A little further from its ancient walls, a tower rises, attracting the eyes of tourists with its unusual appearance. It has a very noticeable slope, and the audience has the impression that in a moment they will witness its crushing fall. But minutes, years and even centuries pass, and the tower remains motionless.

Death of the royal bride

ancient legend tells that, having conquered Kazan in 1552, Ivan the Terrible wished to marry the Tatar queen Syuyumbike, the beautiful widow of Khan Safa Giray, who died on the walls of the city. In case of refusal, he threatened to take out his anger on all her people. Wanting to save her compatriots, the queen agreed, but on the condition that a seven-tiered tower would be built for her within 7 days.

Tower in a week?! Is it a joke! However, there is nothing to be done. The king gave the command, and the work began to boil. Somehow they got it done on time. You can't spoil Ivan Vasilyevich - a block with an ax is always at hand, so to speak, for greater motivation. In a hurry, however, they messed up a little, but there was no time to redo it.

And then the unexpected happened. On the eve of the very day of the wedding, the royal daughter-in-law rose to the very top of the tower, spread her white arms and rushed down from a terrible height. She died, but did not go down the aisle by force. Since then, they began to call this tower "Syuyumbike" in honor of the beautiful widow. At first, they were upset that it was painfully leaning sideways, but when they heard about the world fame of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, they cheered up - and we, they say, are no worse. Screw up, they say, and we are masters.

Another version of the legend

There is another legend about the Syuyumbike tower, and many consider it more plausible, albeit less romantic. According to this version, there was no sexual harassment on the part of the tsar-priest (tea, not some kind of Weinstein), but simply ordered the Khan's widow Syuyumbika to build a tower in memory of her late husband Safa Giray.

And her faithful did not die on the battlefield, but was poisoned by his own courtiers, who were trying to arrange a coup d'état. So it happened or otherwise - it is not known, but since then the "falling" tower of Syuyumbike (such beautiful name she received among the people) competes with the famous Pisa and is one of the attractions of the Tatar capital.

Documents that perished in the fire

These are legends, but what real story Syuyumbike towers? Hearing this question, pundits just shrug their shoulders. The fact is that no historical documents have been preserved to this day that shed light on the appearance of such an unusual architectural monument in Kazan. All of them were once kept in Moscow and were the property of the so-called Order of the Kazan Palace. But in 1701, a terrible fire engulfed the capital, in the fire of which documents related to the administration of Kazan were destroyed. As for the Tatar archives relating to the period of the possible construction of the Syuyumbike tower, they were all destroyed during the assault on the city by the troops of Ivan the Terrible in 1552.

In this regard, the question of when, by whom and under what circumstances the tower was built remains unanswered. Even its approximate dating is controversial. In the course of discussions that have been going on for many years, they often name the 17th and 18th centuries, but a number of researchers believe that this could have happened even before 1552, that is, during the period of the Kazan Khanate.

Khan Survivor of Exile

Having started the article with the legends about the Syuyumbike tower, which are a product of folk fantasy, it is appropriate to cite several hypotheses belonging to pundits. The author of one of them - the most popular today - is Professor N.P. Zagoskin, who even before the revolution taught at the Kazan Imperial University. According to his version, the construction of the tower is associated with the names of two historical figures - the Tatar Khan Mohammed-Amin and the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III.

The fact is that in the second half of the 15th century, the Kazan Khanate was engulfed in a bloody war between pretenders to the Khan's throne. One of them, still young at that time, Mohammed-Amin, saving his life, took advantage of the asylum provided to him in Moscow by Ivan III. It just so happened that the young man fell in love with the Grand Duke, and in 1487 he helped him seize power.

Kazan brainchild of an Italian architect

Remembering the prince's beneficence, the khan decided, by building a mosque, to perpetuate in stone the peaceful alliance concluded under his rule between Kazan and Moscow. To this end, Mohammed-Amin again turned to his benefactor with a request to send at his disposal an Italian architect who lived in Moscow and was known to him for the construction of the Kremlin, which was carried out during his stay in the capital.

Thus, the author of the Syuyumbike Tower project could be the famous Italian architect, who decorated many European cities or one of his students. This hypothesis is confirmed by the fact that its architectural appearance is in many respects similar to other works of the master, and if it is correct, then the construction of the tower should be attributed to the end of the 15th century. At the same time, the upper part of the structure was rebuilt in the 18th century, due to the fact that the former mosque, erected by Khan Mohammed-Amin and called Nur-Ali, was turned into an Orthodox church.

