|
The Bolgar state was repeatedly ruined by the Golden Horde khans, Russian princes and river-pirates. The Bolgar city was finally destroyed and since that time has never appeared in history and been a sacred place for orthodox Muslim pilgrims. There are the remains of monumental brick-stone structures of the latter 13-14 centuries left (the Northern and Eastern Mausoleums, the Black Chamber, the Smaller Minaret and the Khan's Tomb) and the brick-stone ruins of edifices (the Great Mosque, the Red, White and Greek Chambers, the Khan's bath and mausoleums) of public and civic purposes, remained from the former crowded Bolgar city in the period of its prosperity in the latter 13 to first half of the 14 century. The ancient settlement of "Great Bulgars", with an area of 550 ha, is a unique monument of the 10-15 centuries. Samples of the Volga Bolgars’ material culture had preserved here. Today this place is said to be the most complete reserve of Golden Horde architecture. The settlement is open to tours; one can have a walk among the white-stone remains of the ancient buildings, imagining that life was in full swing here many centuries ago. According to archaeologists, the centre of the ancient Bolgar city was situated on the left bank of the Volga River. Today there is a Cathedral mosque left, which had preserved its foundation and angular towers. One of the pillars of the mosque was restored, which is called a Pillar of wishes; one should certainly take a chance and make a wish here - your wish is sure to come true, if you believe. Next to the mosque is a Big Minaret. The 32-meter construction is a stylized design of an earlier minaret which stood here. There is the Northern Mausoleum (14th century) which keeps numerous gravestones of ancient cemeteries marked with Arabic script and even with Turkic runes. Perhaps the most interesting and mysterious in the territory of the ancient Bolgar settlement in Tatarstan is the cubiform construction with a semicircular dome - Black Chamber, built in the middle of the 14th century. There is also the White Chamber, or its foundation to be more exact, which hypothetically was a bathhouse. The Smaller Minaret was built in the 14th century in the image of the Big Minaret, but with the height two times smaller. The uniqueness of the construction consists in that it is the only minaret left from Golden Horde times. The ancient settlement of "Great Bulgars" is now part of the Tentative List in order to qualify for inclusion in the World Heritage List.
| 
