In Astrakhan, I went for a walk along the Volga River, enjoyed delicious fish and tasted Astrakhan watermelons. But the very first glance at the Astrakhan Kremlin forced to rearrange my ‘priorities’.
Unlike the much more famous Moscow Kremlin, the Astrakhan Kremlin is an integral and very harmonious ensemble. Its white stone towers and walls, majestic cathedrals and bell towers, rooms and chambers - everything breathes antiquity and allows you to feel involved in the events that are light years away.
Originally coming from the Golden Horde
To begin with, the Astrakhan Kremlin was built in the late 16th century from the bricks of the town of Saray-Batu, or Old Saray, the medieval capital of the Golden Horde, which by that time had fallen into complete decay and many of its buildings were destroyed.
The Astrakhan Kremlin resisted the nomad raids and, most importantly, the campaigns of the Ottoman Empire and the Crimean Khanate. Today, this powerful fortification is a monument of the defensive fortification architecture, which, by the way, has passed serious tests by sieges and battles. In the 17th century, the fortified and well-armed fortress withstood a series of attacks by the Kalmyk and Tatar conquerors.
It was possible to capture Astrakhan only when the people of the town themselves opened its gates. This was the case with the army of Stepan Razin who received the townspeople’s support.
The Astrakhan Kremlin has gone through many riots and uprisings. They were provoked not only by the increase in taxes and duties, but also, for example, by the ban of Peter the Great from wearing beards and Russian dresses. Those who smile at this can be reminded of the hundreds of casualties and the upcoming insurgent campaign against Moscow.
The last time the Astrakhan Kremlin became the battlefield was a little over a century ago when the White Cossacks attacked the Red Army soldiers.
The story of a ‘Leaning Tower of Pisa’
When you walk around the Astrakhan Kremlin, sit on a bench admiring the churches and medieval buildings, approach the Place of the Skull (Execution and Proclamation spot) or climb up to the defensive walls, the history is floating before the eyes. Moreover, now, when all the buildings have been restored, the Artillery (also called the ‘Torture’) Tower of the Kremlin hosts the exhibitions about corporal punishment in Russia, uprisings and riots, and a Guardhouse exposition dedicated to the Astrakhan garrison.
Its now-white cathedrals look especially impressive. The main one - the Assumption Cathedral - and the Resurrection Bell Tower located nearby look as if hovering in mid-air, not only over the Kremlin, but over the entire city.
The Resurrection Bell Tower has a rather complicated ‘life story’. At this place, this is the third tower over the last three centuries. The first bell tower, high and massive, cracked and was dismantled, it existed for half a century. The second, a miniature one, emphasizing the greatness of the Assumption Cathedral, stood for about a century but began to tilt. It was even compared to the famous ‘Leaning Tower of Pisa’.
They say that ‘the leaning tower of the Astrakhan Cathedral’ became a kind of a tourist landmark of the town for some time. However, it was dismantled. It was replaced with the current one built in the early 20th century.
Towering over the Resurrection Gates, the 80-metrу bell tower is an undeniable architectural dominant. The combination of its classical style and ancient Russian traditions attracts all eyes.
However, many years later, it also leaned a bit, which was corrected only in the 1990s. However, even today, many visitors are looking closely at the Resurrection Bell Tower to see some signs of its ‘Tower of Pisa’s’ history.
Lifehacks for ecotourists
Visiting the museums and churches of the Astrakhan Kremlin, walking, touring, seeing its defensive walls and climbing up to the Resurrection Bell Tower took me almost half of my weekend trip. We had time for a short tour of the downtown only, a slow boardwalk and a dinner right on a ship on the shore that was turned into a luxurious but quite budget-friendly fish restaurant.
My friends advised me to come to Astrakhan next time joining to one of the river cruises on the Volga and stop for a few days to combine eco- and educational tourism.
Fans of this destination can stay here for a couple of weeks. Experts highly recommend visiting the large Astrakhan Biosphere Reserve and the Lotus Valley in the Volga Delta where you can see these amazing plants blooming from mid to late summer.