Hypothesis about the Russian roots of the Kazan tower

However, this point of view is disputed by those who believe that the history of the Syuyumbike Tower (Kazan) began a century and a half later. In their favor, the data obtained as a result of archaeological sites conducted in the period 1941-1978. Having studied the cultural layers of the soil into which its foundation went deep, and the artifacts discovered at the same time, the researchers date the construction of the tower already in the Russian period and attribute it to 1640-1650.

"Beloved Queen"

How to be in this case with the khan's widow, whose name the tower bears, because in both cases it turns out that she not only did not jump from it, but even had nothing to do with the construction? Linguists have answered this question. As it turned out, Syuyumbike is not a proper name at all, but a noun, the first part of which - "syuyum" - translated from the Old Tatar means "beloved", and the second - "bike" - is translated as "mistress".

In other words, it turns out that the people called the tower erected in the very heart of the Kazan Khanate "Beloved Lady". It is possible that on the basis of the legend about how the khan's widow preferred death to marriage with an Orthodox tsar, in the popular mind her image was idealized and took on the features of a certain national heroine. Further, fantasy attributed to her unearthly beauty and statesmanship. So the "Beloved Lady" - Syuyumbike is ready. However, other options are not excluded. Perhaps, in different eras, this name meant other khan's wives. It is even suggested that real women have nothing to do with it at all, and her name is just a beautiful poetic metaphor.

twenty falling towers

As for the distinguishing feature of the tower - the inclination, as a result of which, with a total building height of 58 m, its spire shifted from the center line by 1.98 m, the reason lies in the mistake of the architectural design, made without taking into account the characteristics of the local soil. All over the world, "falling towers", and there are currently about two dozen of them, are the product of soil erosion, which has played its detrimental role in this case as well.

The only world famous among them was only one, which is part of architectural ensemble cathedral Italian city Pisa. The rest of her sisters, with rare exceptions, remain in obscurity. How many, for example, can answer the question in which city is the Syuyumbike tower or, say, the Great Lavra Bell Tower (Kiev)? Nevertheless, all these buildings are unique architectural monuments, and on the basis of modern technologies, work is underway to conserve them and protect them from possible destruction.

The Syuyumbike Tower is one of the most popular sights of Kazan along with the entire Kazan Kremlin and the Kul Sharif mosque. However, its popularity is caused not so much by the historical past, but by one attribute: the Syuyumbike tower belongs to the falling towers with a deviation of the spire projection ( highest point towers) by almost 2 meters (1.98 m). Thanks to this, the Syuyumbike tower is popular not only among Russian tourists, but also extremely famous all over the world.

The Syuyumbike Tower is a seven-tier conical building built of red brick with a total height of 58 meters. It is located inside the Kazan Kremlin complex on the Kazan Hill.

Syuyumbike tower architecture

The Syuyumbike Tower is recognized as an architectural symbol of Kazan, and its outlines are recognizable, perhaps, all over the world. All this is due to the successful structure of the tower, which evokes emotion even the most demanding aesthetes.

As it was written above, the Syuyumbike tower is falling - it is tilted towards the northeast. However, unlike the Leaning Tower of Pisa - the world's first tower in terms of inclination - Syuyumbike continued to slowly but surely fall until the 1990s. Strengthening it was carried out only after the slope exceeded one and a half meters.

The tower itself is a seven-tier building and a spire with a gilded crescent. The first, lowest tier, the widest with an arch in the middle. The second tier is also quadrangular and smaller in height and width than the first. The third is also a quadrangular tier, smaller in width than the second and with small windows. The fourth and fifth tiers also decrease in width, but, unlike the lower three, they are octagonal in shape. The sixth and seventh tiers are a sentinel tower (seventh tier) with a "stand" for it. All this ends with a green spire and a crescent on it.

Inside the tower is a spiral staircase leading to the watchtower.

In general, the architecture of the Syuyumbike tower is made in a fairly strict style, most of which resembles the Moscow baroque.

History of the Syuyumbike Tower

The history of the tower's construction is the biggest mystery regarding it. There are still numerous disputes among archaeologists not only about the specific year the Syuyumbike tower was built, but even about the era when it was erected, as well as about its original belonging to the Tatar people or Russian during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.

