{"id":1662,"date":"2016-11-29T11:41:05","date_gmt":"2016-11-29T10:41:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.travel-advisor.eu\/en\/?p=1662"},"modified":"2016-11-29T11:42:25","modified_gmt":"2016-11-29T10:42:25","slug":"kazan-capital-of-tatarstan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travel-advisor.eu\/en\/kazan-capital-of-tatarstan\/","title":{"rendered":"Kazan – Capital of Tatarstan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kazan, Capital of Tatarstan
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tatarstan<\/strong> is one of the 22 republics of the Russian Federation<\/strong>.\u00a0 2000 year-old Kazan lies 800 km east of Moscow and can be reached via the Russian capital or Frankfurt (direct Lufthansa flight). There is also a night train connecting Moscow and Kazan.<\/p>\n

Rooms at international hotel chains<\/strong> (Marriott, Hilton, Radisson) are available from 50 euros and restaurants are 30 % cheaper than in Moscow. Public transportation in the city is very efficient with one metro line, buses and trolleybuses. It is a big city with 1.200.000 inhabitants but the atmosphere is very relaxed<\/strong>, nothing compared with the hectic pace of Moscow.<\/p>\n

Main tourist attractions<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Kremlin<\/strong> on a hilltop overlooking the city was built from 1556 and is on UNESCO\u2019s World Heritage List since 2000.\u00a0 The wide expanse is home to a monastery, the Kul Sharif Mosque<\/strong> (53 % of the population is made up of Sunni Muslim Tatars), an Orthodox Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Museum of History, the Khans\u2019 Mausoleum and the amazing red-brick seven-story Syuyumbike Tower<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Old Town is Tatar settlement with the Islamic College and numerous mosques.<\/p>\n

In the New Town, Karl Marx, Gorki and Bauman streets are lined with magnificent official buildings and private residences.\u00a0 Buman street<\/strong> is the pedestrian equivalent of Old Arbat in Moscow.<\/p>\n

Excursions from Kazan<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0Ancient Bolgar<\/strong>, 175 km away, is on UNESCO\u2019s World Heritage<\/strong> List since 2014. It consists of the ruins of the ancient Cathedral Mosque<\/strong> and the Kazan Khans\u2019 Palace<\/strong> and Mausoleum.\u00a0 The site contains also the Memorial of the Adoption of Islam,the Museum of History, a brand-new White Mosque and the Bread Museum.<\/p>\n

The island town of Svijazhsk<\/strong>, 55 km away, an old fortress site built in 1551, with its Annunciation Cathedral<\/strong>, Our Lady\u2019s Church and the wooden Trinity Church of 1551.<\/p>\n

In 2018<\/strong>, Kazan will feature some matches of the Football World Cup<\/strong>, a venue for new visitors from all over the world.<\/p>\n

Kazan<\/strong> is definitely a must for tourists and can be combined with visits of St Petersburg and Moscow. This tour could be called the \u00ab\u00a0Russian Triangle<\/strong>\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n