The territory of the modern Samara region during the XVI-XVIII centuries was routinely raided by militant neighbors. Once there were many castles and fortresses here. The only Syzran Kremlin in the region has survived to this day. What is the history of this structure, are there any excursions for tourists here today?
Construction of the Kremlin in Syzran
In 1683, at the confluence of the rivers of the Volga, the Crimea and Syzran, Tsar Peter Alekseevich (later famous as Peter the First) ordered the construction of a defensive fortress. The main head of the project was Voivode Grigory Kozlovsky. The Syzran Kremlin was built according to the standard plan for its time. If you look at the construction from above - its walls formed a closed quadrilateral of irregular shape. The fortress had five towers: four corners and one gate - the main entrance to the territory. The fortress walls were made of wood, as well as four corner towers. And only the gate of the main entrance (Spassky Tower) was stone. It was preserved to this day as a reminder of the once great fortification.
History of Syzran Fortress
At the turn of the XVII-XVIII centuries, Syzran is a strategically important military fortress. On the nearby land regularly raided detachments of warriors originating from neighboring nomadic peoples. The robbers plundered the fish and salt industries that developed here, as well as merchant ships on the Samarskaya Luka. In serious battles the Syzran Kremlin took part only once. The fortress was captured by the soldiers of Emelian Pugachev. Time passed, and Syzran began to develop as a merchant city. Gradually, the city went beyond the fortress and grew around its walls. At the same time, the Kremlin lost its strategic importance. In 1755, the main stone tower of the fortification was rebuilt into a church and consecrated in the name of the Image of Christ the Savior. After about another hundred years in the dungeon under the temple was equipped with an underground chapel. In 1875 in the territory of an ancient fortress the erection of a county prison began. In 1906, a major fire broke out, which destroyed a significant part of the wooden building of the city center. The stone tower-temple and the ancient church are all that was left on the site where the Syzran Kremlin once stood. Syzran at that time continued to develop as an industrial city. Old-timers say that once in warehouses of ancient churches warehouses were equipped. During the Great Patriotic War on the territory of the Kremlin there was an anti-aircraft battery.
Syzran Kremlin: description and photos of our days
From the once great Syzran fortress only the entrance tower - Spassky - has been preserved. Today it houses a historical museum, telling about the history of the Kremlin. On the upper tier of the tower there is a belfry. The tower itself has several levels and represents a quadrilateral in terms of which the octagon is on. Nearby, in the territory where the Syzran Kremlin once stood, is the Church of the Nativity of Christ. Date of construction of this monument of architecture is 1717 year. In memory of the events of the Great Patriotic War not far from the Spassky Tower, a square was built and the memorial complex "Eternal Flame" was erected.
How to get on a tour?
If you decide to visit the Syzran Kremlin, Syzran, try to come to this city earlier. At 11.00 the belfry of the Spassky Tower arranges a bell concert. If you believe the reviews of tourists, ringing bells - this is one of the most interesting items in the tourist program for this city. This place is fascinating with its pacification. The preserved monuments of architecture are buried in the riot of greenery. In walking distance from the Spassky Tower there is a well-arranged embankment, from which a picturesque view opens up. Syzran Kremlin excursions are held for groups and single visitors. It will be equally interesting to simply inspect the old tower and the temple from the outside and stroll around the neighborhood. Find this attraction will be quite easy, even if you are going to Syzran for the first time. Spassky tower can be seen from a distance, its exact address: the Kremlin Hill. The Church of the Nativity of Christ is being actively restored today, perhaps very soon it will reopen for the parishioners.