If we adhere to the first hypothesis - about its original belonging to the Tatar people - then it is generally accepted here that it was built in the period from the 12th to the 15th centuries as a watch fortress tower during the Kazan Khanate and was then called "Khan Manarasy" ("Khan's Minaret" ). In this case, the Syuyumbike tower is the last surviving monument of Tatar architecture in the city of Kazan.

According to the second version, the construction of the tower immediately after the conquest of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible remains the most popular hypothesis today. Then the king gave the order to build it within 7 days. It is because of the strong rush in construction, it is believed that a number of gross construction errors were made, the main of which was a too shallow foundation (no more than one and a half meters), as a result of which the tower today tilted.

One of the latest excavations shows that in reality the tower was built much later than the existence of the Kazan Khanate - in the 17th century. However, other excavations made it possible for archaeologists to see an earlier time of its construction - XII - XV centuries. Many historians also tend to believe that before the construction of the Syuyumbike tower in the 17th century, another structure stood in its place, and the tower was built on part of the foundation of this old building. That is why, according to the same historians, the tower leaned in the direction where there is no old foundation, and the soil cannot support the weight of the tower.

In any case, guidebooks and most Kazan guides today are of the opinion that the construction of the Syuyumbike tower was dated in the 17th century.

Who is Syuyumbike?

Syuyumbike was the daughter of Khan Yunus. In 1533, she was brought to the city of Kazan, where she was married to Khan Jan-Ali (1533-1535). Then, as a result of an uprising in 1535, Jan-Ali was killed by the people, and Syuyumbike, after a short wait, married Safa-Girey (1535-1549), having lived with him longer than with the rest of her husbands. After the death of Safa Giray, Syuyumbike formally became the regent (mother of the infant king) of the Kazan Khanate. Her son Utyamysh was too small to rule the khanate, so power passed to Syuyumbika. However, in fact, the khanate was ruled by the Crimean Ugan Koschak, a supporter of the independence of Kazan.

In 1552, after the conquest of Kazan, Tsar Ivan the Terrible forced Syuyumbike to marry Khan Shah-Ali, the brother of her first husband, who took her to Moscow. Some historians today talk about the difficult subsequent life of Syuyumbike: Shah Ali constantly mocked her with physical torture, however, there is no written evidence of this.

Syuyumbike lived with her last husband until the end of her life.

Until recently, there were other spellings of the name Syuyumbike: Syuyumbek and Syuyumbek. However, the dispute was resolved by the Tatar Encyclopedic Dictionary, which designated the name in its current form.

Legends of the Syuyumbike Tower

There are several legends, one way or another connected with the Syuyumbike tower. All of them are associated with controversial history building a tower, however, none of them is believed to be true.

The most popular and beloved among tourists coming to Kazan is the legend about the origin of the tower at the request of Queen Syuyumbike. According to legend, when Tsar Ivan the Terrible conquered Kazan, he forced Syuyumbike to marry him. The queen, in turn, understood that in case of refusal, Grozny, in anger, could exterminate the entire Tatar people, but it was important for her not to marry the conqueror of Kazan. Therefore, she asked the conqueror to build a tower of seven tiers in seven days. However, after her condition was met, she climbed onto the seventh tier of the tower and jumped off it, as a result of which she fell to her death. After that, the Tatar people nicknamed the tower in her honor.

According to another legend, the reason for the construction of the Syuyumbike tower is more prosaic: it was built under the leadership of Syuyumbike herself after the death of her second husband Safa Giray and in honor of him.

Also exists interesting legend, referring to the gilded ball on the peak of the tower, which was there originally. According to legend, chronicles of the Kazan Khanate, written by the khans themselves, were kept there. However, when examining the ball, nothing was found in it, although eyewitnesses speak of holes in it, suggesting that the documents may have been stolen.

Tower Syuyumbike located on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin complex and is one of the main attractions of Kazan. Its popularity is explained interesting history and legends, as well as the fact that it is falling. Interesting Facts about the history of the creation of the Syuyumbike tower in Kazan.

Syuyumbike Tower (Kazan): history of creation

Historians still argue about the time of its construction and this is not about the exact date, but about the historical era. According to one version, it was built during the heyday of the Kazan Khanate, by the 12th-15th centuries, when it was sentinel and was called the Kazan Minaret.

If you follow this version, then it is the only surviving monument of Tatar architecture of those times in Kazan.

