KAZAN! The Capital of The Republic of TATARSTAN of Russia!

This is Kazan! and this all is Kazan – 
one of the greatest cities of Russia, the capital of the Republic of Tatartstan 
of our country. That’s where we will take a ride now. My name is Sergey Baklykov. You’re 
watching all of Russia channel on Baklykov Live Kazan is the capital of the Republic of 
Tatarstan, Russia — the ancestral land of the Volga Bulgars and Tatars, the second 
largest ethnic group in Russia after Russians. Kazan is located at the confluence of the Volga 
and Kazanka rivers, with a population of 1.33 million people. It is the largest city on the 
Volga River and the fifth-largest city in the country by population. Kazan lies 800 km east of 
Moscow. Federal highways M-7 (Moscow–Ufa) and the newest highway M-12 (Moscow–Yekaterinburg), 
as of 2025, pass through the city. Kazan is one of the largest economic, 
scientific, educational, religious, leisure, cultural, financial, and sports centers 
in Russia. The Kazan Kremlin and the astronomical observatories of Kazan Federal University are 
included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Historically, Kazan was the center of the Kazan 
Khanate, Kazan Governorate, and the Tatar ASSR. The city often refers to itself as the “Third 
Capital of Russia,” aspiring to be the main city after Moscow and Saint Petersburg. However, it 
is important to note that legally Russia has only one capital — Moscow. Historically, the status 
of the “northern capital” has belonged to Saint Petersburg since 1917, when the capital returned 
to Moscow. However, even that is not the official status of St Petersburg. Kazan has registered 
the brand “Third Capital of Russia,” but this is merely a marketing label, not a legal status.
Kazan is over 1000 years old. Founded in 1005, the city celebrated its 
millennium anniversary in 2005. There are several theories and legends 
about the origin of the city’s name. The most popular legend involves a boiling cauldron: 
a sorcerer advised the Bulgars to build a city where a cauldron buried in the ground would boil 
without fire. Such a place was allegedly found on the shore of Lake Kaban. Thus, the city was 
named Kazan — “kazan” in Tatar means “cauldron.” Thanks to its favorable geographic 
location, Kazan has long been a trade intermediary between East and West.
According to the official version, the city was founded more than 1000 years ago. 
The presumed founding date of the settlement is 1004–1005. This dating is based on a Czech 
Republic coin found during excavations at the Kazan Kremlin, minted during the reign 
of Saint Wenceslas (estimated around 930), the earliest known Czech coin, as well as remnants 
of stonework, wooden city walls, craft tools, utensils, and other artifacts. Specialists from 20 
cities across Russia and 22 countries around the world were involved in studying these findings.
Kazan was originally founded as a border fortress on the northern frontier of Volga Bulgaria. In 
the 13th–14th centuries, the city experienced growth and became a major trade and political 
center within the Golden Horde. Its advantageous location at the crossroads of major trade routes 
between East and West fueled its development. The first written mention of Kazan appears in the 
Rogozh Chronicle, where it is already referred to as the center of one of the sultanates. Around 
the same time, coins were minted bearing the inscription “Bulgar al-Jadid,” or “New Bulgar.”
In 1438, the Bulgar fortress of Kazan (Iske-Kazan) was seized by the deposed Golden Horde khan 
Ulugh Muhammad, who killed the local prince Lebediya and moved the fortress to its 
current location. The city became the capital of the Kazan Khanate. Industries such as 
leatherworking, pottery, and weapons production developed. Kazan maintained trade relations 
with Moscow, Crimea, Turkey, and other regions. A series of wars with the Grand Duchy of Moscow 
initially forced Moscow to pay tribute to the Kazan Khanate, but eventually led to the city’s 
capture by Ivan the Terrible’s troops in 1552. Most of the city was destroyed, and the Tatars 
were relocated to the marshy banks of Lake Kaban, where the Tatar Settlement (now 
called Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda, Old Tatar Settlement) was established. 
After suppressing local uprisings, Kazan entered a new era as part of the Russian Tsardom.
In 1556, construction began on a new white-stone Kremlin, and the city began to be populated 
by Russians. And the district historically inhabited by native Tatars is still known as 
Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda (Old Tatar Settlement). In the 17th century, Kazan experienced economic 
growth, the emergence of craft settlements, and the establishment of early manufactories. 
In 1708, Kazan became the capital of the large Kazan Governorate. From the 1760s, urban 
development took on a more orderly character, with wooden pavements and bridges built 
over the Bulak canal and the Kazanka River. By the late 18th century, Kazan’s 
population was about 22000 within the city, and over 40000 including surrounding settlements.
