Syuyumbike tower history. The legend of the beautiful Syuyumbika. The Legend of Queen Syuyumbik

The Leaning Tower of Syuyumbike is an architectural symbol of Kazan , known not only throughout Tatarstan, but also outside the republic. For the first time, the Syuyumbike tower received the name of the legendary Tatar queen in the 19th century. This is how one of the local patriots romantically called this building in a local history article in a popular Kazan magazine. Since that time, legends began to be made about the tower, many of which have survived to this day.
Nowadays, images of the tower are printed on souvenirs, postcards, and badges. After restoration, the tower was decorated with lighting, thanks to which it is visible from afar even at night.

Location and features of the structure

The Syuyumbike Tower is a watchtower or watchtower of the Kazan Kremlin, the main attraction of the capital of Tatarstan. From its top, the Volga, Kazanka rivers and the areas around them are clearly visible.
Syuyumbike is a leaning tower, tilted towards the northeast. It began to “fall” almost immediately after construction was completed. There are two versions of the reason for this fall: some experts believe that the tower was erected on an old foundation, not designed for such a large-scale structure; others - that the foundation was laid specifically for the tower, but was not deep enough.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the deviation was 128 centimeters. Restoration work carried out in the 1990s stopped the tower from tilting. Today, the deviation of the spire from the vertical reaches 1.98 meters.
Another special feature of the tower is that it is located inside the Kremlin as a separate structure. The lower tier of the tower has a through passage with swing gates.
The top of the tower changed its decoration several times. At first it was crowned with an apple, then alternately with the coat of arms of Tsarist Russia and a crescent.

Legends

The Syuyumbike Tower was originally a lookout tower located at the entrance to the courtyard of the commandant's house - the former Khan's Palace. The name of the tower is associated with the name of the famous Queen Syuyumbike, and many legends have developed about the architectural monument itself.

The most popular one - about the construction of a tower at the request of Syuyumbike - is known to every resident of Kazan.
Legend says that after conquering the city, Ivan the Terrible wished for Syuyumbike to become his wife.

The queen understood that if she disobeyed, the Tatar people would be exterminated, but she could not submit to the will of the Russian Tsar. Therefore, she set a condition for the conqueror - in seven days to build a tower of seven tiers, as slender and beautiful as the queen herself.

When her wish was fulfilled, Syuyumbike climbed to the very top of the tower and jumped down.

The archive of documents from the time of the Kazan Khanate has not survived, and the city's urban planning plans of the 16th-17th centuries were destroyed during the Moscow fire of 1701. This beautiful legend is debunked by modern theories about the time of construction of the tower, based on research of the foundation. It turned out that only in places it reaches the layer of cultural deposits from the times of the Khanate. Much of the foundation penetrates into layers corresponding to periods later than the conquest of Kazan.

In addition, in the drawings of many foreign travelers who visited Kazan in the 17th century, there is no image of the tower. And on the city plan, the now famous structure appeared only at the beginning of the 18th century. There is also documentary evidence that Queen Syuyumbike lived to old age and died in the city of Kasimov.

Another legend is less romantic - the tower was built by order of Syuyumbike herself in honor of her deceased husband. This version is confirmed by fragments of the ancient foundation. But only in the part that the Syuyumbike tower was built on the site of another structure from the times of the Kazan Khanate.

The legends about the Syuyumbik tower contain some historical facts, but are completely far from reality.
Most researchers are of the opinion that the first tower, which was located on the site of the modern one, was a wooden building erected in the 11th-15th centuries. The stone one was erected in the 17th century in its place.

The Legend of the Gilded Ball

There is an interesting story about the gilded ball that crowns the tower. According to legend, the Kazan khans kept their chronicles in a ball, and it was made of pure gold. But upon a thorough examination of the ball in 1830, no chronicles were found in it, and it was made of brass. At the same time, eyewitnesses claimed that the ball was rusty and full of holes, and the documents may have been stolen.

Architectural characteristics

The Syuyumbike Tower in Kazan has seven tiers; red brick was used for its construction. The three lower tetrahedrons decrease in height and width, and two octagons are installed on them. The tower is completed by a faceted tent in the form of a truncated pyramid, and the guardhouse located above it is decorated with a spire with a gilded crescent on an apple.

