Melting pot of cultures

The marriage registry office building in the city looks like a giant cooking pot. [Photo by Xu Lin/China Daily]

The building is also decorated with winged snow leopards, a symbol of the Republic of Tatarstan.

The building is near a street lined with restaurants and shops.

Some of Kazan's streets are named after famous Russians such as Maxim Gorky. At the age of 19, Gorky attempted suicide by the river, but the bullet missed his heart. He survived and left Kazan and then became a well-known writer.

Bauman Street is the city's main pedestrian street. On sunny days, the square with a fountain attracts pigeons.

The city also has a soft spot for cats. Besides a stone sculpture of the Kazan Cat, you will find all kinds of souvenirs related to cats, such as magnets and small porcelain sculptures related to the feline in the city.

Legend has it that during the Siege of Kazan, the Kazan Cat warned the Khan of the Russian troops who were tunneling underneath the fortress.

In 1745, Empress Elizabeth ordered 30 cats brought from Kazan to Saint Petersburg to catch mice in the Winter Palace.

One of the other attractions in Kazan is the Soviet Lifestyle Museum, which has a large collection of daily necessities from Soviet times, ranging from children's toys and cosmetics to badges with Lenin's picture on them.

Visiting the museum is like doing time-travel. At the museum, you can choose different army uniforms and hats to dress up as a soldier.

The museum also has dolls and small sculptures of Misha－the Russian Bear mascot of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.

Among the other interesting exhibits is a metal mold to bake pancakes in the shape of Misha and an electronic postcard with lights.