The city became an educational and cultural hub of the Volga region: in 1758, the first provincial 
gymnasium in Russia opened in Kazan; in 1791, a permanent theater was established. A 
significant milestone was the founding of Kazan University in 1804 — the third in Russia 
after Moscow and Saint Petersburg — which cemented Kazan’s status as a major scientific center. In 
1894, the city was connected to Moscow by rail. Following the 1917 Revolution, when power 
shifted from the Tsar to the Bolsheviks, a decree in 1920 established the Tatar 
Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic with its capital in Kazan. The 1930s saw rapid 
industrialization and population growth. New factories and thermal power plants 
were constructed. During World War II, major factories, including the Gorbunov Moscow 
Aviation Plant and the Voronezh Engine Plant, were evacuated to Kazan. Part of the USSR Academy 
of Sciences also relocated here, and local industries were repurposed for war production.
After the World War II, Kazan continued to develop, with the population 
surpassing 1 million by 1979. Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991 and 
the beginning of the market era in the 1990s, Kazan successfully became a major interregional 
political, financial, sports, and tourist center in Russia. It eventually rose to 5th place 
in population among Russian cities. In 2005, Kazan celebrated its millennium with the opening 
of the Kazan Metro, the Millennium Bridge, and other major projects. The Kazan Kremlin became 
a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the city began receiving over a million tourists annually.
Kazan has repeatedly hosted high-level international sports events, including the 27th 
Summer Universiade in 2013, several matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and the BRICS Games in 
2024. Additionally, the 16th BRICS Summit took place in Kazan from October 22 to 24, 2024.
In 2020, Kazan was awarded the honorary title of “City of Labor Valor.”
In 2021, Kazan’s public spaces were recognized as the most well-maintained and 
comfortable in Russia. In 2024, Kazan was ranked as the best city in Russia for urban management.
Kazan houses the government institutions of the Republic of Tatarstan, including the Residence 
of the Head of the Republic. Interestingly, until 2023, the head of the Republic of 
Tatarstan was still officially titled “President,” while all other republics in Russia 
had dropped this title by 2015. The current title is Rais. “Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan.”
The historical symbol of Kazan is the mythological dragon-like creature Zilant, frequently 
mentioned in legends. According to one version, when numerous snakes and reptiles hindered the 
city’s growth, hunters defeated the Snake King. In another tale, the townspeople paid the giant 
serpent with gold, after which all snakes left the city. Historically, snakes were indeed abundant 
in the Kazan region but later declined in number. Kazan is active on the international stage. The 
city hosts numerous foreign diplomatic, trade, and cultural missions. The Kazan Kremlin and 
the Institute for the Culture of Peace operate under the auspices (осписиз) of UNESCO. The 
city participates in sister-city and partnership movements and is a member of several global city 
organizations. Kazan has hosted CIS summits, international security summits, BRICS summits, 
and other world-class forums and conferences, many high-profile foreign leaders, including the 
President of China, the U.S. Secretary of State, and dozens of heads of state and 
government. The international airport, reconstructed in 2005, offers flights to dozens 
of destinations worldwide and accommodates large aircraft such as the Boeing 747.
Kazan is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Russia: over 115 ethnic groups 
reside in the city. According to the 2020 census, the largest group is Tatars (608,000), 
followed by Russians (584,000 residents). In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the term “Kazan 
Phenomenon” became widely known in criminology, having first emerged in the late 1970s. It 
referred to criminal youth gangs that formed based on territorial principles in Kazan. In 1978, 
the city saw its first trial in fifty years where the defendants were convicted under Article 77 of 
the USSR Criminal Code — “banditry.” As a result, Kazan developed a reputation as one of 
the criminal centers of both the USSR and post-Soviet Russia. In the second half of 
the 1990s, many gang leaders were prosecuted. Sociologists attribute the origins of the Kazan 
Phenomenon to the city’s severe lack of social infrastructure for youth during the Soviet era.
Nevertheless, today Kazan is considered one of the safest cities in Russia.
Kazan is also one of Russia’s leading industrial, financial, trade, and 
tourist centers, topping the Volga region in terms of capital investment and construction.
Its industrial base includes the chemical and petrochemical industries, mechanical 
engineering, light and food industries. Among the largest enterprises are the 
massive KazanOrgSintez chemical complex, the oldest Kazan Gunpowder Plant, and a unique 
aviation industry cluster consisting of three major enterprises: the KAPO aircraft 
plant(manufacturer of the world’s largest strategic bomber Tu-160), the KVZ helicopter 
plant, and the KMPO engine-building plant. Kazan is also home to the headquarters 
of six companies among Russia’s top 500 by revenue. In terms of total capital of 
local banks, Kazan ranks third in Russia, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
Its innovation economy is represented by the largest IT Park in Russia 
and one of the largest technology parks in Europe — Technopark “Idea.”
