MIR Corporation's Travel Log:
Trans-Siberian Railway - Day 4: Kazan
MIR clients Helge Pedersen and Karen Ofsthus ride the rails of the fabled Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to UlaanBaatar on MIR's Trans-Siberian private rail journey as they check in from each stop with stories, photos and video.
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Day 4: Kazan
July 4, 2008
Starting Location: Moscow, Russia
Ending Location: Kazan, Russia
Total Distance Traveled: 450 miles (724 kilometers)
Ivan the Terrible is a big baby. Like a petulant child throwing a tantrum over a toy, he stomped his way to Kazan, a beautiful city perched on the banks of the Volga River. When Ivan arrived with his troops in 1552, he set to work destroying all the gorgeous mosques that dotted the landscape, conquering the city and forcing the local Tatar population into swampy, disease-infested areas of Kazan.
But the Tatars were a hardy bunch. Sprouted from tough Mongolian and Bulgarian roots, the Tatars resisted the Russian conquest, and continued to pray in their homes. And just to make double sure that cranky Ivan didn't seize any more than he already had, they tossed all their treasures and jewels into Lake Kaban for good measure. Take their mosques AND their money? No way.
After many years of suffering under the sledgehammer of Russian rule and during the rein of Catherine the Great, religious tolerance once again flourished and mosques were rebuilt. Today we visited one such jewel and newest construction, the Qol Sharif mosque.
The Qol Sharif mosque is stunningly beautiful. Its massive structure is deceptively hidden behind another building; so much so, that when we came around the corner and caught our first view, it quite literally took everyone's breath away. Gleaming white against a cloudy sky, its eight minarets rise many stories high. Capped with azure blue tiles and exquisite stained glass imported from the Czech Republic, you get the sense that God lives here.
Donning foot coverings and a headscarf, we silently entered this holy place. Unfortunately no photographs were allowed inside. Also unfortunately, the interior is so grand that I struggle to find words to describe its beauty. A massive crystal chandelier glitters from the center of the room. Tile work in a base of sea blue is so intricate that it looks like paint. Golden quotes from the Koran adorn walls and columns and a steel blue carpet extends wall to wall, cushioning the knees of hundreds of Islamic pilgrims five times each day. Men worship on the fourth floor, women on the fifth, shielded from prying male eyes by an intricately carved wooden screen. Next door to the Qol Sharif stands the Soyembika Tower, named after Kazan's Tatar Empress, Soyembika. Our highly capable tour guide, Yana, reveals her legend.
Apparently Ivan the Terrible became smitten with Soyembika's striking beauty. He decided to marry her, but she refused him. Nonetheless, he persisted in his efforts to obtain her hand in marriage (he probably also threatened to slaughter every Tatar he could get his hands on) so she made him a deal. She told Ivan that she would agree to marriage if he built the highest and most beautiful tower, and in just seven days. Perhaps she wasn't aware of Ivan's penchant for persuading people to do his bidding. It was nothing for him to obtain enough "volunteers" to accomplish the feat. So, seven days later there it stood, the Soyembika Tower, a brick and mortar monolith seven layers high. "Oops," thought Soyembika. "I wasn't planning on that." So, resigned to her fate, she requested to climb to the top of the tower to say goodbye to her people. (I KNEW what was coming next in this story...) Up the tower she climbed, then as legend has it, she threw herself off the top, struck the ground and turned into a swan. Now, Yana had me all the way up until the "turned into a swan" part. I could just imagine bike choosing to end it all rather than head off to Moscow with Ivan to be his wife. Either way, the tower IS beautiful and the story tragic. Yana was the best tour guide ever. We ended our city tour of Kazan with a relaxing boat ride on the Volga River...the "Mother Volga," as it's known by the locals.
Serving as a major trade and travel route, the Volga brought vibrant life to this part of Russia. Its banks host massive 15th - 19th century architecture and support thriving industries. Gigantic piles of sand, gravel and scrap metal can be seen, waiting for incoming ships to load and haul them away. Most river travel occurs from spring to fall, as winter temperatures can drop to minus 30, freezing the river solid. Yana tells us that last winter it was quite warm, only minus 10 or 15. Yes, now that's what I would call "warm."
Beautiful Kazan along the Volga River has so much more to offer and I would have loved to stay and visit longer. But Ekaterinburg, our next stop, awaits us. "Clackity Clack..." goes the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express. I can't wait!
Photos from this leg of the tour:
The Kazan train station
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There are treasures hidden beneath
Lake Kaban
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We are greeted with a traditional treat called "Choo-choo"
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Made from puffed pastry and honey, "Choo-choo" makes a yummy snack
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A beautiful Tartar girl in traditional dress
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An old women passes Tartar heroes
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Our fabulous guide Yana in front of
the Qol Sharif mosque
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A monument to Tartar and
Russian architects
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The glorious interior of
Peter and Paul Cathedral
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Our trusty captain steers our boat
along the Volga River
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A slideshow with more photos from this leg of the tour:
To start the Slideshow, click once within the frame above, then click the PLAY button at the left of the menu bar. You may also slide your mouse pointer along the timeline to view individual photos.
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