Townapedia
Bolgar mosque
Bolgar mosque · kremlin.ru / Alexey Nikolsky, CC BY 4.0
Bolgar memorial
Bolgar memorial · Aleksandra Glukhikh, CC BY-SA 4.0
Black chamber, Bolgar
Black chamber, Bolgar · Alaexis, CC BY-SA 3.0
Минарет Болгар
Минарет Болгар · Плешков, CC BY-SA 3.0
Bolgar. White Mosque P6270610 2575
Bolgar. White Mosque P6270610 2575 · Alexxx1979, CC BY-SA 4.0
Болгарская исламская академия
Болгарская исламская академия · Ильнар Академия, CC BY-SA 4.0

Bolgar, Russia

Болгар

Bolgar is a town of 8,640 people in Tatarstan Republic, Russia, founded in 900.

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Population8,640 GeoNames
Local nameБолгар
Elevation80 m 262 ft
Founded900
Time zoneEurope/Moscow
Land area116.0 km²
Nearest airportUlyanovsk Vostochny Airport (ULY) 65 km

Why visit Bolgar

Townapedia lists 56 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 13 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.

Highlights include Bolghar Gord, Ферма верблюдов, Balymer complex and Abdullah Alish Museum.

About Bolgar

Bolgar (Russian: Болгар; Tatar: Болгар) is a town and the administrative center of Spassky District in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, located on the left bank of the Volga River, 140 kilometers (87 mi) from Kazan. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 8,650.

From the Wikipedia article Bolgar, Spassky District, Republic of Tatarstan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do4

Bolghar Gord

Monument and historic site · 1.5 km

Gord of Volga Bulgaria

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Ферма верблюдов

Zoo and aquarium · 7.5 km

14 Школьная, Три Озера

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Натуральные продукты

Farm and orchard · 1.3 km

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Октябрь

Cinema and theater · 1.1 km

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Museums and landmarks56

Balymer complex

Monument and historic site · 11.7 km

Archaeological site in Republic of Tatarstan, Russia

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Abdullah Alish Museum

Museum · 1.5 km

Https://pravo.tatarstan.ru/oiv/veds/komitet-respubliki-tatarstan-po-ohrane-obektov/?npa_id=1115471

35 улица Назаровых, Болгары

08:00-17:00

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Cathedral Mosque

Monument and historic site · 2.0 km

45 улица Мухамедьяра

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Memorial sign for the Adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgarians in 922

Museum · 1.9 km

Настоящее принятие ислама произошло в 6 веке. Юридическое подтверждение принятия ислама булгарами было получено в 922 году. В...

27 улица Мухамедьяра

Mo-Th 08:00-18:00; Fr-Su 08:00-19:00

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North Mausoleum

Monument and historic site · 2.1 km

47 улица Мухамедьяра

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The Black chamber

Monument and historic site · 1.7 km

2А пер. Школьный

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The East mausoleum

Monument and historic site · 2.1 km

43 улица Мухамедьяра

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The Eastern chamber

Monument and historic site · 2.1 km

30 пер. Озёрный

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The Khan's mausoleum

Monument and historic site · 2.1 km

2А пер. Озёрный

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The Small Minaret

Monument and historic site · 2.1 km

2Б пер. Озёрный

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музей "Болгарское чаепитие"

Museum · 1.7 km

Https://pravo.tatarstan.ru/oiv/veds/komitet-respubliki-tatarstan-po-ohrane-obektov/?npa_id=1115391

45 улица Назаровых, Болгары

08:00-17:00

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музей "Город на реке"

Museum · 1.3 km

Https://pravo.tatarstan.ru/oiv/veds/komitet-respubliki-tatarstan-po-ohrane-obektov/?npa_id=1115421

18 улица Назаровых, Болгары

08:00-17:00

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44 more on the map.