• The lower tier is decorated with two pylons connected by a barrel vault.
• The facades of the tower are decorated with various decorative finishes: flies, belts with a simple overlap or curb.
• The edges are highlighted with thin ridges or blades.
• Door and window openings end in three-centered arches.

The foundation of the tower is built on oak piles. Inside there is a spiral staircase that leads to the watchtower. The total height of the building is fifty-eight meters.

The Syuyumbike Tower is made in a strict architectural style, reminiscent of Moscow Baroque, but with elements of Kazan-Tatar art - a minaret-like completion, stalactite capitals, three-quarter columns.

A little further from its ancient walls, there is a tower that attracts the eyes of tourists with its unusual appearance. She has a very noticeable slope, and the audience gets the impression that in a moment they will witness her crushing fall. But minutes, years and even centuries pass, and the tower remains motionless.

Death of the Tsar's Bride

An ancient legend says that, having conquered Kazan in 1552, Ivan the Terrible wished to marry the Tatar queen Syuyumbike, the beautiful widow of Khan Safa Giray, who died on the walls of the city. In case of refusal, he threatened to take out his anger on all her people. Wanting to save her compatriots, the queen gave her consent, but on the condition that a seven-tier tower would be built for her within 7 days.

Tower in a week?! No joke! However, there is nothing to be done. The king gave the command, and work began to boil. Somehow we managed it on time. You can’t spoil Ivan Vasilyevich - a scaffold with an ax is always at hand, so to speak, for greater motivation. In a hurry, however, they messed up a little, but there was no time to redo it.

And then the unexpected happened. On the eve of the wedding day, the royal bride climbed to the very top of the tower, spread her white little arms and rushed down from a terrible height. She died, but did not go down the aisle by force. Since then, they began to call this tower “Syuyumbike” in honor of the beautiful widow. At first they were upset that it tilted painfully to one side, but when they heard about the world fame of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, they cheered up - and here, they say, it’s no worse. Make a mess, they say, and we are masters.

Another version of the legend

There is another legend about the Syuyumbik tower, and many consider it more plausible, although less romantic. According to this version, there was no sexual harassment on the part of the Tsar-Father (tea, not some Weinstein), but the Khan’s widow Syuyumbike simply ordered to build a tower in memory of her late husband Safa Giray.

And her beloved did not die on the battlefield, but was poisoned by his own courtiers who were trying to stage a coup. It is unknown how it happened or otherwise, but since then the “leaning” tower of Syuyumbike (it received such a beautiful name among the people) competes with the famous Pisan Tower and is one of the attractions of the Tatar capital.

Documents lost in the fire

These are legends, but what is the real story of the Syuyumbike tower? Hearing this question, the pundits just shrug their shoulders. The fact is that no historical documents have survived to this day that shed light on the appearance of such an unusual architectural monument in Kazan. All of them were once kept in Moscow and were the property of the so-called Order of the Kazan Palace. But in 1701, the capital was engulfed in a terrible fire, in which documents related to the administration of Kazan were destroyed. As for the Tatar archives dating back to the period of the possible construction of the Syuyumbike tower, they were all destroyed during the assault on the city by the troops of Ivan the Terrible in 1552.

In this regard, the question of when, by whom and under what circumstances the tower was built remains unanswered. Even its approximate dating is controversial. In discussions that have been going on for many years, the 17th and 18th centuries are often mentioned, but a number of researchers believe that this could have happened even before 1552, that is, during the period of the Kazan Khanate.

Khan who survived exile

Having started the article with the legends about the Syuyumbik tower, which are the product of popular imagination, it is appropriate to cite several hypotheses belonging to learned men. The author of one of them - the most popular today - is Professor N.P. Zagoskin, who taught at the Kazan Imperial University even before the revolution. According to his version, the construction of the tower is associated with the names of two historical figures - the Tatar Khan Mohammed-Amin and the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III.

