Kazan's pedestrian high street runs nearly two kilometres from the Kremlin gate to Tukay Square, under a red-brick bell tower you can climb.
Bauman Street is the city's living room: merchants' houses, fountains, bronze cats and horse carriages, with buskers and cafés all the way down.
At the Kremlin end, the National Museum of Tatarstan tells the region's story from Bulgar gold to the khanate. Further on, the Shalyapin Hotel and a bronze of the singer recall Kazan's most famous son.
The Epiphany bell tower, 74 metres of red brick, rises over the middle of the street. The bass Fyodor Shalyapin was baptised in the church behind it. A tight stair leads to a viewing platform.
The Tatar canteen Dom Chaya is halfway down, a cheap stop for echpochmak and chak-chak.
Walk downhill from the Kremlin and stop as you like.
Start at the museum opposite the Spasskaya Tower.
Ornate facades, the bronze cat and the carriage stand.
Up the tight stair to look along the street to the Kremlin.
Tea, pastries and Tatar dishes, canteen-style.
Finish by the clock at the city's main crossroads.
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Kremlyovskaya metro is at the top; Ploshchad Tukaya metro at the bottom.
A small fee for the climb; the stair is narrow and steep.
Photographs from Wikimedia Commons and Pexels under their licences.
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