Bolgar State Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve is a monument of medieval Muslim architecture of the 13th–14th centuries. The museum complex was opened in 1969 and in 2014 was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The historic landscapes, architecture and museum exhibitions of the Bolgar Reserve preserve evidence of the existence of Volga Bulgaria and the Golden Horde.
It was here in 922 that the Volga Bulgars — ancestors of the Kazan Tatars — adopted Islam; the first capital of the Golden Horde was founded here, and in the 13th century the headquarters of Khan Batu was located here. These places were visited by prominent figures of history, science, politics and art: the legendary Tatar poet Kul Gali, Peter I and Catherine II, Russian poets Pushkin and Derzhavin, painters Shishkin, Savrasov and many others.
Memorial Sign, Quran Museum
At the very entrance to the reserve visitors are greeted by the Memorial Sign of the Adoption of Islam — a large building with a golden dome resembling a mosque. Inside there is a museum with an art gallery and exhibition complex. The museum's displays include ancient artifacts found during excavations, old coins and jewelry, originals and copies of written monuments. In the central hall of the museum is the largest printed Quran in the world. The book is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records — its dimensions are 2 x 1.5 meters when closed, and it weighs 800 kilograms. The cover is made of malachite fabric, decorated with semi-precious stones and silver ornamentation with gilding.
Malachite Quran
Numerous architectural monuments are located on the reserve grounds: the Cathedral Mosque, which after restoration corresponds to historical documents of the 18th–19th centuries; the Northern Mausoleum, erected in the 14th century; the ruins of the Khan's Palace; the Black Chamber and other sights. The reserve also hosts a variety of museums. The exhibition of the Museum of Bolgar Civilization tells the story of the emergence of the ancient Bulgar civilization, its political system, and the features of the people’s culture and everyday life. The museum's collections include chronicles, documentation, artifacts, clothing, household items and tools. Also located on the reserve grounds are the Museum of Writing, the Physician's Museum, the "Bolgar Tea Party" Museum, the "City on the River" Museum and others.
Northern Mausoleum
Eastern Mausoleum
Cathedral Mosque
The Bolgar Museum-Reserve is a unique place worth seeing with your own eyes. The surviving religious and architectural monuments, settlement landscapes, ancient ruins and museum exhibitions recreate the image of vanished states and peoples who lived in these territories many centuries ago. Experienced travelers recommend allocating a full day to explore the site.