The fact is that in the second half of the 15th century, the Kazan Khanate was engulfed in a bloody war between contenders for the khan’s throne. One of them, still young at that time, Mohammed-Amin, saving his life, took advantage of the shelter provided to him in Moscow by Ivan III. It just so happened that the young man caught the heart of the Grand Duke, and in 1487 he helped him seize power.

Kazan brainchild of an Italian architect

Remembering the prince's beneficence, the khan decided, by building a mosque, to perpetuate in stone the peaceful alliance concluded during his reign between Kazan and Moscow. For this purpose, Mohammed-Amin again turned to his benefactor with a request to send at his disposal an Italian architect who lived in Moscow and was known to him for the construction of the Kremlin, which was carried out during his stay in the capital.

Thus, the author of the Syuyumbike tower project could be the famous Italian architect, who decorated many European cities with his works, or one of his students. This hypothesis is confirmed by the fact that its architectural appearance is in many ways similar to other creations of the master, and if it is correct, then the construction of the tower should be attributed to the end of the 15th century. At the same time, the upper part of the structure was rebuilt in the 18th century, due to the fact that the former mosque, built by Khan Mohammed-Amin and called Nur-Ali, was turned into an Orthodox church.

Hypothesis about the Russian roots of the Kazan tower

However, this point of view is disputed by those who believe that the history of the Syuyumbike tower (Kazan) began a century and a half later. They are supported by data obtained as a result of archaeological excavations carried out in the period 1941-1978. Having studied the cultural layers of soil into which its foundation went deep, and the artifacts discovered, the researchers date the construction of the tower to the Russian period and place it at 1640-1650.

"Beloved Lady"

What to do in this case with the Khan’s widow, whose name the tower bears, because in both cases it turns out that she not only did not jump from it, but even had nothing to do with its construction? Linguists answered this question. As it turned out, Syuyumbike is not a proper name at all, but a noun, the first part of which - “syuyum” - translated from Old Tatar means “beloved”, and the second - “bike” - is translated as “mistress”.

In other words, it turns out that the people called the tower, erected in the very heart of the Kazan Khanate, “Beloved Lady.” It is possible that, based on the legend about how the Khan’s widow chose death over marriage with the Orthodox Tsar, her image was idealized in the popular consciousness and took on the features of a certain national heroine. Further, fantasy attributed to her unearthly beauty and statesmanship. So the “Beloved Lady” is ready - Syuyumbike. However, other options are not excluded. Perhaps in different eras this name meant other khan’s wives. It is even suggested that real women have nothing to do with it at all, and its name is just a beautiful poetic metaphor.

Twenty Leaning Towers

As for the distinctive feature of the tower - the tilt, as a result of which, with a total height of 58 m, its spire shifted from the center line by 1.98 m, the reason lies in the error of the architectural design, made without taking into account the characteristics of the local soil. All over the world, “leaning towers”, and there are currently about two dozen of them, are the product of soil erosion, which played a detrimental role in this case as well.

The only world-famous among them was only one, which is part of the architectural ensemble of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa. The rest of her sisters, with rare exceptions, remain in obscurity. How many, for example, can answer the question about in which city the Syuyumbike Tower or, say, the Great Lavra Bell Tower (Kyiv) is located? Nevertheless, all these buildings are unique architectural monuments, and using modern technologies, work is underway to preserve them and protect them from possible destruction.

The Syuyumbike Tower is located on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin historical and architectural museum-reserve and is one of the most recognizable landmarks of the city. The purpose of the structure is patrol and protection of the surrounding areas. However, the history of the Syuyumbike tower in Kazan still causes controversy and gives rise to mysteries.

Entrance to the territory of the Kazan Kremlin is free, so everyone can look at the Syuyumbike Tower in Tatarstan. In the evening the tower lights turn on. Unfortunately, entry into the structure is prohibited. You can see a similar structure in Moscow, where the architect made a copy of the leaning Syuyumbike tower.

