My personal TOP of interesting places to go in Kazan. You will find the best in the article “My TOP 15 interesting places”. Here is everything that seems to me worthy of your attention and that you can easily see in three days in Kazan. The first day I walked, the second I rode a bike, and the third I walked again, in relaxation mode. Kazan is rich in attractions, but they are compactly located. There's enough time for everything.
General impression
Kazan is located at the crossroads of cultures. Originally the capital of Tatarstan, it has retained many oriental features. The city gives the impression of being “foreign”.
Despite the fact that Russian is spoken and written here mainly, you can find many signs in Tatar. The names of streets and, for example, metro stations here also sound quite unusual to the Russian ear.
Architecture also contributes to the overall impression. Ancient mosques and the remains of medieval towers coexist with modern business center buildings. All together this creates a unique atmosphere of Kazan.
Let’s take a closer look at where you can go on your own in the fall. So, in 2-3 days you can visit the following attractions.
Blagoveshchensky cathedral
Address: Kazan, st. Musa Jalil, 21.
Built by decree of Ivan IV in 1552 and consecrated in 1562, the cathedral is one of the most ancient stone buildings in Kazan. 80 craftsmen took part in its construction.
The architecture of the cathedral combines features of Vladimir, Pskov, and Ukrainian architecture. Within the walls of the cathedral, the Gospel of Ephraim was kept, as well as many valuable relics donated by Archbishop Gury (his cell is located on the territory of the cathedral). For a long time, the necropolis contained the burials of Kazan bishops; the burials of five metropolitans and five archbishops have survived to this day.
Kazan Kremlin
In fact, the Kremlin territory includes dozens of buildings and architectural monuments. It will most likely take a whole day to visit them all. However, if you have very little time left, feel free to go to the southern bank of the Kazanka River, to the historical and most photographed part of the city.
The route starts from Bauman Street. This place is a nod towards Moscow's Arbat. The street is also pedestrian; there are many retail outlets, architectural monuments and other interesting places. Among the most striking are the following:
- hotel "Chaliapin" and a monument to Chaliapin;
- prime meridian of Kazan;
- House of Printing;
- monument to the carriage of Catherine II;
- the giant's house and the house upside down;
- monument to the Kazan cat.
Interesting!
People in Kazan love cats very much. You can find them not only in the form of monuments, but also as paintings in galleries, as well as on the walls of houses in the form of street art and graffiti.
Next you need to go to the Kazan Kremlin. Here you will be greeted by such sights as the Syuyumbike Tower (or “Leaning Tower”), the Annunciation Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, a monument to the symbol of the city - the snake Zilant and the central detail of the composition - the Kul-Sharif Mosque. The latter is worth talking about in a little more detail.
Where to stay in the center of Kazan ⇧
The hotel in the very center, a 15-minute walk from the Kazan Kremlin, is called “Maxim Gorkoy” (Gorky 6). We found it by accident, it was not booked on many sites (namely as a hotel, but also as a hostel). The hotel was new.
Pros: center, parking, internet.
Of the minuses: the rooms are small, except for the bed there is only a bedside table, it is cold (although this is temporary, until central heating is supplied), and there was no bicycle rental as stated on the booking site.
After checking in, we went for a walk to the Kazan Kremlin, on foot from the hotel. Vlada was carried in their arms one by one.
Kul Sharif Mosque
This attraction is the calling card of the city. A huge white building with blue domes can be seen from almost any vantage point in the city. The structure is truly impressive. If you stand at the base of the mosque, the top of the tallest spire will be barely visible.
This is the largest mosque located in Europe. The construction of Kul Sharif lasted almost 10 years, namely from 1996 to 2005. However, the building cannot be considered “new” in the full sense of the word. This mosque is an exact copy of the one that symbolized the victory of Ivan the Terrible over the khans.
It is impossible to fully explore the mosque. Tourists are only allowed to enter certain balconies and areas. And all because services are regularly held in Kul-Sharif. In other words, the mosque is operational.
Important!
A significant part of the residents of Kazan are Muslims. Therefore, visitors should observe some Muslim customs. In particular, you should not appear on the street in revealing clothes.
The described landmark of Kazan looks great at any time of the year, including autumn. If you don’t know where to go on your own to feel the spirit of the ancient city, feel free to choose Kul-Sharif. A detailed inspection of the mosque and adjacent buildings may well take you 2-3 days.
Tower Syuyumbike
Address: Kazan, Kremlin.
The Syuyumbike watchtower is known outside of Russia not only because it was presumably built in the 16th or 17th centuries (it is impossible to reliably determine the date due to lack of documents), but also because it is an “analogue” of the famous leaning Leaning Tower of Pisa: its spire deviates from the vertical by almost 2 meters.
