KAZAN

Kazan is the capital of the 'autonomous' republic of Tatarstan. The Kremlin contains a splendid 19th century presidential palace, which, like much of the city, had an extensive facelift for the 1000th anniversary of its founding in 2005 - work still continues, and while dilapidated corners still exist they are being eliminated.
As in Tobolsk, the Tatars form a significant percentage of the population, and there is a large and splendid new mosque in the Kremlin, replacing one destroyed by Ivan Grozny (the Terrible) in 1552!

There is a leaning tower near the presidential palace, reputedly built by Ivan for a local princess, widow of three Khans, whom he wanted to marry. She agreed - on condition that he build a tower taller than the mosque (before it was destroyed) inside a week. To her chagrin, he achieved the challenge; the legend says that she then committed suicide by jumping off the tower, rather than marry the tsar. However he went on to capture and sack the city anyway and Tatarstan has remained part of Russia to this day.

The city also has a splendid 18th C (?) university where Lenin was an undergraduate -
although he was in fact sent down for revolutionary activities and forming undesirable associations... Surprise, surprise... There are at least two youthful statues of him near the university. He was born in Simbirsk (now Ulyanovsk) a couple of hours downstream.

We took a trip down the Volga on a local ferry, although the weather was not very photogenic... The river is of course a great artery of traffic, both cargo (mainly barges) and cruise ships. Cruises are booked up well in advence so we had to settle for short trips.

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Kazan es capital de la republica 'autonoma' de Tatarstan. El Kremlin contiene un palacio esplendido del siglo 19, ocupado por el presidente. Fue restaurado en 2005 en un programa de restauracion para los mil anos de la fundacion la ciudad - siguen trabajando y quedan pocos rincones sin restaurar. Igual a Tobolsk, hay una poblacion importante de Tatares, y existe una nueva mezquita grande y esplendida en el Kremlin, para reemplazar una destruida por Ivan Grozny (el Terrible) en 1552!

Cerca del palacio hay una torre inclinada, supuestamente construida por Ivan para una princesa local, viuda de tres Khanes, con la cual se queria casar. Ella acepto, bajo la condicion que construyera una torre mas alta que la mezquita (destruida posteriormente) dentro de una semana. Lamentablemente para ella, lo hizo; entonces ella se suicidio saltando de la torre, antes de casarse con el tsar. Sin embargo el vencio y destryo la ciudad y sigue siendo parte de Russia.

La ciudad posee una esplendida universida del siglo 18 (?) donde estudio Lenin - lo echaron por actividades revolucionarias y por asociaciones indeseables... Que sorpresa... Existen por lo menos dos estatuas del joven Lenin cerca de la universidad. Nacio en Simbirsk (hoy Ulyanovsk), a unas horas hacia el sur por el Volga.

Hicimos un viaje por el rio Volga en un ferry local, el tiempo no nos acompano, aunque no llovio... Por supuesto, el ria es una gran arteria de transito, tanto de carga (principalmente en barcazas) y cruceros.