Legends of the Syuyumbike Tower

The Syuyumbike Tower is associated with various legends about its appearance, partly due to the fact that no documents about the construction of the structure have been preserved. For example, there are various legends about Queen Syuyumbik, the ruler of the Kazan Khanate. According to some versions, she erected a tower in honor of her deceased husband. According to others, it was built by Ivan the Terrible in just 7 days according to the conditions of the ruler Syuyumbike, inviting her to marry him. The third legend about the Syuyumbik Tower tells that the Kazan Queen threw herself from the seventh tier of the tower. Despite the lack of precise information about the start of construction work, the legends about the Syuyumbik Tower in Kazan have little in common with real history. As you know, the ruler of the Kazan Khanate was betrayed and handed over to Ivan the Terrible, and later forcibly married.

In the 19th century, the ball from the top of the tower was removed for inspection, as people believed in the legend that documents of special significance for the history and culture of the Tatars were stored in this ball. They were believed to date back to the Khan period. The city governor agreed to study the ball, but no papers were found inside it. However, local residents believed for a long time that the documents were really hidden there, but could have been lost because the ball turned out to be full of holes.

Thanks to numerous legends about the Syuyumbike Tower, a mystical image has formed around it, and many call it one of the most mysterious places in the city. Tourists also like to come here to make a wish. The Syuyumbike Tower is considered a place that grants 3 wishes if you touch your forehead to its walls.

History of the Syuyumbike Tower

There are different versions regarding when the Syuyumbike tower was built. Most sources indicate the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th century. Perhaps the debate about the date of construction is explained by the fact that archaeological work has shown that the tower was erected on the site of the khan’s mausoleums and mosque.

Some believe that the lower foundation of Syuyumbike dates back to the khan period of the 15th-16th centuries, at which time the throne in Kazan was taken by Muhammad Amin after a period of internecine battles for power. Khan studied in Moscow for some time and there he could see the construction of the Borovitskaya Tower in honor of the glory of Moscow. The architect of the building was the Italian Aristotle Fioravanti. There are suggestions that Muhammad Amin could have invited the Italian or his student to Kazan to build the tower.

As confirmation, supporters of this theory cite the fact that the Kazan Syuyumbike tower has common architectural features with other works of Fioravanti in Bologna. In addition, the dimensions of the bricks used in the construction of the tower do not correspond to the Russian state standard. They fit exactly the standard used by the Italian architect.

Those who believe that the Syuyumbike Tower in Kazan was erected by Russian architects refer to the fact that it is not in the images and drawings of the city in the 17th century. They are also based on the architectural composition of the structure, style decisions, proportions and forms of the elements used, characteristic of the Moscow Baroque period. But the strongest argument is considered to be the analysis of cartographic documents: on the city plan, the Syuyumbike tower appears only in 1717-1718. A written mention of the building dates back to 1777.

At the top of the Syuyumbike tower, an armorial figure was installed - a double-headed eagle. The date of this event is considered to be 1730. In 1918, the eagle was replaced with a crescent in honor of the transfer of the building to Muslims. Later, in the 30s of the last century, this sign was removed from the top of Syuyumbike. Only during perestroika was the crescent returned to its place.

Architecture

The tower has a pointed shape and a stepped composition. It is located at a distance from the walls of the Kremlin fortress. The Syuyumbike Tower was built as a lookout tower and has 7 tiers. The first three from the bottom each have 4 sides and open galleries, then there are two tiers with 8 sides and the top two tiers are multifaceted pyramid-tents made of brick. At the top there is a spire with a ball, which is called an “apple”, and on it is a crescent.

The height of the Syuyumbike tower is 58 meters.

The decorative design of the tower is quite strict. Decorations in the form of flat protrusions are found on the edges of the tiers. On the lower level there are two columns on both sides; they belong to the Corinthian order type. The gates of the Syuyumbike tower are located on the first tier, which is a through passage. In general, the attraction shows the influence of both Russian and Tatar architecture.

The tilt of the “falling” Syuyumbike tower

You can often come across the name “Leaning Tower of Syuyumbike” due to the fact that it has a visible slope. It leans towards the northeast.

The Syuyumbike Tower is tilted almost 2 meters.

This was probably caused by a construction error and shrinkage of the foundation, which was discovered at a depth of 2 meters. The fall of the tower is stopped by a frame installed on the lower tier and a concrete foundation. Some travelers write in reviews that this slope is hardly noticeable, although in the photo of the Syuyumbike tower it looks significant. The fact is that the slope is not clearly visible from all angles - you can see it if you step back to the doors of the presidential palace.