Kazan also operates the only electronic procurement platform outside Moscow for federal 
government contracts. Throughout the post-Soviet period, the city has led the Volga region 
in housing construction — both in public programs (demolition of old housing, social 
mortgages) and in commercial real estate. The republic-level program for resettling residents 
from dilapidated housing, widely implemented in Kazan, was among the first of its kind in Russia.
Kazan has a moderately continental climate; harsh frosts and scorching heat are 
rare and uncharacteristic for the city. Kazan has launched and implemented great programs 
such as “Green Record” and “Blooming Kazan.” Every year, 5 million flowers are planted. As part of 
the “Green Record” project, 530000 square meters of new lawns have been laid, 78 km o f automatic 
irrigation systems installed, and the area of floral decoration has doubled. One of the city’s 
landmarks — the Bulak canal — was revitalized and fitted with a 1.4 km-long fountain complex.
Since the early 2020s, at least 4 million tourists have visited Kazan annually — a 
number that continues to grow. In fact, if you recall, I myself — have been 
visiting every year for the past four years. Tourists visit year-round, especially the 
UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kazan Kremlin, as well as many other attractions both in the 
city and nearby. These include the circus, the Kazan ski resort, the “Riviera” hotel 
and water park complex, and many more. The city has 161 hotels offering accommodation.
Kazan is one of the largest transport and logistics hubs in Russia. As already said, 
Federal highways M7 and M12 pass through the city. Railways from Kazan connect to Izhevsk, 
Perm, Yekaterinburg, Ulyanovsk, Bugulma, Ufa, Nizhny Novgorod, Moscow and Kirov.
The Kazan River Port and Passenger River Terminal handle cargo 
shipments and cruise vessels. All types of public transport operate in 
Kazan: buses, trolleybuses, trams, and metro. The Kazan Metro, Russia’s seventh, was officially 
opened on August 27, 2005, during the city’s Millennium celebrations. Also, the Millennium 
Bridge was constructed — it has since become a symbol of the celebration and the city itself.
Kazan is the only Russian city that simultaneously hosts a federal university and two 
national research universities. Its leading higher educational institutions are:
Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University Kazan National Research Technical 
University named after Andrey Tupolev (formerly Kazan Aviation Institute)
Kazan National Research Technological University Kazan State Power Engineering University — one of 
three specialized energy universities in Russia, which also provides professional 
retraining and advanced training Kazan Innovative University 
named after Vitaly Timiryasov Kazan has historically been one of 
Russia’s main scientific centers. Landmark scientific discoveries made here include: 
the creation of non-Euclidean geometry (by Nikolai Lobachevsky), discovery of the chemical 
element ruthenium (by Karl Klaus), the development of the theory of chemical structure (by Alexander 
Butlerov), the discovery of electron paramagnetic resonance (by Evgeny Zavoisky), photon 
echo, acoustic paramagnetic resonance, and more. The Academy of Sciences of the Republic of 
Tatarstan was founded in 1991. It includes seven departments by scientific field 
and 17 research institutes and centers. Kazan is also one of the country’s largest 
cultural centers, maintaining classical traditions while promoting modern and avant-garde cultural 
directions. It is traditionally considered a “multicultural” city, emphasizing the harmonious 
coexistence of Russian and Tatar cultures. With support from UNESCO, Kazan is home to the world’s 
first Institute for the Culture of Peace. There are many museums in the city, including 34 
state museums, and several public and private galleries. The National Museum of the 
Republic of Tatarstan, founded in 1894, is the largest and most multidisciplinary, 
with its most valuable exhibits — natural, archaeological, and ethnographic collections 
— housed in the former Gostiny Dvor (Merchant Court), built in 1815. A branch of the State 
Hermitage Museum — Hermitage-Kazan — operates in the Kazan Kremlin. Another popular museum 
is the Museum of the Millennium of Kazan. Kazan boasts numerous theaters. Of the city’s nine 
theaters, three hold the title of “academic”. The most famous and in-demand include:
Tatar Academic State Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Musa Jalil (venue for 
international music and theater festivals) Tatar Academic Theater named after Galiaskar Kamal
Kazan State Academic Russian Bolshoi Drama Theater named after Vasily Kachalov
Kazan Circus is one of the leading circuses in Russia and is housed in a unique building.
