Kazan.

Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan is one of the cities of Russia most visited by tourists.

Kazan was founded at the beginning of the 10th century as a fortress in the north of Volzhskaya Bulgaria. The word “kazan” occurred from old tatar and means "cauldron". At 13-14th centuries (the period of the Golden Horde) Kazan became the largest economic and political center of Middle Volga region. In the middle of the 15th century it becomes the capital of Khanate of Kazan. At that time the industry is actively developed, economic relations with Russia, Turkey and the Crimea are established. But the incessant wars with Russia made matters worse and as a result Ivan the Terrible conquered Kazan in 1552. Russian armies burnt out the wooden Kremlin and destroyed the most part of the city. The Khanate of Kazan became a part of the Russian state. Ivan the Terrible expelled from the city almost all people. Those moved outside the Kazan Kremlin, having founded the Old-Tatar Sloboda. By order of the tsar, the city was settled by seven thousand Russian. The new white stoned Kremlin, the Blagoveshchensky cathedral, the Spassky were constructed. In 1708 the city becomes the capital of the Kazan province. From the second half of the 18th century urban development became more well-ordered. In the first half of the 19th century Kazan becomes the industrial, economic and cultural center of Russia. In the 1930th years, in connection with construction of the new works, population of the city increased in times. In the 1980th years already more than one million people lived in Kazan. In 1990 Kazan becomes the capital of the sovereign Republic of Tatarstan.

With the population 1 196, 7 thousand people Kazan is the second-large city of the Volga region (after Samara) and one of the largest economic, political, scientific and cultural centers of Russia.

Till 2017 it officially is «the third capital of Russia».

The area of the territory of the city is 613 sq.km. Extension of Kazan from north to the south is 28 km., from west to east is more than 30 km. There are about 1700 streets and lanes in the capital of the Tatar Republic.

Kazan is administratively subdivided into seven districts: Aviastroitelny, Vakhitovsky, Kirovsky, Moscovsky, Novo-savinovsky, Privolzhsky and Sovetsky.

Kazan Kremlin is one of the main sights of the city. Except walls and towers, the architectural complex of the Kremlin also includes: Kul Sharif mosque, Palace church, governor's palace, Blagoveshchensky cathedral, Spaso-Preobrazhensky monastery, building of consistory and some others. Since 2000 Kazan Kremlin is considered to be the object of the UNESCO World heritage.

The Millennium Square is one more Kazan landmark. Its construction was finished to 2002. It is called in honor of celebration of Millennium of the city. The square is one of the biggest in the world.

The Old Tatar Sloboda is also the favorite place of visit for tourists. This is the major historical sight which is located in the southern part of the Vakhitovsky district of Kazan. The architectural complex consists of eight mosques, madrasah, hotels, Karimovs’ printing house, trade stores of Sennoy Bazar, mansions, Yunusovskaya Square, the Tatar teacher's school.

Except forenamed, Kazan has also great number of other sights which attract many tourists to this magnificent city.

The official City Day is on August, 30.