How to get there

The Leaning Tower of Kazan is located in the Vakhitovsky district on the territory of the Kremlin. You can get here by public transport:

• Bus No. 6, 15, 29, 35, 37, 47, 74, 75, stop “Central Stadium”; No. 22, 28a, 89, stop “Baturina”.
• Trolleybus No. 2, stop "Central Stadium".

It is convenient to get to the Kazan Kremlin, where the Syuyumbike Tower is located, by metro: get off at the Kremlevskaya station of the Central Line.

You can get to the entrance to the Kremlin territory with the leaning Syuyumbike tower by taxi: Yandex services operate in Kazan. Taxi, Maxim, Taxi Lucky, Uber, Gett.

Panoramic view of the Syuyumbike tower in Kazan:

History of the construction of the Syuyumbike tower: XVI or XVIII century?

In 1701, a fire raged in Moscow, the consequences of which also affected the Syuyumbike tower. Almost the entire archive of the Order of the Kazan Palace, which contained documents describing the process of building the Kremlin watchtower, was lost in the fire. It is because of this accident that modern researchers are still unable to determine the exact date of construction of the Syuyumbike tower. For example, the once famous local historian N.P. Zagoskin argued that the structure was erected during the time of the Kazan Khanate, by order of the ruler Muhammad-Amin. The progressive ruler spent his youth in Moscow, where he made friends with the Russian Tsar in order to protect himself from assassination attempts by other heirs to the Kazan throne. Historians believe that it was during this period that the future khan witnessed the construction of the Borovitskaya Tower in the Moscow Kremlin.

It is assumed that after ascending to the Kazan throne, Muhammad-Amin wished to acquire an improved copy of the Moscow archer, and to implement his grandiose plan, he invited the elderly Italian architect A. Fioravanti to the court. The main argument in favor of the hypothesis put forward is the bricks from which the architectural monument is made. Their dimensions fully correspond to the standard introduced by the Italian genius (before that, a different form of bricks was used in Rus'). However, modern historians considered this fact unconvincing, since the Syuyumbike tower does not appear in the drawings depicting the Kazan Kremlin during the era of the Khan’s rule.

After many years of archaeological excavations within the walls of Syuyumbike, researchers came to the conclusion that the structure was erected no earlier than the end of the 17th century. The architecture of the tower in the style of the so-called “Moscow Baroque” clearly hints at this. In addition, the upper part of the building clearly copies the tents of the towers of the Volokolamsk Monastery and the Beklemishevskaya Tower in the Moscow Kremlin.

origin of name

The first mention of the Syuyumbik tower appeared in 1832. The poetic name flashed in one of the literary essays of the Kazan magazine “Zavolzhsky Ant”. Syuyumbike is the ruler of the Kazan Khanate, the daughter of the Nogai biy Yusuf and the great-great-great-granddaughter of the founder of the Nogai Horde dynasty Edigei. Until now, the structure was simply called the tower “with a spitz”, the “commandant” and even the “Tatar” tower. Residents of Kazan changed the name in their own way, christening the building Khan-Machete (from Tatar - Khan's Mosque).

Architecture of the Syuyumbike tower

The Syuyumbike Tower is located on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin, but at the same time removed from the fortress walls. This location is explained simply: initially the structure served as a watchtower.

Within the walls of Syuyumbike there is a wide passage through which carts of townspeople and military wagons could pass into the fortress. The building is supported by a two-meter foundation supported on oak piles. The tower itself consists of 7 tiers. The first three have the shape of regular cubes of varying areas. Along the perimeter of each tier there are special galleries (walking grounds). Another architectural feature of the Syuyumbike tower is the Corinthian columns located at the level of the first tier, and the so-called blades (rollers) decorating the tier edges.

The next two “floors” of the tower are brick octagons or octagons, on which the tent and watchtower are located. The structure is crowned by an elegant spire with a gilded ball, on which is attached a crescent - a symbol of the Islamic religion. Initially, the top of Syuyumbike was a double-headed eagle, but in 1918, at the request of the Muslim part of the population of Kazan, the royal emblem was removed, replacing it with a religious sign. Today, the height of the most recognizable tower of the Kazan Kremlin is 58 meters.