The style of the 58-meter structure combines features of Tatar and Russian architecture (one can notice the similarities with the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin), although the authorship has not been established. It is only known that the upper part was rebuilt in the 18th century.
The history of the tower is shrouded in many legends, but they all agree on one thing: the building is dedicated to the queen of the Kazan Khanate Syuyuk, or Syuyumbika (“beloved lady”), known for her good deeds and who lived during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.
Walk along the embankment
Several architectural monuments are located on the banks of the Kazanka. First of all, it is worth paying attention to the most controversial building - the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic. This is a huge palace, the entrance to which is decorated with a monument in the form of a tree.
Almost a stone's throw from the palace is the Kazan Bogoroditsky Monastery, and immediately behind it is the embankment. Here you can relax and at the same time eat in one of the restaurants.
Spasskaya Tower
Address: Kazan, Kremlin.
Acquaintance with the Kremlin begins with an architectural monument of the 16th century - the four-tiered Spasskaya Tower (originally two-tiered, made of white limestone, and then built on with brick and completely whitewashed). The authorship of the structure is attributed to the Pskov architects Postnik Yakovlev and Ivan Shirai. The name of the tower is associated with the image depicted on the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands.
The powerful structure, the fortress moat and 13 stone towers once served a defensive function: only 8 of them have survived. The hipped roof of the 46-meter building is decorated with a gilded star and a clock.
Getting to know the culture
Even if you are staying in Kazan for only 2-3 days, it is worth exploring the cultural attractions on your own, which are much less popular. Places where you can go both in the fall and at any other time of the year will introduce you to the long history of the city and allow you to feel its flavor.
Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda
This name is given to a small complex of streets that together form the so-called old town. Here you can find many old houses, some of them are painted in bright colors, so they can delight tourists even in autumn.
Among them are the House of Shamil and the House of the merchant Apanaev. In addition, in the settlement there are many large and small cafes where you can order dishes of national Tatar cuisine.
New town
The settlement is adjacent to the “new city”. You will understand that you have found yourself in it when you go to the Galiaskar Kamal Academic Theater. This is a structure with a high pitched roof.
Most of all, it resembles a ski jump. The building is painted in the traditional blue and white colors of the city. In addition, the building is located right next to the lake, which adds a certain charm to it.
On the other side of the pond there is a huge park called the Millennium Park. There is a large fountain in the center of the square. Its bowl is made in the form of a cauldron, which is surrounded by snakes.
Don't be discouraged if you visit the park in the fall. Even at this time of year, life is in full swing here; in addition, right behind the park there are several other places that are worth visiting if you find yourself in Kazan for 2-3 days.
The journey to the sights on your own will not take you much time, but the end point is worth it. We are now talking about “Tugan avylym”.
This is a whole entertainment area built specifically for tourists. It has many buildings that historically accurately convey the architecture of ancient Kazan.
In addition, it is also a kind of open-air museum. There are also attractions for children, and even a pancake shop where you can stop for a while and have a snack. Since we're talking about children, we can't help but mention the Puppet Theater.
It is located literally across the street from the tourist complex. The building is a richly decorated palace. His guests are greeted by the Little Prince, a character from the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The prince's statue stands on a pedestal located right at the entrance to the building.
Kazan metro
To the side of the theater there is a kind of monument, namely, several fenced tram trailers. These are old, restored models of real carriages. They are completely open to visitors. You can walk into them or just take a photo in front of them.
Winter attractions of Kazan ⇧
New Year in Kazan ⇧
Various entertainments are offered for city residents and its guests during the New Year and New Year holidays. These include exclusively winter events, such as skating rinks and ice towns, as well as various programs and performances with New Year and winter themes.
38. Central Christmas tree ⇧
The main New Year tree of Kazan is being installed on Millennium Square near the Central Stadium. The height of the central tree is more than 20 meters.
39. Ice town ⇧
In past years, it was erected either in Millennium Square or near the Ekiyat Puppet Theater.
Kremlin embankment ⇧
40.Rink ⇧
The length of the skating rink is one kilometer. Opening hours are from 4 pm to 11 pm. On weekends, work starts earlier from 12 noon, but there is a technical break from 4 to 6 pm. Ticket price is 50 rubles for the whole day. The cost of renting skates is 130 rubles per hour, visiting the skating rink, in this case, is free.
Fairytale town ⇧
On the embankment there will be one of the fairy-tale towns, richly decorated with New Year's lights and ice figures.
41.Park “Black Lake” ⇧
Also, a very large skating rink, with an area equal to 6 hockey rinks, appeared in the Black Lake park.