There is also an opinion that it was built after the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible, who gave the order to build the structure in seven days. It was because of the haste that the foundation was made shallow, which explains the continuing slope.
The results of recent excavations show that the construction was carried out in the XVII century. At the same time, some facts testify to its construction in the XI-XV centuries. Therefore, some scientists have suggested that a wooden tower was originally built on this site, and later it was rebuilt into a stone one. In the place where the old foundation is missing, the structure slopes.

Most historians are of the opinion that Tower Syuyumbike was built in the 17th century.

Suyumbike Tower: architecture

The height of the structure is 58 meters, and the slope is almost two meters. And although it leaned less than the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, it is two meters taller than it. In contrast, the foundation Syuyumbike did not strengthen until the deviation from the vertical was 1.5 meters.

Syuyumbike Tower (Kazan) has seven tiers:

• The first is the widest, it is a travel tier with an arch in the middle.
• The second tier has, like the first one, a quadrangular shape, but smaller in height and width.
• The third tier is built similarly to the second, but has small windows.
• The fourth and fifth tiers are octagonal.
• The sixth and seventh tiers are the sentinel tower.

At the top of the structure is a green spire with a crescent.

Suyumbike Tower: a legend

The name Syuyumbike is a composite name - Syuyum in Old Tatar means beloved, and bike means mistress. The name Syuyumbike is translated as "beloved queen" of the Kazan people in the 16th century. Indeed, Syuyumbike was a beautiful and noble educated woman, the widow of a khan who was killed in the struggle for the throne.

There are several legends about the name:
The most popular legend "Syuyumbike tower" says that after the capture of Kazan, Tsar Ivan the Terrible wanted Tsarina Syuyumbike to marry him. In case of her refusal, the tsar could punish the entire Tatar people. To save her people from trouble, the tsarina accepted Ivan the Terrible's proposal, but put forward the condition that a seven-tiered tower would be built in seven days. When her wish was granted, she went upstairs and threw herself on the ground. Since then, the tower has been named after her.

The history of the construction of the Syuyumbike tower: the 16th or 18th century?

In 1701, a fire raged in Moscow, the consequences of which also affected the Syuyumbike tower. Almost the entire archive of the Order of the Kazan Palace, which contained documents describing the process of building the Kremlin watchtower, perished in the fire. It is because of this accident that modern researchers are still unable to determine the exact date of construction of the Syuyumbike tower. For example, the well-known local historian N.P. Zagoskin claimed that the building was erected during the time of the Kazan Khanate, by order of the ruler Mohammed-Amin. The progressive ruler spent his early years in Moscow, where he made friends with the Russian Tsar in order to protect himself from the assassination attempts of other Kazan heirs to the throne. Historians believe that it was during this period that the future Khan witnessed the construction of the Borovitskaya Tower in the Moscow Kremlin.

It is assumed that after ascending the Kazan throne, Muhammad-Amin wished to acquire an improved copy of the Moscow archer, and to implement his grandiose plan, he invited the elderly Italian architect A. Fioravanti to the court. The main argument in favor of the hypothesis put forward is the bricks from which the architectural monument. Their dimensions fully comply with the standard introduced by the Italian genius (before that, a different form of bricks was used in Russia). However, modern historians considered this fact unconvincing, since the Syuyumbike tower does not appear in the drawings depicting the Kazan Kremlin in the era of the Khan's rule.

After many years of archaeological excavations within the walls of Syuyumbike, the researchers came to the conclusion that the building was erected no earlier than the end of the 17th century. This is clearly hinted at by the architecture of the tower in the style of the so-called "Moscow Baroque". In addition, the upper part of the building clearly copies the tents of the towers of the Volokolamsky Monastery and the Beklemishevskaya Tower in the Moscow Kremlin.

origin of name

The first mention of the Syuyumbike tower appeared in 1832. The poetic name flashed in one of the literary essays of the Kazan magazine Zavolzhsky Ant. Syuyumbike is the ruler of the Kazan Khanate, the daughter of the Nogai biy Yusuf and the great-great-great-granddaughter of the founder of the Nogai Horde dynasty Edigei. Until now, the building was simply called the tower "with a spitz", "commandant's" and even "Tatar" tower. The inhabitants of Kazan changed the name in their own way, christening the building Khan-Machete (from Tatar - Khan's mosque).

Syuyumbike tower architecture

The Syuyumbike Tower is located on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin, but at the same time it is removed from the fortress walls. This location is explained simply: initially, the structure served as a watchtower.