At the beginning of the 20th century, it was discovered that the spire of the Syuyumbike tower had significantly deviated from its base. In addition, the brickwork at the bottom of the structure began to move apart, threatening to completely block the passage. To protect the unofficial symbol of the city, it was necessary to “compress” it at the level of the first tier with a metal hoop. The iron ring worsened the appearance of the ancient building, but stopped its destruction for some time. Several decades ago the hoop burst, but was never dismantled.

Legends of the Syuyumbike Tower: an ode to eternal love and the suicide queen

Outstanding architectural characteristics are, of course, wonderful, but completely uninteresting for the average tourist, so the surest way to attract attention to an ancient monument is to attribute some fascinating story to it, preferably with a tragic ending. As for the Syuyumbike Tower, the structure is an ideal example of how organically myths can be woven into real historical facts, giving birth to such legends adored by travelers.

The building owes its name to the daughter of the Nogai biy Yusuf, the ruler of the Kazan Khanate, Syuyumbika. Actually, this is the only reliable fact, which formed the basis of the myths associated with the construction of the tower. For example, one of these stories claims that the building became a kind of monument to the first husband of the Tatar heiress, Safa-Girey. The inconsolable widow thus expressed her love for her untimely deceased husband. What’s interesting is that in fact this marriage was unsuccessful and in fact Syuyumbike could not stand her betrothed.

The second story is connected with the name of the famous tyrant Tsar Ivan the Terrible. Allegedly, after the capture of Kazan, the Russian autocrat was seduced by the beauty of the local ruler and even intended to take her as his wife. Syuyumbika did not like this prospect, and she decided to postpone the marriage, first offering Ivan the Terrible to build a tower for her. The temperamental king complied with the request, and within a week a watchtower was visible under the windows of the beautiful Tatar woman. But the autocrat failed to satisfy his passion: the proud captive climbed to the top tier of the tower and jumped down. By the way, it is customary to tell this beautiful legend to visitors to the tower, not paying attention to the fact that in fact there was no trace of suicide. After the capture of Kazan, Syyuimbike was married off (for the third time) and calmly met her old age in the city of Kasimov, where she was later buried. But the construction of the tower, as modern research has shown, was indeed carried out in great haste, which later played a major role in its “fall.” Despite the subsequent strengthening of the foundation and attempts to fix the structure in a stable position, further tilting of the structure could not be avoided.

Syuyumbike Tower: tour of the interior

The main entrance to the Syuyumbike tower is blocked by openwork forged gates “Day and Night”. The black lace of the metal lattice is decorated with golden images of the month and the sun, above which the 12 signs of the zodiac are located in the form of an improvised halo.

In the lower tier of the building there is a small passage leading to the interior of the tower. A well-worn stone staircase leads visitors to the upper “floors” of Syuyumbike. Today, on the second and third tiers there are small separate rooms, although initially there were no partitions dividing the tower into floors.

In the main hall of the third tier there is a wooden staircase connecting the room with the terrace of the first octagon (the fourth tier of the tower). If during a walk you approach the stairs from the inside, you can see numerous “autographs” left on the wooden steps by visitors to the Syuyumbike tower. The oldest of them date back to the beginning of the 20th century, but there are also more modern options.

The fifth and sixth tiers of Syuyumbike are the same octagonal rooms with windows, but on the 7th the tiniest room is hidden (literally 3 steps in length). However, an ordinary tourist will not be able to get here, as well as into the other halls of the tower. Usually, all that a standard excursion to the Syuyumbike Tower offers is a walk through the Kremlin territory and an inspection of the architectural features of the structure.

