Bolghar, Russia

Bolghar

Bolgar (Bulgar, Tat. Bolgar, Chuvash. Pӑlhar) is a city in Russia, in the southwestern part of the Republic of Tatarstan. The administrative center of the Spassky district. The town of Bolgar, together with the nearby village of Bolgary, forms the urban settlement of the town of Bolgar, which covers the territory of the ancient town of Bulgar - the capital of the medieval Volga Bulgaria and the Golden Horde.

 

Geography

The city is located on the left bank of the Volga, 83 km south of Kazan (175 km along the road).

 

History

Ancient times
On the territory of Bolgar, settlements of the Neolithic, Bronze and Early Iron epochs were discovered, occupying the geographically convenient coastal strip of the Volga (bedrock and meadow terraces). The emergence of a fortified settlement (which occupied the promontory part of the Koptelov Bugra) is associated with the Imenkovo ​​culture (IV-VII centuries AD).

Bulgar period
The name of the city Bulgar is associated with the ethnonym Bulgars. The earliest Bulgar settlements on the territory of present-day Bolgar emerged at the turn of the 9th-10th centuries. The earliest fortifications of the 10th century. were built at the mouth of the Small Jerusalem ravine because of its proximity to the Volga, as well as on the central plateau of the settlement.

The reason for the creation of a fortified Bulgar settlement on the high bank of the Volga at its confluence with the Kama is seen in a convenient location, which made it possible to control a significant territory. Another impetus to its creation was the emergence of the Aga-Bazar - the most important trading platform of the Volga Bulgaria. According to Academician VL Yanin, "throughout the entire eastern trade from the end of the 8th to the beginning of the 11th century, the Bulgar was actually the only gate through which the trade of Russia with the East went."

In 920, the Arab geographer al-Balkhi first mentions the Bolgar. Kuri Wanter writes that there were lakes Johan-Vasan and Sherpet near the city. The ancient Arab sources also mention the Swan Lake (Akkosh kul). The surrounding area was called the Land of Three Lakes.

In 922, Volga Bulgaria, at the invitation of its ruler Almush, was visited by the embassy of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Muktadir, whose secretary was Ahmad ibn Fadlan. He notes that the Bulgars converted to Islam.

At that time, Bulgar masters - jewelers, masons, tanners, blacksmiths - enjoyed well-deserved fame. Bulgar jewelry, Bulgarian leather, furs, honey, Bulgar chain mail were known in many countries and were in great demand there. Bulgar merchants carried on extensive trade with many countries of Europe and Asia. In turn, traders from China, Baghdad, Damascus, Spain, Scandinavia came to the annual world fair in Bulgar. Many foreign trade concessions had their own settlements and streets in the city.

On the map of the Arab geographer Idrisi in 1154, the Bulgar and Volga Bulgaria are shown in great detail.

Before the Mongol conquest in 1236, the city was one of the centers of foreign trade of the Volga Bulgaria. Arab writers of the 10th century wrote about it: “Outer Bulgar is a small city that does not occupy a large space, and is known only for the fact that it is the main trade point of this state” (Al-Balkhi). “The Bulgar is a small city that does not have many possessions, but it was known because it was the harbor of these states” (Ibn Haukal).

Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan F. Sh. Khuzin writes that the total area of ​​the Bulgar settlement of the X-XI centuries. taking into account the territory of the settlement reached 12 hectares. and in the X - first half of the XIII centuries. The Bulgar was economically inferior to such cities as Bilyar or Suvar.

Mongol conquest
At the end of 1223 - beginning of 1224 (end of 620 A.D.) the Mongol troops of Jebe and Subedei, passing through Iran, the Caucasus and defeating the Russians and Polovtsians on Kalka, were defeated by the Bulgars. However, in 1229, the Mongols undertook a new campaign, captured the city of Saksin in the lower Volga region and attacked the Bulgarian guard settlements on Yaik. In the same year, the Bulgars extended the peace treaty with the Vladimir principality for 6 years.

The city was conquered and burned in 1236 during the all-Mongol Western campaign, led by the second ruler of the ulus, Juchi Batu.

Golden Horde period
Before the construction of Saray-Batu, the headquarters of Batu was located in Bulgar. Under the Muslim Berke, Bulgar became the center of the lands of the former Volga Bulgaria. During this period, stone buildings were built in the city, partially preserved to the present day.

