Photos and descriptions of the most beautiful places in Tatarstan. Nature of Tatarstan - description, history, sights and interesting facts Natural attractions and riches of Tatarstan names
Today Tatarstan is considered one of the fastest growing regions of the Russian Federation. It is also famous for its multifaceted and rich culture. The Republic of Tatarstan gained rapid popularity after the Universiade held in 2013, in which athletes from different countries peace. The capital of the Republic of Kazan is a city with a long history, as well as a cultural, commercial and economic center. To see the numerous sights of Tatarstan, hundreds of travelers come here every year. And there is definitely something to see here!
Brief description of Tatarstan
It is located at the confluence of the Volga. was established in 1929, in 1990 it was transformed into the Republic of Tatarstan within the Russian Federation. The capital Kazan is an ancient year, which was founded in 1005.
About 3.8 million people live in this region. Moreover, 75% of them are residents of cities. In Tatarstan, two state languages- Tatar and Russian. In general, 115 different nationalities live here. The president is considered the head of the republic. Tatarstan has its own anthem, the Cabinet of Ministers, the Constitution and the State Council.
Geographical position of the republic
The region is located on the East European Plain, in the forest-steppe and forest zones. The climate of the region is temperate continental with rather pronounced seasons. The sights of Tatarstan are best visited from April to October, when the snow is no longer lying and the weather is pleasantly warm. Snow usually falls in mid-November and lasts until the end of March, and sometimes until early April.
In addition to these big rivers Like the Kama and the Volga, there are about 500 small rivers in the region. There are also reservoirs here: Kuibyshevskoe, Zaimskoe, Nizhnekamskoe and Karabashskoe. About 15% of the territory of Tatarstan is occupied by deciduous forests. More than 1,500 valuable objects of nature are under protection, the largest of them are the Volga-Kama Reserve Zone and national park"Lower Kama".
Sights of Kazan
Kazan is rightfully considered the pearl of the republic. There are countless historical monuments here. Nevertheless calling card The city is considered to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The view of the Kul-Sharif Mosque and the Kremlin from the side of the Kazanka River is perhaps the most famous image of Kazan. The capital of Tatarstan is a unique flavor of the cultures of the West and East, Christianity and Islam. Mosques here harmoniously coexist with Orthodox cathedrals.
An unforgettable impression is made by a walk through the historical quarter of the city - along the streets of Bauman, Tukay and Gorky, the Bulak canal, the Old Tatar settlement. One of the most important modern symbols of the city can definitely be called the Millennium Bridge, which was built as part of the 10,000th anniversary of Kazan. The Kazan circus, which in shape resembles the shape, can also surprise. The Riviera water park has also won great popularity. Quite often, tour operators offer Bus tours to the capital of Kazan with a mandatory check-in at this institution.
The sights of Kazan do not end there. There's a mass in the city interesting places to be visited. This is Mount Chatyr-Tau ( highest mountain the only one in the region mountain range), Ascension Monastery, Lake Kara-Kul, etc.
Museums
To learn more about this region, it is worth visiting the museums of Tatarstan: the Museum of Military Glory, the Circus Museum, the National Art Gallery, the 1000th Anniversary of Kazan, the Museum of Islamic Culture, the Botanical Museum, the Vasiliev Art Gallery and other equally fascinating places.
Orthodox shrines
The most important Orthodox shrine of Kazan and Russia as a whole can be called the Church of Our Lady of Kazan. Here are the most revered icons in Orthodoxy. No less picturesque is the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which proudly rises above Kazan.
The Cathedral of the Epiphany is one of the most important symbols of the capital of the republic. The city also has an ancient temple of the Yaroslavl Wonderworkers, which is located at the Arsk cemetery. In addition to all these shrines, you can visit the monasteries of Tatarstan: Zilatnov Assumption for women, Raifsky and St. John the Baptist for men and others.
Not far from Kazan, in the village of Voznesenskoye, there is a unique temple of the Mother of God of the Tikhvin Icon. A fairly well-known image of “Joy of All Who Sorrow” used to stay here. In the village of Borisogleboskom there is the Church of the Great Martyrs Boris and Gleb. It was erected in 1600. In 1888, its building was rebuilt after a fire.
