main waterway of Russia's heartland.

The main centre of higher education for a vast region, KSU has 17 faculties and 105 academic departments. It has over 14,000 full-time students, who follow 54 major degree programs and many more 'specializations'. With about 250 full professors and 900 associate and assistant professors, KSU offers one of the best student-to-teacher ratios in the country.

The University carefully preserves the traditions of its world renowned scientific schools of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and linguistics. Over the last decade it has succeeded in promoting state-of-the art research in the areas of computing and environmental sciences, as well as social and cultural studies, often taking advantage of interdisciplinary approaches.

KSU continues to serve as a leading national research centre, providing its students and staff, as well as academic visitors, with many laboratories, excellent museums, a botanical garden, research field stations, three astronomic observatories and many other facilities. Our Lobachevsky Library, containing over five million works, is one of the largest and oldest in Russia. The University also has IT centers, publishing houses and a recreational centre that is at the heart of the cultural and sporting life of the city.

The University is a recognized leader in international cooperation. Each year KSU members win dozens of grants from international foundations, involving themselves in projects with cutting-edge research centres in many countries. Our students and professors actively participate in bilateral research and educational exchange programs with about 50 partner institutions in more than 20 countries.

Academic visitors from all over the world are attracted by both the University's reputation and the cultural richness of Kazan and Tatarstan. The number of visitors to KSU has increased following the University's 200th anniversary in November 2004 and the city's millennium celebrations in August 2005, both of which were celebrated as Russian national events.

[Chris]

The city of Kazan is also known as the Eternal City of Russia. The reason is not only in the number of hills on the left bank of the Volga river modern Kazan is standing on.

Coat of arms of Tatarstan republic.



The coat of arms of Russian Tatarstan republic consists of winged snow leopard with round shield sideways. The front right pad is uplifted. The sun's disk is a background. Tatar people national ornamental pattern is framing the whole composition. The inscription means  "Tatarstan" . The wings of snow leopard consist of seven feathers, the shield rosette consists of eight petals. The colors of Tatarstan republic coat of arms are the colors of Tatarstan national flag.

The central form of Tatarstan coat of arms is winged snow leopard - the ancient deity of fertility, the protector of kids. In the Tatarstan coat of arms - the protector of Tatarstan republic people. The sun is an ancient deity of various nations. Red sun on the Tatarstan coat of arms means success, life and happiness. The round shield is the symbol of law, power and economics.

The shield aster flower with even number of petals means the source of eternal life and longevity. The uplifted front right pad of the snow leopard is the traditional heraldic gesture showing the greatness of supreme power. It also means the beginning of motion. Three golden ring shape the Tatarstan coat of arms on three levels. The mean the ideas of unity, infinity and perfection.

Golden color - the symbol of elegancy, beauty, wealth of Tatarstan land.

Green color - the symbol of spring, Tatarstan rebirth.

White color - the symbol of purity of Tatar people thoughts.

Red color -the symbol of maturity, energy, power and life.

There is a legend about this beautiful winged snow leopard depicted on the Tatarstan republic coat of arms. The legend says that a snow leopard found an orphan and saved him from enemies. It looks like the same way as a she-wolf raised the founders of Rome - Romulus and Remus.


Kazan city of Russia coat of arms



The modern description of Russian city of Kazan coat of arms: "The black dragon with dark red wings and tongue, golden pads, claws and eyes crowned golden coronet in the silver field on the green land. The shield is crowned with Kazan cap."

The dragon is the symbol of creation and the power that helps people. The dragon has supernatural power. The dragon also symbolizes might, greatness, life, light, wisdom, invincibility, immortality and eternal rebirth. The arrow styled tongue means impulse, swiftness and purposefulness.

The green land is the keeper of life and wealth, the symbol of life. The coronet is the symbol of an advanced stage of development. Kazan cap means the status of Kazan city as a capital of territory and Kazan city ancient traditions.

The symbolic meanings of colors:

Green - the symbol of spring, joy, hope, nature, prosperity, stability.

Gold - the symbol of wealth, greatness, constancy, solidity, strength, generosity, intellect, intuition, sun light.

Silver - the symbol of perfection, nobility, peace.

Dark red - the symbol of bravery, spirit, fearlessness, maturity, energy.

Black - the symbol of sense, wisdom, honesty, humility.

[Chris]

Kazan Kremlin photos

The Kazan Kremlin is a fortress of medieval period of Russian history. Kazan Kremlin inner space has a regular plan and includes the buildings dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Also there are some remains of the 10th - 16th century buildings.



The Kazan Kremlin is situated on the cape of an elevated terrace of the left bank of Kazanka river in the central part of Kazan city.

Kazan Kremlin - Spasskaya Tower



Kazan Kremlin - the view from Levobulachniy Street

[Wild Orchid]

This is very nice thread devoted to Kazan and Tatarstan.

I just wanted to mention that most of Tatars  are devoted Muslims, kike with everybody in FSU more people turned to their religion in recent times and Tatars are no exception. There were some fundamentalist in the past and even in parlament, but Tatarstan's government made a statement  when all those wars in Caucus between Christians and Muslims started breaking out, that they would do anything to keep Tatarstan at peace and they were true to their word. We never ever had any tensions between Tatars and non-Tatars.

[mirror]

I hope people on this forum know that not all Tatars are Muslims. After Ivan Grozny came to Kazan he forced Tatars to accept Christianity. So now some Tatars-Christians. Yes,they speak Tatar language but have a Christian belief.

[mendeleyev]

Annunciation









Tolsoy monument

[mendeleyev]

Kazan train station




Train station interior

[mendeleyev]

Mosque by night



Inquiring minds wish to know: How does a student get himself kicked out of a prestigious Kazan University in disgrace, then later have the very same University renamed in his honour?





If your initials spell Vladimir I. Lenin, then it's not that difficult.

[Zmejka]

Inside Kazan Kremlin



National museum of the Republic of Tatarstan near Kremlin



Work of art in front of Kremlin wall



Kazan's center, G.Tuqay Square, the "Ring" trading center

[froid]

Very nice pictures.

It looks very clean. 

[Zmejka]

Freedom Square with Lenin monument, Kazan



Levobulachnaya and Pravobulachnaya Streets with the State Circus roof in the far middle



Streets after heavy rain



Kazan football stadium



"Socialist town" park

[mendeleyev]

Very nice photos! 

[Olga_Mouse]

Airport: main terminal building was being renovated when I was there, so can't say anything about it. VIP-terminal is quite far away from the main one.

Hotels:

Mirage http://www.mirage-hotel.ru/ claims to have 5 stars; in reality it doesn't deserve even 4. Big rooms - but all you see is cheap: cheap design, cheap furniture, cheap bathroom equipment, etc. Food in the restaurant is at best average.

Those who stayed - after trying Mirage  - in Park Inn and Courtyard by Marriott, said the service there is waaaay better.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/kzncy-courtyard-kazan-kremlin/