Within the walls of Syuyumbike, a wide passage was equipped, through which carts of citizens and military carts could pass into the fortress. The building is supported by a two-meter foundation, reinforced on oak piles. The tower itself consists of 7 tiers. The first three are in the form of regular cubes of various sizes. Along the perimeter of each tier, special galleries (ambulances) are equipped. Another architectural feature of the Syuyumbike tower is the Corinthian columns located at the level of the first tier, and the so-called shoulder blades (rollers) that adorn the tiered faces.

The next two "floors" of the tower are brick octahedrons or octahedrons, on which a tent and a watchtower are located. The design is crowned with an elegant spire with a gilded ball, on which a crescent is fixed - a symbol of the Islamic religion. Initially, a double-headed eagle served as the pommel of the Syuyumbike, but in 1918, at the request of the Muslim part of the population of Kazan, the royal emblem was removed, replacing it with a religious sign. Today, the height of the most recognizable tower of the Kazan Kremlin is 58 meters.

In the 19th century, strange rumors spread around the city that ancient Tatar manuscripts were hidden in a metal ball on the spire of Syuyumbike. There was only one way to confirm or refute local stories - by examining the internal space of the sphere, which was done. No historical documents were found inside, but holes were found on the surface of the ball, which served as the basis for new rumors. Allegedly valuable manuscripts simply fell through the holes and were picked up by one of the residents of Kazan.

At the beginning of the 20th century, it was discovered that the spire of the Syuyumbike tower deviated significantly from its base. In addition, the brickwork in the lower part of the structure began to move apart, threatening to completely block the passage. In order to preserve the unofficial symbol of the city, it was necessary to "squeeze" it at the level of the first tier with a metal hoop. The iron ring worsened appearance old building, but for some time stopped its destruction. A few decades ago, the hoop burst, but was never dismantled.

Legends of the Syuyumbike Tower: an ode to eternal love and a suicide queen

Outstanding architectural features are certainly wonderful, but completely uninteresting for the average tourist, so the surest way to draw attention to an ancient monument is to attribute to it some fascinating story, preferably with a tragic ending. As for the Syuyumbike Tower, the building is an ideal example of how organically myths can be woven into real ones. historical facts giving birth to such legends adored by travelers.

The building owes its name to the daughter of the Nogai biy Yusuf, the ruler of the Kazan Khanate, Syuyumbike. Actually, this is the only reliable fact that formed the basis of the myths associated with the construction of the tower. For example, one of these stories claims that the building became a kind of monument to the first husband of the Tatar heiress, Safa Giray. The inconsolable widow thus expressed her love for her untimely deceased husband. Interestingly, in fact, this marriage was unsuccessful and in reality Syuyumbike could not stand her betrothed.

The second story is connected with the name of the famous tyrant tsar Ivan the Terrible. Allegedly, after the capture of Kazan, the Russian autocrat was seduced by the beauty of the local ruler and even set out to take her as his wife. Syuyumbika did not like this prospect, and she decided to postpone the marriage, first offering Ivan the Terrible to build a tower for her. The temperamental tsar complied with the request, and a week later a watchtower flaunted under the windows of the beautiful Tatar woman. But the autocrat failed to satisfy his passion: the proud captive climbed onto the upper tier of the tower and jumped down. By the way, it is customary to tell this beautiful legend to visitors of the tower, not paying attention to the fact that in fact there was no suicide at all. After the capture of Kazan, Syuyuimbike was married (for the third time) and calmly met her old age in the city of Kasimov, where she was later buried. But the construction of the tower, as shown by modern research, was indeed carried out in great haste, which later played a major role in its "fall". Despite the subsequently strengthened foundation and attempts to fix the structure in a stable position, it was not possible to avoid further roll of the structure.

Suyumbike Tower: Inner Tour

The main entrance to the Syuyumbike tower is covered with openwork forged gates "Day and Night". The black lace of the metal lattice is decorated with golden images of the month and the sun, above which 12 signs of the zodiac are located in the form of an impromptu halo.

In the lower tier of the building there is a small passage leading to the interior of the tower. A well-worn stone staircase leads visitors to the upper "floors" of Syuyumbike. Today, small separate halls are located on the second and third tiers, although initially there were no partitions dividing the tower into floors.

In the main hall of the third tier there is a wooden staircase connecting the room with the terrace of the first octagon (the fourth tier of the tower). If during a walk you approach the stairs with inside, then you can see numerous "autographs" left on the wooden steps by visitors to the Syuyumbike tower. The oldest of them are marked as early as the beginning of the 20th century, but there are also more modern versions.