• During the Great Patriotic War, Kazan architects took measurements and drew up detailed plans for the Syuyumbike tower. The collected documents were supposed to help in the restoration of a unique architectural monument in the event that the structure was destroyed by bombing.
• The height of the Syuyumbike tower is two meters higher than its famous “falling” relative - the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
• At night, electric lights turn on on the walls of the building, turning the structure into a picture from a fairy tale.
• Rumor has it that the entrance to Syuyumbike was closed after one of the visitors jumped down from one of its tiers.
• A unique monument of ancient architecture can be seen in the 2013 adventure film “Treasures of Lake Kaban”. However, in most episodes, the viewer does not see the Syuyumbike tower itself, but its model, built specifically for filming.
• Local residents claim that if you touch the walls of the tower with your eyes closed and make a wish, it will certainly come true.
• Despite the measures taken, it was not possible to completely stop the tilt of the Syuyumbike tower. The reason for this is the gradual subsidence of the soil on the Kremlin hill, so it is possible that over time the structure will literally fall.

How to get there

There are three optimal ways to get to the Syuyumbike Tower - one of the main architectural attractions of Kazan. For example, you can take the metro and get off at Kremlevskaya station. Those who do not want to deprive themselves of the pleasure of admiring the views of the capital of Tatarstan can choose a trolleybus (route 7) and take it to the Central Stadium stop. The same route can be taken by bus (routes No. 1, 15, 35, 47, 75).

We started our acquaintance with Kazan with a tour of the Kazan Kremlin. You can get to this place by metro, get off at Kremlyovskaya station and walk a little. It becomes visible immediately after exiting the metro, so don’t get lost. Kremlin in Kazan- This is a unique complex of historical and archaeological monuments, which is on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. The Kremlin territory is large and there are many beautiful and interesting places located here. I'll tell you about one thing- "falling" Syuyumbike tower, which is considered one of the main architectural symbols of the city and is known far beyond the borders of Tatarstan. To be honest, before I only knew about one leaning tower, which is considered the most famous- Pisa, poetI was a little surprised to learn that we also have similar objects.

The Syuyumbike Tower in Kazan is essentially a watchtower. It is inclined towards the north-east. Now the deviation of the tower spire from the vertical is about 2 meters, so it is visible even to the naked eye. Tower consists of 7 tiers. Its total height is 58 meters. The upper tier is decorated with a crescent (until 1918, in its place there was a double-headed eagle).

As for the date of construction of the tower, this question is still open: according to some data, the tower was built in the 17th century.-XVIIIcenturies, according to others- at the end of the 16th century, and some even attribute the construction of the tower to the period of the Kazan Khanate, that is, to 1552. The history of the tower is shrouded in several interesting legends, the existence of which our guide told us about. According to one of them, the Syuyumbike tower was built by order of the ruler of the Kazan Khanate Syuyumbike in honor of her husband Safa-Girey, who died in 1549. According to another legend, the tower was built in just 7 days by order of Ivan the Terrible. The fact is that the Russian Tsar invited Queen Syuyumbika to marry him. But when the wedding celebrations began, the queen wanted to go to the top of the tower to explore the city for the last time. There she did not find the strength to part with her hometown and jumped down. In fact, although such legends include several real historical facts, they are completely far from reality. They are based on romantic tales of the 19th century, which were written in guidebooks of that time for Kazan.

The Syuyumbike Tower was restored many times and its foundation was strengthened. I cannot help but notice that for many generations of local residents the tower is a sacred symbol and place of worship. Since 1991, Syuyumbike has been performing the functions minaret, where memorial prayers are read for all those who died in 1552, when the city was taken by Tsar Ivan IV of Kazan. Many archaeological excavations were carried out near the tower; as a result of one of them, coins from the reign of Tsars Alexei Mikhailovich and Mikhail Fedorovich were found at the very base of the tower.

By the way, they say that when you climb the stairs to the tower gate, if you make a wish, it must come true.

The tower is a passageway; in its lower tier there is a through passage, which is blocked by swinging forged gates with images of the crescent, the sun and all the signs of the zodiac.

Unfortunately, you cannot go inside the tower, so you can only look at it from the outside. I repeat that now the Syuyumbike Tower is one of the symbols of the city, so its images can be seen on postcards, badges, and souvenirs.

In the evening, the tower is illuminated.

Looking at the Syuyumbike tower and the Kremlin as a whole, I couldn’t help but imagine what the city was like in the distant past, how some khan’s guards walked across the square to bow to their ruler Syuyumbike.