In total, almost 40 skate and ski rental places will be available to Kazan residents and city guests.
42. New Year’s town “Khan’s courtyard” ⇧
A traditional New Year's town will open on the territory of the Kazan Equestrian Club. The winter Sabantuy will take place here. You will be able to try Tatar national dishes. Specialized New Year's performances will be shown on Christmas Day on January 7 and Old New Year on January 13. In general, the New Year holidays most characteristically show how closely Eastern and Orthodox culture are intertwined in Russia. 
Interesting places
Separately, it is worth mentioning several interesting places that may, for one reason or another, not be included in the tourist list:
- Lake “Emerald” is an artificial reservoir on the outskirts of Kazan. A very popular place for family holidays and picnics;
- The temple of all religions is one of the most striking buildings in the city. This is a group of buildings united by a common roof. The building is crowned with many domes. They all differ in shape and size. External finishing details also differ. The temple unites 7 religions and is considered a symbol of peaceful coexistence of the multinational population of Kazan;
- Hotel "Riviera" - here you can not only stay for a few days, but also visit one of the best observation platforms in the city;
- Peter and Paul Cathedral is a place not inferior in fame to Kul-Sharif. A striking example of Russian architecture;
- Gorkinsko-Ometyevsky Forest is one of the newest parks in the city. Here you can find many interesting places, including admiring fountains, monuments and much more.
It is worth mentioning separately that Kazan is located in a zone of rather unstable climate. In autumn it can be very hot or very cold here. At this time of year, you can often encounter heavy rains, thunderstorms, and early snowfall. However, real frosts occur only in November.
The topic of transport is also worth touching on. While inside the city you can easily use public transport, the train station is always very crowded.
If you stray from the tourist route, there is no need to panic. Ask local residents for directions to the information center located on Kremlevskaya Street. Here you can get acquainted with the operating hours of any establishment you are interested in, as well as choose the best route to get there.
Peter and Paul Cathedral
Address: Kazan, st. Musa Jalil, 21.
Built in the Russian Baroque style on the site of the 16th-century Peter and Paul Church, the cathedral is one of the symbols of Kazan.
It is known that the cathedral was consecrated in honor of the apostles Peter and Paul in the 18th century, but information about its creators has not been preserved. There is a legend that Emperor Peter I, who, along with other rulers, visited Kazan, was involved in the construction. In memory of this event, local merchant Ivan Mikhlyaev decided to build a stone two-story cathedral. The building burned and was rebuilt several times.
Nowadays, valuable relics are kept within its walls: the miraculous Sedmiozernaya Icon of the Mother of God, the relics of St. Jonah and Nektarios of Kazan, Metropolitan Ephraim of Kazan, as well as a richly decorated iconostasis.
How to get there
Kazan has a large international airport located 26 km south of the city. The capital of Tatarstan has regular air connections with most major cities in Russia, as well as cities in Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, the UAE, and Thailand. In addition, Kazan is a major railway and transport hub. By car from Moscow you can get here via the M7 motorway.
Public transport in Kazan is represented by one metro line, numerous bus routes, tram and trolleybus lines. The Kazan metro includes only 10 stations. There are five tram routes.
Palace of Water Sports
Address: Kazan, st. Sibgata Hakim, 70.
Another largest sports facility in Kazan is the Water Sports Palace. It was built in 2013 for the Summer Universiade. Various swimming, diving and water polo competitions are held here. The palace pools are available to the public for free swimming or under the guidance of a trainer. The huge palace building in the form of a billowing wave attracts attention.
Ekiyat
Address: Kazan, Peterburgskaya st., 57.
An unusual building, in the form of a fairy-tale castle, appeared in Kazan in 2012. It houses the country's largest puppet theater "Ekiyat", a theater museum, as well as children's clubs, shops and cafes. The word “ekiyat” is translated from Tatar as “fairy tale”. The puppet theater in Kazan was created in 1934, most performances are held in Russian, but there are also in Tatar.
The building of the puppet theater has become a landmark of Kazan; it is proudly shown to tourists as a beautiful and original structure. In fact, the building is heavily overloaded with details and does not fit into the surrounding area in style; this is another architectural bad taste of Kazan.
Events November 2021
At the beginning of November, Kazan traditionally hosts the international festival for science fiction lovers “Zilantcon”. In 2021 it is scheduled for November 1–4.
For science fiction lovers, go to the Zilantcon festival!
The most interesting cultural events on the Kazan playbill in November:
- ice performance “Dracula, A Story of Eternal Love” (November 2, Tatneft Arena);
- Reflex concert at Maximilians (November 14);
- show “Symphonic Rock Hits” at the Pyramid club (November 14).