The fifth and sixth tiers of Syuyumbike are all the same octagonal rooms with windows, but on the 7th tier there is the tiniest room (literally 3 steps in length). However, an ordinary tourist will not succeed in getting here, as in the rest of the halls of the tower. Usually, all that a standard excursion to the Syuyumbike tower offers is a walk around the territory of the Kremlin and architectural features structures.

Syuyumbike Tower in Kazan

• During the Great Patriotic War, Kazan architects took measurements and made detailed plans for the Syuyumbike Tower. The collected documents were supposed to help in the restoration of a unique architectural monument, in the event that the building was destroyed during the bombing.
• The height of the Syuyumbike tower is two meters higher than its famous "falling" relative - the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
• At night, electric lights are turned on on the walls of the building, turning the building into a picture from a fairy tale.
• Rumor has it that the entrance to Syuyumbike was closed after one of the visitors jumped down from one of its tiers.
• A unique monument of ancient architecture can be seen in the 2013 adventure film Treasures of Lake Kaban. However, in most episodes, the viewer does not see the Syuyumbike tower itself, but its model, built specifically for filming.
• Locals claim that if you touch the walls of the tower with your eyes closed and make a wish, it will certainly come true.
• Despite the measures taken, it was not possible to completely stop the slope of the Syuyumbike tower. The reason for this is the gradual subsidence of soil on the Kremlin hill, so it is possible that over time the building will literally fall.

How to get there

There are three best ways to get to the Syuyumbike Tower, one of the main architectural sights of Kazan. For example, you can take the metro and get off at the Kremlevskaya station. Those who do not want to deprive themselves of the pleasure of admiring the views of the capital of Tatarstan can choose a trolleybus (route 7) and take it to the Central Stadium stop. The same way can be done by bus (routes No. 1, 15, 35, 47, 75).

The Syuyumbike Tower in Kazan is one of the “falling” towers in the world, 2 meters higher than the Leaning Tower of Pisa (58 m). It is as much a symbol of the city as the Kremlin itself and the newly built Kul Sharif Mosque.

The peculiarity of the tower is in its architecture. It consists of three rectangular tiers with galleries and parapets and four octagonal tiers. Once upon a time, its spire was crowned with an "apple" - a golden, as it was believed, a ball, where ancient Muslim documents are stored. To test this legend, in 1830 the ball was removed, and it turned out that it was made of brass, and empty inside - this is how the most popular myth was debunked.

The history of the Syuyumbike Tower still causes heated debate among specialists. Most often, the year of construction is called the 1645-1650s. Professor S. Shpilevsky, one of the most respected local historians and archaeologists of the 19th century, believed that it was of Tatar origin, while his contemporary Tatar ethnographer Kayum Nasyri was sure that it was erected after the conquest of Kazan. In the 70s. XX century, under the guidance of archaeologist Alfred Khalikov, excavations were carried out near the foundation of Syuyumbike, as a result of which the scientist came to the conclusion that it appeared no earlier than the last quarter of the 17th century. A more ancient foundation was found nearby, belonging to the watchtower of the 12th-15th centuries, on which a new one was partially erected, which caused the roll. A special set of measures made it possible to prevent a further "fall".

The decorative appearance of the tower corresponds to the spirit of the Moscow school, but its facade and silhouette correspond to the traditions of Kazan-Tatar art - stalactite capitals, minaret-like completion, decorative three-quarter columns.

Legend of the Syuyumbike Tower

Every inhabitant of Kazan knows the legend of the Tatar queen Syuyumbika. Ivan the Terrible, seeing a portrait of a beautiful khansha, fell in love with her and decided to make her his queen. To which he was refused, which became the reason for the campaign against Kazan. After a long siege, the Russian troops took the city, and the tsar demanded consent to the marriage. The cunning Syuyumbike set one condition: that in seven days he would build a tower as beautiful and slender as the khansha herself. On the day, the craftsmen erected a tier and managed to do it on time. Syuyumbike climbed to the very top, looked around her native expanses and rushed down. After that, the tower received the name of the brave khansha.

But this, of course, is just a beautiful legend. In fact, after two marriages, Syuyumbike married for the third time Shah Ali, the brother of her first husband, who ascended the khan's throne, and went with him to Kasimov, where she died at an advanced age. According to sources, all this happened before the conquest of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible.