Russia (bbabo.net) - Next year, the Bulgarian Museum-Reserve is expecting a huge number of guests. The fact is that it is in 2022 that the celebration of the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgaria is planned.

The correspondent selected all the most interesting things that a tourist should definitely see when he is in this historical place.

The largest printed Koran in the world

On May 21, 2012, a museum and exhibition complex "Memorable sign in honor of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgars in 922" was opened in the reserve. The central hall contains the world's largest printed Koran, made by special order of the Republican Foundation for the Revival of Historical and Cultural Monuments. The weight of the book is 800 kilograms, the dimensions are two by one and a half meters. It was printed in Italy on special paper. The Quran has 632 pages in total. Cover, malachite linen, inlaid with semiprecious stones. The pattern is made of gold and the binding is made of calfskin. The Quran is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

The author of the idea of ​​creating the world's largest printed Koran is the first president of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev. Despite the fact that the book was published relatively recently, in 2018 it was already under restoration. Due to the considerable weight of the covers of the binding and the large size of the sheets of the book, they began to collapse when opened. The paper block was also loosely sewn: the spine turned out to be weak, and due to insufficient drying of the printing ink, the sheets began to stick together. Today the holy book of Muslims is open to everyone.

Also in the basement floor is the exposition of the Koran Museum, which displays exhibits telling about the history of Islam and significant religious events in the region. A striking exhibit here is a mosaic panel telling about the day of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgars as a state religion in 922.

Museum of Bulgarian Civilization

This unique building combines the functions of a river station and a museum complex. It was opened on May 5, 2013. The exposition of the museum is located on the third and fourth floors and occupies 2000 square meters. It presents more than 1600 exhibits, which reveal the main themes: "The history of the study of the Bolgar", "The history of the Bulgarian civilization", "The city of the Bulgarians".

The presented archaeological exhibits are organically complemented by decorative panels, maps, reconstructions and models. This enables visitors to present the Bulgarian civilization as one of the greatest in the world. The real exposition is complemented by multimedia means, with the help of which the intangible cultural heritage is recreated. Even in the absence of a guide, it is very interesting to wander here and look at the exhibits. The architecture of the building itself has something in common with the architecture of the surviving Bulgar buildings.

Bulgarian settlement

From the remake, we pass to the antiquity. The Bulgarian settlement of the X-XV centuries is a medieval city where the khan's headquarters was located, coins were minted, and crafts developed. The area includes an archaeological cultural layer five meters deep.

One of the ancient preserved buildings on the territory of the settlement is the Black Chamber. The structure was erected in the XIV century and served in different periods as a training place, a khan's court and a monastery. The building has preserved the original architectural elements of the decor from the period of construction. The chamber owes its name to the fire that caused the blackening of the walls.

Here you can also walk around the bath complex of the ancient Bulgar, or rather, what is left of it. Visitors will be able to see how the washing process was organized, how the water supply and sewerage system worked. The ruins themselves were in the open air, and a glass pavilion was built to protect them from rain and wind. You can also walk to a large pottery area on the shores of the small Holland Lake.

The eastern mausoleum is a detailed preserved structure of the tomb. Nowadays, inside it there is a large exhibition on the history of the Bulgar from the 10th to the 18th century. In the northern mausoleum of the 14th century there is an exhibition dedicated to the Bulgar epigraphy. It is better to walk through the ancient ruins first with a guide, and then, if something is left overlooked, you can walk on your own.

White Mosque

The architectural gem of modern Bolgar is made in the same style as Kul Sharif in Kazan. It is also called the Tatarstan Taj Mahal and the main Instagram location. Photos in the background of the complex are really very picturesque. It includes the residence of the spiritual leaders of Islam, a madrasah for teaching the basics of Islam and the building of the mosque itself. All necessary religious rituals can be performed there. There are all conditions for this.The prayer square in front of the White Mosque is framed by marble columns and surrounded by a beautiful park. The White Mosque is open to both believers and those who have absolutely no connection with Islam. Thanks to this, tourists get a unique opportunity to plunge into the oriental atmosphere, as well as appreciate both the exterior and interior decoration of this complex, opened in 2012.

Bread Museum

Another place that would be interesting to visit. It has nothing to do with religion and is located a little away from the Bulgar Museum-Reserve. The Museum of Bread tells about the history of the main product, without which not a single feast is complete. There is also an interactive part here. Visitors can feel the hard work of a farmer by trying themselves as a plowman and tractor driver on the electronic installations "Plow" and "Harvest". And children on a special playground can visit Kolobok.

But that's not all. The complex includes a miller's dwelling, where the interior of a Tatar house has been reconstructed. It was created on the basis of original photographs of the interiors of Tatar houses from the funds of the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan using samples of surviving household items, decoration, clothing, and tools dating back to the late 19th - early 20th centuries. There is also a working wind and water mills nearby. Tourists can watch how wheat turns into flour. There is a mini-farm in the courtyard where you can see and pet the animals that are usually bred in the villages.

How to get there?

You can get to the Great Bolgar either by your own car or with an excursion group from Kazan. There are also regular buses, but their schedule changes depending on the season. In summer, you can reach the ancient settlement on a tourist boat or on the "Meteora".

bbabo.Net