Kazan City can trace its history back through the centuries to the site of the original settlement, the outstanding Kremlin. The Kremlin - or walled citadel - in Kazan was made a UNESCO world heritage site when its uniqueness was recognized in 2000.
As you arrive, the most striking thing about the Kremlin is its pristine white walls, which surround the site, and are mirrored by the white government buildings and the presidential palace. The Kremlin reflects the ethnic mix of the Russians and Tatars who live there and their two centers of worship. The magnificent Kol Sharif mosque is the largest mosque in Europe and also home to a rich collection of ancient books. Visitors are welcome and positively encouraged, but remember that both men and women are expected to cover their heads there. The mosque was rebuilt in 2005, replacing the original destroyed by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century.
The Orthodox Church also has an architectural masterpiece in Kazan's Kremlin. The Annunciation Cathedral is a gem not to be missed. Completed in 1561, it is believed to have been designed by Yakovlev -- the architect behind St Basil's in Moscow.
Like all ancient cities Kazan abounds with legends, and in the Kremlin you will find the Söyembikä tower, which dominates the skyline. Söyembikä was the last queen of Kazan. Ivan the Terrible, who was struck by her beauty and proposed to her. She said she would only marry him if he built the tallest tower in Kazan for her within seven days. Ivan accomplished this, each tier of the tower being finished one day after the next. Seeing this, the grief-stricken Söyembikä asked to climb the tower so she could address the Tatar people before she was taken off to be married. She climbed to the highest story and jumped from it. Sadly the modern visitor is no longer allowed to climb the tower because, rather like the leaning Tower of Pisa, the Söyembikä tower has begun to tilt alarmingly, despite efforts to stabilize it.
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