Parks, trails and playgrounds1

Archaeological Park

Park · 1.7 km

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Restaurants and cafes13

Лэйсэн

Cafe · Regional, Tatar · 1.5 km

Https://pravo.tatarstan.ru/oiv/veds/komitet-respubliki-tatarstan-po-ohrane-obektov/?npa_id=1115436

9 улица Мухамедьяра, Болгары

09:00-18:00

Open in Google Maps · +7 927 4766537

Булгар

Cafe · 0.9 km

32 Советская улица, Болгар

8:00-23:00

Open in Google Maps · +7 84347 30143

Для Вас

Cafe · Regional · 0.9 km

Mo-Sa 8:00-16:00

Open in Google Maps · +7 906 3246597

Safar tea house (Halal)

Cafe · Tatar · 2.2 km

Open in Google Maps · +7 965 5935207;+7 927 4372675

Белая мечеть

Cafe · 2.2 km

10:00-18:00

Open in Google Maps

Зулейха

Cafe · 1.8 km

10:00-18:00

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Каравай

Cafe · Regional · 0.7 km

1А улица Ленина, Болгар

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Хлеб-Икмек

Bakery · 0.7 km

8:00-18:00

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Сако

Cafe · 1.1 km

15А Пионерская улица

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Түбәтәй

Cafe · Tatar, Regional, Coffee Shop · 2.2 km

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Центральная столовая

Fast food · Regional · 0.9 km

108А улица Ленина, Болгар

8:00-19:00

Open in Google Maps · +7 927 4039611

Восточка

Fast food · 2.1 km

08:00-18:00

Open in Google Maps

1 more on the map.

History

The excavated monuments of Bolghar, the medieval capital of Volga Bulgaria, are within easy reach from the town. The modern town of Spassk (Спасск) was formed from the village of Spassk (Chertykovo) on the bank of Bezdna River in 1781. It was renamed Spassk-Tatarsky (Спасск-Татарский) in 1926, then Kuybyshev Куйбышев), in honor of Valerian Kuybyshev, in 1935, before getting its present name in 1991. It served as a district administrative center since 1930.

In 1957, due to the construction of Kuybyshev Reservoir and flooding of the original Spassk, the town was moved from the place of its foundation closer to historical Bolgar.

In 1991, the town changed its name to Bolgar in honor of the remains of the medieval city of Bolghar (Bolgar Historical and Archaeological Complex) located nearby.

Since 2010, on the initiative and the supervision of the first president of the Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev, the complex programme 'Cultural Heritage - Island-Town of Sviyazhsk and Ancient Bolgar' has been implemented in Bolgar. The programme involves the conservation of architectural and archaeological heritage of Bolgar and the development of its touristic infrastructure. The programme has the following results:

Key architectural monuments as Small Minaret, Cathedral Mosque, Khan's Shrine, Eastern Mausoleum, Northern Mausoleum, Eastern Chamber, Assumption Church were conserved;

From the History section of Bolgar, Spassky District, Republic of Tatarstan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to stay4

Churches and places of worship2

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Shopping7

Gas and EV charging1

Schools, colleges and libraries8

  • Центральная библиотека

    Library · 0.9 km

    19 улица Хирурга Шеронова, Болгар

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  • Болгарская санаторная школа-интернат

    School · 1.0 km

    11 Пионерская улица, Болгар

    Open in Google Maps

  • Болгарская средняя общеобразовательная школа №1 с углубленным изучением отдельных предметов

    School

    59 Октябрьская улица, Болгар

    Open in Google Maps

  • Болгарская средняя общеобразовательная школа №2

    School · 0.9 km

    15 Советская улица, Болгар

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  • Болгарская школа-интернат для детей с ограниченными возможностями здоровья

    School · 1.0 km

    3 улица Дзержинского, Болгар

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  • Спасский техникум отраслевых технологий

    School · 0.7 km

    10 Рабочая улица, Болгар

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  • Детская библиотека

    Library · 1.0 km

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Healthcare7

Map of Bolgar

103 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Getting there and nearby towns

Ulyanovsk Vostochny Airport (ULY) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 65 km away.

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built November 4, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.