The journey to the shrines of Volga Bulgar
Last Saturday on 3 August a team of Tatarstan Investment Development Agency visited one of the historical places in Tatarstan – Bulgar town.
Acquaintance with excursion program started in the bus - the guide told interesting facts about the history of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Volga Bulgar origin, shared information about the places that tour bus passed. Journey through Laishevskiy region was filled with stories about childhood, youth, life, work and public activities of Gavriil Derzhavin, the family estate of his family in Sokura place.
On the border with Alekseevskiy region tour bus was met by beautiful Kama River. This is home for famous figures of science and culture, chemist Alexander Butlerov, Boris and Alexander Arbuzov. Here is Bilyarskiy settlement - the archaeological remains of the Volga-Kama Bulgar, which relates to the X - XII centuries. The main treasure of Alekseevskiy region is a "Holy Spring", known by a lot of legends and beliefs.
In Spasskiy region travelers met sculptures of horses – there is located the famous Nikolsky village, the main attraction of which - an ancient and famous horse plant, established by decree of Peter I. The plant, owned for decades by gentlemen Molostvov, considered as the largest in Russia.
In the same region located the ancient town Bolgar – endpoint of travel. Recall that in 1991 the town was renamed to Bulgar on behalf of the ancient city of the Volga Bulgar, settlement (ruins) of which is located near the city. In 2010, by the initiative and under the patronage of the first president of the Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev began a large-scale implementation of the program of the Republican Foundation for the Preservation and Development of Bulgar and Sviyazhsk "Revival", which includes the restoration and renovation of historical places, building of new cultural facilities and infrastructure.
The first stop - on the bank of Volga River, where located one of the cultural heritages of Tatarstan - Bulgar settlement. On the territory there are mosque with a minaret, East and North mausoleums, Black and White Chambers, several museums. According to historical data, these places are also known as Khan Halt, tourists visiting the Khan's palace on the bank of the Volga, and Khan's baths. In the one of museums located world's largest Quran - 632-page book weighing 800 pounds, brought from Italy. Initially, the Quran kept in the mosque Kul-Sharif, and in summer 2012 was moved to Bulgar, where in 922 were officially approved Islam.
The next stop was in the White Mosque complex, located near the entrance to the Bulgar. The architectural complex includes the mosque building, madrassas and the residence of the mufti. The area is framed by an arcade of 88 columns in the middle of the square - fountains. Slightly away from the White Mosque there is a "Museum of Bread", where are located the windmill and water mill, the manor of a miller, smithy, outdoor agricultural machinery and souvenir shops. Here, in the bakery, you can try just out of the oven bread; guests often take it. A number of pavilions at the site of the complex show the historical role of bread, talk about the history of farming, field work, plowing, sowing, cultivation of grain and harvest.
"It was a very interesting journey", - shared their impressions staff of Tatarstan Investment Development Agency. - "We are the witnesses of the Volga Bulgar past glory revival, shrines of these places - the ancient Bulgar".
Tatarstan Investment Development Agency Press Service