Concerts and other cultural events take place at the Salikh Saidashev State Grand Concert 
Hall, Pyramid entertainment complex, and in sports venues like Basket-Hall, Tatneft-Arena, Palace 
of Sports, and UNICS. Much attention is given to children’s creative 
groups, including the Kazan Youth Symphony Orchestra, a 1000-voice children’s choir, 
a children’s wind orchestra, a guitar ensemble, and groups of kubyz and accordion players.
Kazan is a city where two major religions — Sunni Islam and Russian Orthodoxy — are 
historically intertwined. Islam, the official religion of Volga Bulgaria, the Golden Horde, and 
the Kazan Khanate, has been connected to the city since its founding. After Ivan the Terrible’s 
conquest, Orthodoxy became dominant, and in 1555 the Kazan Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church 
was established. A major religious event was the 1579 discovery of the Kazan Icon of the Mother 
of God, one of the most venerated icons in the Russian Church. The al-Marjani Mosque, the first 
built in Kazan after Ivan the Terrible’s conquest, symbolizes the beginning of religious 
tolerance in Russia, proclaimed by Empress Catherine II in the late 18th century. It remains 
a historic center of Tatar-Muslim spirituality. A Jewish community formed from cantonists 
in the 1820s, and a synagogue was built in 1915. A Lutheran community appeared 
after the Livonian War (1558–1583), and a Lutheran church opened in 1771. A Roman 
Catholic parish was established in Kazan in 1833. In 2005, the Kul Sharif Mosque was 
completed in the Kazan Kremlin. In 2015, the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky was completed. 
In 2021, restoration of the Kazan Cathedral, destroyed in the 1930s, was finished — it is 
now the main cathedral of the Kazan Diocese. At the turn of the 18th–19th centuries, Kazan’s 
architecture became dominated by the styles of Classicism and Empire. In the 1820s–30s, 
the city gained a masterpiece of that era’s architecture — the Kazan University complex. A 
new urban plan by architect Filipp Petondi was approved in 1838 and remained in effect until 
1917. The plan aimed to enlarge city blocks and develop the city to the south and southwest.
By the early 20th century, Kazan’s historical center had two distinct urban fabrics, reflecting 
the city’s two dominant cultures. The upper part of the city (modern-day Vakhitovsky 
District) was the Russian part of Kazan, itself divided into aristocratic and 
merchant quarters (notable buildings include the Alexander Passage, the residence of 
the military district commander, Ushakova House, and various tenement houses and mansions 
of Kekin, Chernyaryov, Akchurins, and others), as well as working-class outskirts that often 
lacked infrastructure. In the areas of today’s Privolzhsky and parts of Vakhitovsky districts 
— traditionally Tatar neighborhoods — a unique ensemble of national Tatar architecture was 
formed, closely associated with prominent figures in Tatar history and culture.
Kazan is one of Russia’s most developed cities in terms of sports infrastructure, often referred to 
as the “Sports Capital of Russia.” The city hosted the 2013 Summer Universiade, 2014 Fencing World 
Championship, 2015 World Aquatics Championship, and 2018 FIFA World Cup matches. Kazan’s sports 
teams have shown consistent high performance over the years. Among the top achievements:
The Ak Bars hockey club has won the KHL Championship 5 times
The Rubin football club has been Russian Premier League champion twice
In 2023, UNICS basketball club became the champion of Russia
Thus, the city is a national leader in sports victories across various disciplines.
Kazan is home to numerous major sports venues of national and international caliber, including 
some unique in Russia. These include the Central Stadium, Basket-Hall, Tatneft 
Arena, Kazan Tennis Academy, Field Hockey Center, Volleyball Center, Ak Bars 
Martial Arts Palace, the rowing canal on Lake Middle Kaban, and the Aquatics Palace, all 
capable of hosting top-tier international events. In 2013, the Kazan Arena Stadium opened with 
a capacity of 45000 spectators — the main venue for the Summer Universiade 
and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The Kazan Hippodrome is the largest in 
Russia and one of the largest in Europe. Near the city are the Kazan year-round ski resort, 
the archery and crossbow center in Sviyazhsk, and the parachute-aviation center in 
Kurkachi. Kazan’s two main football arenas — “Central” and “Ak Bars Arena” — both 
meet UEFA’s highest 4th category standards. To conclude this tour of the city, let me to say 
that — in my personal opinion — Kazan is truly one of the best cities in Russia!
Welcome to Kazan! Sergey Baklykov, “All of Russia” 
channel on Baklykov Live.