Mosques of the Republic
The main religious building of Tatarstan is the Kul Sharif Mosque. This majestic building is a real treasure of the white-stone Kremlin and the capital of the republic. Other amazing mosques of Tatarstan are located in the old part of the city. Among them is the Bulgar mosque. It was founded in honor of the 1100th anniversary of the conversion of the Volga region to Islam. One of Kazan is adorned. The whole quarter is also consecrated by the wooden “Kazan of Nura”. In the Novotatar settlement there is a mosque with a very strange name- No. 11. It was built by the philanthropist al-Uranbashi.
Sviyazhsk
The city of Sviyazhsk is the most picturesque place in Tatarstan and a monument of local significance. This city-fortress was founded by Ivan the Terrible himself in 1551 at the confluence of the Volga. During the years of Soviet rule, hundreds of thousands of prisoners were exiled here. After the creation of the Kuibyshev reservoir, Sviyazhsk turned into an island. You can get to it along the dam by car or by river transport.
Since 2011, a grandiose program has been launched to turn this place into a museum-reserve. Now in Sviyazhsk, work is underway to reconstruct various monuments, some of which were founded in the 16th century.
This island-city is considered one of the most popular holiday destinations for both tourists and residents of the republic. Sviyazhsk often hosts various competitions, festivities, and festivals.
Bulgarian
We continue to closely study the sights of Tatarstan. Hiding on the banks of the Volga picturesque city Bulgarian. It was built in the place where the ancient Bulgar was located earlier. At that time, the city was a major economic center and the largest settlement of the Golden Horde. Bulgar was destroyed in the 15th century.
The most remarkable building of the town is the settlement of Bulgar. This complex consists of numerous monuments of the 13th-15th centuries: the Small Minaret, the Cathedral Mosque, the Khan's tomb, etc.
Yelabuga
Yelabuga is one of ancient cities Republic, whose age has long exceeded one thousand. True, the exact date of its occurrence has not been clarified, it is only known that it was founded at the turn of the 9th-11th centuries. Main historical monument Elabuga - Devil's settlement. All major attractions locality were combined into a museum-reserve. It also includes memorial museums of various figures who are related to Yelabuga (Durova, Bekhterev, Tsvetaeva). Here is also located art Gallery Shishkin.
In general, Yelabuga is very beautiful city, however, rapid economic development somewhat spoiled the characteristic architectural ensemble, which should be imbued with the spirit of antiquity.
The sights of Tatarstan are a symbiosis of past and future, East and West. To feel the unique atmosphere of the region, you definitely need to visit here!
Thanks to its convenient location, rest in Tatarstan is very popular among Russians and guests of the country. You can come here with sightseeing tour weekend to visit the main attractions, you can go to the water park and Entertainment Center or go shopping. But the most interesting option trips - self tour by car for big cities and small villages. It is a tour on your own car that will show Tatarstan in all its glory and give you the opportunity to see the national flavor of these places.
The travel route in Tatarstan may include several cities and take from 2 days to a week or more. On the way, you can stop for the night in hotels, pitch tents in picturesque places, take beautiful photos.
10 most popular cities and places in Tatarstan
The heart of Tatarstan is its capital Kazan, which is a huge tourist centre where people come from all over Russia. Ancient and modern buildings, Muslim and Orthodox shrines, Russian and Tatar culture are surprisingly harmoniously combined. Kazan can be explored for several weeks, but the obligatory objects of a visit will be:
- Kazan Kremlin;
- Bauman pedestrian street, around which many interesting places are concentrated;
- the main mosque of Tatarstan "Kul-Sharif";
- district Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda.
Kazan has everything for a comfortable stay: many hotels at different prices, delicious restaurants with national cuisine, entertainment venues and halls with a rich concert program.
Work for children and adults viewing platforms, including night ones, water parks, a circus, a karting center, an ostrich farm and other specialized entertainment establishments.
In the city center and on the outskirts there are many free and paid, ground and underground parking for cars. And in the tourist information center (three branches in the city) you can get useful information or book excursions.
