Russian
Yelabuga is the town in the Republic of Tatarstan. It is located on the right bank of Kama River, 200 km east of Kazan.
Ananyin burial ground dated on the 8th-5th century B.C. has been found near Yelabuga. Yelabuga belongs to the Bulgarian ancient cities. The millennium of the town was celebrated in 2007.
One of the most ancient architectural monuments of Yelabuga is the tower of Chertovo gorodishche (Devil's ancient settlements). It is the only ground architectural construction belonging to pre-Mongolian Bulgaria. The tower represents the hollow stone cylinder more than 7 meters high. The tower was ruined in 1867, but later it has been re-established on the same base.
Yлelabuga is the bright example of merchant architecture of the 19th century. There was a fire in the town in 1850. As a result more than 500 wooden houses were burned down. It gave the impulse to construction of stone buildings which exist and today.
The most important architectural sight of Yelabuga is the Spassky cathedral, the biggest cathedral on Kama. The cathedral was built in the 19th century in classical style with elements of early eclecticism. It is located on the Cathedral (Sobornaya) square. There is a high five-level bell tower near the five-domed temple.
Zhamig, the cathedral mosque, is situated on one of the highest points of the town. Its construction was finished in the late nineties of the 20th century. This mosque is a complex of buildings including a mosque with madrasah, a hotel with tearoom, a house for the mufti and a garage. Near there is a 57-meter minaret.
Ivan Shishkin, the famous artist, is one of the most known natives of Yelabuga. There is its house museum in the town. The well-known poetess Marina Tsvetaeva lived also in Yelabuga.
