Tatarstan
While crossing the Russian Federation, our team is going to visit several ancient cities that, despite their belonging to Russia, are still representing different cultures. First of them is Kazan, capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. Being the object of pride of the largest country in the world it still is the soul of utterly original and definitely recognizable nation.
Tatarstan is located right in the heart of Russia, where Volga, the greatest river of Europe, meets its tributary Kama. Irrespective of residing here long before Genghis Khan invaded North Caucasian lands in the 13th Century, name of „Tatar” became larger known only after Russians began to apply it on each inhabitant of the Golden Horde, a great Mongol State in Middle Asia. Main reason of it was the rise of power in the Khanate of Kazan which made it special among other khanates of the Horde. In 15th Century the Khanate of Kazan already has been known as the Great Horde and for this time it was a real Tatar principality. Fortunately or not, it got completely destroyed by the Crimean Khanate and in 1552 became a part of Russia. This belonging still leaves odd traces in some particular features of Tatar culture: allegedly here, like in many other Turkic-speaking autonomies of Russian Federation, it is considered to use Cyrillic letters for writing, which is Tatar language inappropriate.
Often national cuisine is a great indicator of national history. The traditions of Tatar cuisine definitely describe particular historical events. Unlike, for instance, Nomads, Tatars preferred to settle in one place and devote themselves to agriculture and animal-breeding, while the other nations went in and out leaving their own traces in the local cooking culture. Turkic nations have left katik and kabartma on menu, Uzbeks brought their plov and halva and Chinese brought their dumplings and tea. As for Tatars themselves, they reached their real mastership in bakery.
Kazan, which in Tatar language means „boiler” is naturally divided by a geographic line of the Canal of Bulak and the chain of lakes. This division has historically made two parts of the city „boil” separately. Now the city consists of two parts – Tatar Kazan and Russian Kazan with its authentic Russian citadel Kremlin which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage. Also more than a million of city inhabitants are divided proportionally by nations: 51% of the population is Tatars and 41% - Russians. Respectively, this feature forms two main confessions – Orthodox and Muslims. They also celebrate both Islamic and Christian holidays as well as secular.
Unlike most of big cities, Kazan almost has not enlarged its area within last hundred years. It has been strongly keeping its historical values within its ancient walls. And there is a lot of history to be kept: last year Kazan has celebrated its 1, 000th anniversary! In honor of the date vast amount of new cultural and recreational monuments such as Ice Palace of Sports, Kazan International Equestrian Centre, Hermitage Centre (branch of Saint-Petersburg Hermitage museum), Millennium Park and Millennium Museum and even long-awaited Kazan Underground have been opened.
Elizabete Neimiseva for enduroadventure.lv
Photos from http://virtualtourist.com