The Little Minaret of Bolghar.

Bolghar (or Bolğar) was the capital (8th-15th century) of Volga Bulgaria, a predecessor state of the Khanate of Kazan, which in turn has cultural links to today's Russian republic of Tatarstan. Today, the capital of Tatarstan is Kazan, but many Tatars consider Bolghar to be their ancient and religious capital and to contain a glimpse of Tatar life before the Mongol invasion of the 13th century. Image File history File links This is a classical view of Little Minaret of BolÄŸar. ... Image File history File links This is a classical view of Little Minaret of BolÄŸar. ... Volga Bulgaria or Volga-Kama Bolghar, is a historic state that existed between the 7th and 13th centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama rivers in what is now the Russian Federation. ... The Republic of Tatarstan (Russian: ; Tatar: ) is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). ... Kazan (Russian: ; Tatar: Qazan, Казан) is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, and one of Russias largest cities. ... Honorary guard of Mongolia. ...

The gravestone that was found in Bolghar

The city was capital of Volga Bulgaria as early as the 8th century. Later, after Russian pressure the capital was moved to Bilar. After the destruction of Bilar during the Mongol invasion, it became capital of the Bulgar Duchy of Volga Bulgaria under Mongol rule. In the 14th and 15th centuries it was endangered by Timur and Russian forces and finally was destroyed in the 15th century by Vassili of Moscow. As a religious center it was preserved until the 15th century when the Khanate of Kazan was conquered by the Russian czar Ivan IV and incorporated into the Russian state. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2816x2112, 2796 KB) Licensing This is a gravestone from en:Bolghar, Tatarstan. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2816x2112, 2796 KB) Licensing This is a gravestone from en:Bolghar, Tatarstan. ... Bilär (Bülär) – was a medieval city in Volga Bulgaria during the 10th – 13th centuries. ... Volga Bulgaria or Volga-Kama Bolghar, is a historic state that existed between the 7th and 13th centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama rivers in what is now the Russian Federation. ... Statue of Timur in Shahrisabz, Uzbekistan TÄ«mÅ«r bin Taraghay Barlas (Chagatai Turkic: تیمور, iron) (1336 – February 1405) was a 14th century warlord of Turco-Mongol descent[1][2][3], conqueror of much of Western and central Asia, and founder of the Timurid Empire (1370–1405) in Central Asia and... Map of Kazan Khanate, early 1500s The Kazan Khanate (Tatar: Qazan xanlığı; Russian: Казанское ханство) (1438-1552) was a Tatar state on the territory of former Volga Bulgaria with its capital in Kazan. ... Ivan IV (August 25, 1530–March 18, 1584) was the first ruler of Russia to assume the title of tsar. ...

During the Tsarist rule this city's environs was settled by Russian commoners and it was finally ruined. Peter the Great proclaimed a special Ukase to preserve this ruins and it became one of the first laws to preserve a historical city in Russia. Peter I Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia Peter I (Pyotr Alekseyvich) (9 June 1672–8 February 1725 [30 May 1672–28 January 1725 O.S.1]) ruled Russia from 7 May (27 April O.S.) 1682 until his death. ... Ukase (Russian: указ, ukaz) in Imperial Russia was a proclamation of the tsar government, or a religions leader patriarch that had the force of law. ...

Bolghar was the center of a local Islamic movement known as The Little Hajj that was popular during the Soviet period. Muslims from Tatarstan and other parts of the Soviet Union could not participate in the hajj to Mecca, and instead travelled to Bolghar. The Hajj (Arabic: ‎ translit: ), (Turkish:Hac) is the Pilgrimage to Mecca in Islam. ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ... Mecca IPA: or Makkah (in full: Makkah al-Mukarramah; Arabic: ‎, Turkish: Mekke) is the capital city of Saudi Arabias Makkah province, in the historic Hijaz region. ...

Plan of Bolghar:
1. Armenian Settlement
2. Western Gates
3. Britankino Lake
4. Cämiğ (Jamii) Mosque
5. Northern Mausoleum
6. Eastern Mausoleum
7. Red Chamber
8. Black Chamber
9. White Chamber
10. Khan's Bath
11. Khan's Burial-vault
12. Little Minaret
13. Group of Mausoleums
14. Southern Gates
15. Little Town
16. Eastern Gates
17. Saint Ğabdraxman's (Captain's) well
18. Rabiğa Lake
19. Ağa-Bazar

A nearby small modern town of 8,655 (2002), known as Kuibyshev until 1991, is now officially renamed to Bolgar. It is located at 54°58′N 49°3′E. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (531x1024, 288 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Bolghar Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (531x1024, 288 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Bolghar Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... This article is not about Samarra, which is in Iraq. ... Bolgar (Russian: ; Tatar: ), inofficially called Bulgar, Bolgari or Bolgary, is a town in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. ...

See also

• Volga Bulgaria
• Khanate of Kazan
• Tatarstan
• Kazan
• Aq Bars