Museum of the History of Tatarstan Statehood (Kazan Kremlin)

The Museum of the History of Statehood of the Tatar People and the Republic of Tatarstan is in the Kazan Kremlin, housed in the former Palace (Vvedenskaya) Church on Sheinkmana Passage. Part of the Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve, it tells the story of the states built by the Tatars and their ancestors, from the Middle Ages to modern Tatarstan.

History of the building

The Palace Church is known from the 17th century. According to one theory, it stands on the site of the khans' Nur-Ali Mosque: excavations in 1977–1978 in the courtyard between the church and the Syuyumbike Tower uncovered white-stone foundations of monumental buildings from the Kazan Khanate. In the 18th century the church was rebuilt and consecrated as the Church of the Presentation (Vvedenskaya); it served as the private church of the Kazan governor.

It burned in 1749 and was restored, but the fire of 1815 gutted it, and the building stood in ruins for more than thirty years. After Nicholas I visited Kazan in 1836, it was decided to rebuild it. The design by the provincial architect Foma Petondi was approved in 1852 and the work was finished in 1859. Petondi changed the layout, moved the main entrance, reshaped the galleries and gave the interiors a strict classical look.

The building, about 27 metres tall, is a rare example of early Russian Baroque. Its tiered, pyramid-like outline echoes the neighbouring Syuyumbike Tower. The corners carry clusters of half-columns with lavish capitals, and the windows have frames topped with "cockscomb" ornaments.

Exhibition

The museum opened in 2006. Its displays cover more than two thousand years: from ancient roots and the medieval states of the Volga region, through the Kazan Khanate and Tatarstan within the Russian state from the 16th century, to the Tatar ASSR and the present-day republic. The ground floor hosts temporary exhibitions; the permanent display is upstairs.

Exhibits include a reconstruction of the throne of the Kazan khans, old coins, samples of writing, maps, documents and photographs, ethnographic objects, state awards and gifts received by the republic during official visits. Video projections and other interactive features are used throughout. Tours, traditional craft workshops, quests and quizzes are run for visitors of all ages.

Getting there

The museum stands in the middle of the Kazan Kremlin, next to the residence of the President of Tatarstan, the Syuyumbike Tower and the mausoleum of the Kazan khans, so it fits easily into a walk around the Kremlin. The nearest metro station is Kremlyovskaya, a few minutes' walk away.

Good to know

The museum is usually open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, with the ticket office closing half an hour earlier; Monday is a day off. Admission is paid, free for young children; check current hours and prices on the Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve website.