2. Sviyazhsk
The city-island is a unique historical complex with its own culture, imbued with the spirit of Orthodoxy and magnificent nature. You can go on a sightseeing tour (price 80-150 r) around the city, visit the historical museum and the Trinity Church, test your strength in interactive activities. One of the central places of tourism is the John the Baptist Monastery. It is also interesting to visit the "Horse Yard" - a place for horseback riding, where handicraft workshops are located.
You can stay overnight at the Sviyaga Hotel or at the House of Merchant Kamenev Hotel.
3. Kama mouth
The confluence of the Volga and Kama rivers is beautiful natural place, around which recreation centers for lovers of fishing and hunting are concentrated. Here is the famous Kama Reserve, the Holy Well spring, as well as natural caves.
Tetyushi is a small town with great story. It created fortifications to protect the Volga region. On the cliff of the river is the Watchtower, which offers a wonderful landscape of the Volga.
An unusual place: the Wonder Beluga monument in honor of the record-breaking big fish caught on the Volga (weight 960 kg, length 5 m).
The great city of Bolgar was once the political and economic center of the Volga Bulgaria. This is the place where the basis of the statehood of the Tatars was born, and the Bulgarians converted to Islam. Thanks to the ancient architectural buildings that have survived to this day, Bolgar is listed world heritage UNESCO. It is worth visiting the museum of Bulgarian civilization, seeing the sign of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgaria, taking photos against the background architectural monuments 8th - 19th centuries. This Cathedral Mosque, the Khan's Palace, the Eastern and Northern mausoleums, as well as the Gabdrakhman well (a place of ritual ceremonies).
Together with children, you can go to the Historical Museum of Bread (entrance 75-150 rubles) or visit a camel farm (entrance 150-200 rubles), where you can not only learn about camel life, but also feed them.
Unusual place: The White Mosque - the residence of the Muslim clergy, 3 km from the museum-reserve. 
6. Bilyarsk
The ordinary village of Bilyarsk is fraught with mighty power and historical secrets. Here was a huge medieval city with a population of about 70 thousand people, referred to in the annals as "Great". The Bilyar settlement and the historical museum are the most popular places to visit.
Unusual place: Reserve "Holy Key". In the 9th-10th centuries, a pagan sanctuary was located on the site of the spring. Entrance to the reserve is free.
7. Chistopol
The city of Orthodox churches, merchant houses, elegant Muslim mosques. More than 140 buildings of Chistopol - objects cultural heritage. Sightseeing tour or independent walk around the city will demonstrate all the charm of the city. You should visit the Nikolsky Cathedral, visit the museum of the history of Chistopol, relax on the Kama River embankment or comfortably in the Skaryatinsky Garden in the city center. Literature lovers will be interested in the Pasternak Memorial Museum.
8. Nizhnekamsk
The city, located on the Kama River, has the title of the most comfortable settlement in Russia, because its development was carried out according to the program using modern planning methods. The Nizhnekamsk Museum of the city has preserved construction data.
Unusual place: Nearby is the village of Kamskiye Polyany and an unfinished nuclear power plant, the complex of which is of great interest to tourists.
9. Naberezhnye Chelny
Second Big City Tatarstan is a major transport hub and a modern center. Tourist places there aren't many, but they are there. This is a grandiose monument to Vladimir Vysotsky, the largest monument to the poet in the country, a dolphinarium, and the most famous object is the Kama Automobile Plant.
10. Yelaburga
The charming city of Yelabuga is one of the richest museum complexes city of Russia. The unique architecture of the 19th century in the historic part of the city is the main place for tourists. The Museum of the History of the City, the Museum of District Medicine, the Museum of the Artist Shishkin, the Tsvetaeva Memorial Complex, the Taktir Museum with an interesting interior - these are just some of the places where you can visit.
Unusual place: Yelabuga devil's settlement.
Going on a trip around Tatarstan, you can track interesting events on the calendar of festive and traditional events and take part in folk festivals.