In 1361, Prince Bulat-Timur burned the Bulgar, which, however, was reborn again. After the battle on Kondurcha (1395) Bulgar, like other Bulgar cities, was destroyed by the troops of Emir Timur. Then it was restored.

In 1399 (according to other chronicles, in 1395), Yuri Dmitrievich made a successful campaign against the Middle Volga region (under his command were the troops of his brother Vasily I) - the first campaign in which the Russians ravaged quite vast Tatar lands, defeating 14 cities (including Bulgar, Zhukotin, Kazan, Kermenchuk), bringing huge booty to Russia. This is mentioned in the Tatar epic "Idige", known in the late edition of the 16th century, where the "prince-Urus" is endowed with the features of Tokhtamysh, Tamerlane and Ivan the Terrible.

 

In 1431 the city was finally destroyed by the voivode of the Grand Duke Vasily II Fyodor Paletsky, which, according to some historians, put an end to the hopes for the restoration of the former Bulgaria. Subsequently, the Bulgars actually restored their state with the last capital in Isk-Kazan. In the 15th century, Kazan became the unified cultural and political center of the Volga Bulgars and the transferred capital, and the state began to be called the Kazan Khanate. The Bulgars, who converted to Islam in 922 under Khan Almysh, mixed with the local Finno-Ugric and Kipchak population, became the main component in the ethnogenesis of the Kazan Tatars. The Savirs and part of the Bulgars, who preserved paganism, as a result of consolidation with the Finno-Ugric, first of all, the Mari population, formed the Chuvash ethnos.

As part of Russia
Since 1552, after the conquest of the Kazan Khanate, the city became part of the Russian state.

In the 17th century, the Orthodox Assumption Monastery was founded on the site of Bolgar. The ruins of the Bolgar were specially visited by Tsar Peter I and Empress Catherine II.

Since 1781 - the district town of Spassk of the Kazan governorate (since 1796 - the Kazan province). In the 19th century, Spassk served as a transshipment point for agricultural goods for neighboring cities. In 1856, the city had 1 church, 246 houses, 5 shops.

In 1926-1935 the city was called Spassk on all maps, but to distinguish it from other cities with the same name, it was sometimes called Spassk-Tatarsky. The city of Spassk was renamed in 1935 into Kuibyshev (in memory of V.V. Kuibyshev, who died in 1935) and existed under this name until 1957.

In 1957, as a result of the filling of the Kuibyshev reservoir, the city was flooded. Spassk coordinates 55 ° 02′48 ″ s. sh. 49 ° 22'23 "in. HGЯO.

In 1957, a new city was founded with the name Kuibyshev, 23 km southwest of the flooded city, 2 km west of the village of Bolgar. As a result of development, the city almost absorbed the village of Bolgar.

In 1969 the Bulgarian state was created. historical and architectural reserve (since 2000 a museum-reserve), in addition to excavations leading the conservation and restoration of monuments of monumental construction.

In 1991, the city was renamed Bolgar after the village he had absorbed, on the territory of which there are the remains of the ancient city of Bolgar, Volga Bulgaria (Bulgarian Historical and Archaeological Complex), the settlement (ruins) of which is located near the city.

Since 2010, on the initiative and under the patronage of the first president of Tatarstan M. Sh. Shaimiev, the implementation of the complex project "Cultural Heritage: the Island-City of Sviyazhsk and Ancient Bolgar" has begun in Bolgar, including the restoration of architectural monuments on the territory of the settlement and the development of tourist infrastructure. As part of the implementation of a comprehensive project in 2010-2017:

the Small Minaret, the Cathedral Mosque, the Khan's Tomb, the Eastern Mausoleum, the Northern Mausoleum, the Black Chamber, the Eastern Chamber, the Assumption Church have been restored;
the ruins of the Khan's palace, Bath No. 2, pottery forges were preserved;
the River Station with the Museum of Bulgarian Civilization, the Memorial Sign dedicated to the adoption of Islam in the Volga Bulgaria, the White Mosque, the House of the Healer and craft workshops, the International Center for Archaeological Research, the International Archaeological School, the Museum of Bread were built;
an open-air exposition "History of the Türko-Tatar writing" and an exposition "Medieval craft of the city of Bolgar" were created;
several houses on Nazarov and Mukhamedyar streets were restored and adapted for modern use;
the embankment of the Volga River from the River Station to the well of St. Gabrakhman was improved.