On the territory of Tatarstan, as in many zones throughout Russia, there are nature reserves and historical museums, in which the pristine state of unique natural and historical places is preserved.
Natural reserves of the Republic of Tatarstan: Volzhsko-Kama National Park Nizhny Kama, as well as numerous custom sites.
In total, protected areas occupy about 1% of the entire territory of the republic, which is insignificant. A lot of work is being done at the state level to increase such sites in the republic.
A brief description of the Volga-Kama nature reserve
The Volga-Kama Reserve covers an area of more than 10 thousand hectares. Its territory is located near the largest rivers Kama and Volga. The nature of these unique corners of the republic is rich in numerous varieties of flora and fauna.
This biosphere reserve is the only one of this kind in the territory of Tatarstan. It consists of two parts: Raifsky (about 6 thousand hectares) and the site of Saralovsky (more than 4 thousand hectares).
The flora of this reserve totals about 844 species of vascular plants (including 51 species of shrubs and trees). Also quite rare species from the Red Book of Russia are noted here: red pollen-headed, slipper, lily of the grasshopper, and so on.
The Raifa site is notable for almost 300-year-old pine plantations. The grandfather garden is also unique here, which contains about 500 varieties of vegetation from different parts of the world. Natural lakes are located here and amazingly beautiful.
The Saralovsky site is notable for the fact that it is inhabited by white-tailed eagles listed in the International Red Book. In all of Europe there is no other similar place with such a concentration of these exotic birds. On an area of only 4 thousand hectares, 8 pairs of eagles nest.
The unique national state museums and reserves of Tatarstan are also of great interest. Some of them are briefly described below.
Bulgarian Historical and Architectural State Museum-Reserve
This is a kind of historical state located in the Middle Volga region and the Kama river basin (X-XIII centuries). It was created in 1969. This is the oldest historical place in Tatarstan.
The Bulgarian complex is the northernmost monument of Muslim architecture of the Middle Ages in the whole world. This only monument in the world testifies to the long-vanished ancient states - Volga Bulgaria and the Golden Horde. It is evidence of a vanished culture, the way of life of those times.
Here, during excavations, numerous archaeological valuable finds have been found and continue to be revealed: various fossils of ancient eras, the sites of an ancient man.
Tatarstan's museum reserves are still replenished with archaeological artifacts found during endless excavations in these amazingly interesting historical places.
Sviyazhsk Island
In the Zelenodolsk district of Tatarstan there is a small island at the confluence of the Shchuki and Sviyaga rivers.
The island of hail has been known for almost 500 years. The beginning of Sviyazhsk comes from the fortress. In 1551, it was built in the rear of the enemy (in just 1 month). Thanks to her, the capital of the Khanate of Kazan fell.
Today, only Trinity Cathedral has survived on this territory. In those days, service was performed in it in the presence of Ivan the Terrible himself before the capture of Kazan.
Today Sviyazhsk is the most popular tourist complex in the republic.
"Old Kazan" ("Iske Kazan")
The museum-reserves of Tatarstan carry the history of the beginning of the life of the Tatar people (and not only), the formation of culture, religion.
"Old Kazan" is considered the starting point of the history of modern Tatarstan. These are sacred places of worship for Muslims. These are lands, hills and stones that store the answers to numerous questions.
Kazan is a city with a 1000-year past. It was once just a small village. However, the controversial issue is the connection between the "Old" and the "New" Kazan.
The ancient settlements located at three villages: Kamaevo, Tatar Aisha and Russky Urmat (Vysokogorsky district) testify to the existence of the medieval Old (Iske) Kazan.
According to legend, the city was created by the Bulgarian princes (seven-year-old Altyn-bey and nine-year-old Alim-bey). It was built on the Kazanka River (in the upper reaches), where a large bend (horseshoe-shaped) was formed by its course. Features of the local landscape resemble a huge half-boiler (half-cooked). Hence the name of the city.