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Traveling around Tatarstan is always an unforgettable adventure, especially if you come here by car. Ancient caves, magical beds, fishing and inspiring landscapes: we have compiled a short guide for those who want to take a tent and go explore Tatarstan on their own.
distance from Kazan
Spinning and green fields in the Magpie Mountains
Rybno-Slobodsky district
Moving along the P239 highway, do not reach the 14-meter crossing over the Kama River, but turn into Sorochi Gory. It is worth going here to look at the untouched nature of the Volga region. With the appearance of a stable plus on the street, fishermen from all over the Kama region come here, and lovers of outdoor recreation pitch tents and spend the night right on the river bank. Let's be honest: fishing in this place is unpredictable, but carp, perch, pike, zander and other types of fish are found in Kama, from which delicious fish soup is cooked on the shore. If you get tired of resting in a tent, go for the benefits of civilization to the Sorochi Gory recreation center with houses, a bathhouse, and sports grounds. Group fishing and hunting trips are also organized here.
distance from Kazan
Yuryevskaya cave
Kamsko-Ustyinsky district
A kilometer-long cave in the south of Tatarstan is available for visiting to all lovers of speleology. The entrance to it is inconspicuous: in the Bogorodsky mountains, overgrown like a jungle, there is a small grotto - this is where the descent is located. The cave consists of several halls - from Silver, named so because of the gypsum deposits, to the "Grotto of Rains" with stalagmites. Yuryevskaya cave is like a museum, where the exhibits are geological features terrain. There are a lot of interesting things inside: do not be surprised when you get into a room with a window and a door - this is the "Professor's House" or the so-called "Castle of Horrors" with real skins. Further along the route is the hall of baboons, "Tuning fork", "Library", "Flounder", "Candle" and "Organ pipes", which will have to be reached on all fours and even crawling. We advise you to take care of overalls - take lanterns, old things and boots. Yuryevskaya Cave is a good opportunity to challenge your fears and enjoy nature. We do not recommend spending the night in the cave, but you can make a fire (and be sure to clean up after yourself after parking) in the immediate vicinity.
distance from Kazan
"Sviyazhsky Hills"
Village Savino
In summer ski resort"Sviyazhsky Hills", which is an hour's drive from Kazan along the M7 highway, acquires even more charm. Instead of snowy mountains - green fields and hills, which offer an excellent view of the confluence of the Volga, Sviyaga and Sulica. In terms of picturesqueness, this place is in no way inferior to the Alps, which is why it becomes the main source of inspiration for local artists and photographers, as well as a popular platform for photo shoots. The entertainment complex is open all year round and offers guests more than 100 pine chalets, a golf course, a shooting range and recreational opportunities. If you prefer to fully surrender to camping conditions, pitch a tent a little further ski base, on the banks of the Sviyaga River, and go fishing. Local sunsets will definitely not leave you indifferent, because here the sun seems to sink into the river.
distance from Kazan
Miraculous springs on Anisiny beds
Vysokogorsky district
The famous Anisya beds from Kazan can be reached not only by car, but even by bicycle. Anisya is a woman who lived here before the revolution and devoted herself to serving God. She helped travelers, fed the poor and orphans, growing vegetables in her garden. Now, on the site of Anisya’s house, a small chapel has been erected, to which a small makeshift wooden staircase leads, two baths with a spring have been equipped, and the grave of the clergy has been built. They say that the water in this place is holy, and heat comes from the earth, which cures all diseases. Ribbons are tied on the trees - visitors believe in the holiness of the place and regularly come to Anisya with requests and prayers. Nearby, the Kazanka River flows, more like a stream, Anisya beds are surrounded by open meadows, clearings and thickets of trees in which you can hide from scorching sun. If desired, a tent can be put up in the forest thicket or on an open edge. It remains only to come and see the magic of these places.
distance from Kazan
Gypsum galleries
Kamsko-Ustyinsky district
A car trip across Tatarstan will not take place without a visit to the picturesque Kamsky Ustye. On its shore there are real natural treasures - gypsum adits. Inside, labyrinths of gypsum deposits, caves filled with water, and wide passages await you, where breathtaking pictures are taken. The deposit is active, so you will see working tools, wagons and wooden props along the walls. In the past, serfs, fugitive criminals and convicts, who were handcuffed, worked in the adits. Therefore, among tourists and speleologists there are legends about the spirits and ghosts that inhabit these mines.