Söyembikä Tower
Kazan, Russia
Palace of Farmers, Kazan
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Photo: Денис Петьовка, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free — you see it from outside
- Hours
- Outside — 24/7; the interior is a working government office
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 15 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Address
- Fedoseevskaya St. 36, below the Kremlin's north wall
- What's inside
- Tatarstan's Ministry of Agriculture and Food and related agencies
- Going inside
- Offices — no. Guides say the staff canteen admits visitors (door to the right of the main entrance, past security)
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Lights
- Every evening after dark; no published schedule
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Metro
- Kremlyovskaya, then ≈ 15 min on foot
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Payment
- Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad don't work in Russia — bring roubles in cash
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time needed
- ≈ 15 min; longer in the evening for photos
Key facts
2008–2010built from spring 2008, completed in 2010
2 sourcesi
English and Russian WikipediaKomsomolskaya Pravda travel guide20 mthe bronze tree in the central arch — lit green at night
2 sourcesi
English and Russian WikipediaTripster journalMinistry of Agricultureof Tatarstan occupies the left half; its agencies the right
Sourcei
English and Russian WikipediaLeonid Gornikthe architect; the firm Antika-Plus designed and built it
2 sourcesi
English and Russian WikipediaTripster journal48 mthe top of the central spire — lower than the Kremlin's 58 m Söyembikä Tower
3 sourcesi
Russian WikipediaKomsomolskaya PravdaSputnik82.2 bn roublesthe construction cost
2 sourcesi
English and Russian WikipediaKomsomolskaya PravdaSpiral domewith translucent panels, glowing green after dark
Sourcei
English and Russian Wikipedia4 floorsin the building
2 sourcesi
Komsomolskaya PravdaSputnik8Searchlight “crown”originally shone above the dome; it was later removed
2 sourcesi
Russian WikipediaTripster journalSince 2011a free open-air gala of the Kazan Autumn opera festival is held on the square every 30 August
2 sourcesi
English and Russian WikipediaSputnik8Can you go inside the Palace of Farmers?
Not really. It's a working government building — Tatarstan's Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the veterinary service — with no tickets and no tours. Guides describe the interior as plain: long corridors and identical office doors.
The one exception, according to the Komsomolskaya Pravda and Tripster guides, is the staff canteen, which lets in outsiders: use the door to the right of the main entrance and go past the security desk. Expect a standard Russian cafeteria, open on weekdays during office hours — check on the day. The same guides mention a small agriculture museum by appointment only; we couldn't find an official page for it, so don't plan around it.
How to get to the Palace of Farmers
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Söyembikä Tower is about 14 min away on foot.
- Kazan Kremlin is about 11 min away on foot.
- Kul Sharif Mosque is about 13 min away on foot.
More tips
- Walk through the Kazan Kremlin from the Spasskaya Tower to Kul Sharif Mosque.
- Leave by the north gate, the Taynitskaya Tower — open 6:00–20:00 from October to April and until 22:00 from May to September.
- Walk down the hill to Fedoseevskaya Street; the palace is right below, ≈ 5–10 minutes.
- Skipping the Kremlin? From Kremlyovskaya metro it's ≈ 15 minutes on foot; buses stop at Ulitsa Baturina («Улица Батурина»).
- For a taxi or map app, use the address Fedoseevskaya St. 36 (Федосеевская улица, 36).
Is the Palace of Farmers worth it?
Yes — as a 15-minute stop on your way out of the Kremlin, ideally in the evening. The tree in the arch is one of Kazan's most photographed sights, and it costs nothing.
No — as a trip on its own. It isn't historic: it's a 2010 office block dressed as a palace, and Kazan still argues about it. Some call it a modern landmark, others call it kitsch next to a UNESCO site. Judge for yourself, but don't cross town just for it.
What it is and a short history
Architect Leonid Gornik designed it, and it went up in 2008–2010 on the site of demolished old houses at the foot of the Kremlin hill. Two symmetrical colonnaded wings frame a central arch holding a 20-metre bronze tree — the tree of paradise, says Gornik, a symbol of farming. The style mixes Baroque, Empire and Beaux-Arts, and it's often compared to Vienna's Hofburg and the Petit Palais in Paris.
Critics objected from the start that it clashed with the Kremlin, and Kazan's chief architect said as much in 2011. Locals joke that it's it should be called the palace of landowners, not farmers. Since 2011, the square in front has hosted a free opera gala every 30 August, Tatarstan's Republic Day.
What to see
- The bronze tree in the central arch — stand on the lawn opposite to fit the whole portal in frame.
- The spiral dome above it, glowing green at night.
- The colonnaded façade, with lettering in Russian and Tatar.
- The stairs from the Kremlin embankment — the full view of the palace.
- The Kremlin walls and Kul Sharif's minarets rising right behind the palace.
Before you go: checklist
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Palace of Farmers vs Kul Sharif and Söyembikä Tower
| Palace of Farmersyou are here | 2010 ministry building | Free, outside | Canteen only | Below the Kremlin's north wall | ≈ 15 min | Evening, lit up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kul Sharif Mosque | Kazan's main mosque | Free | Yes, except prayer times | Inside the Kremlin | 30–45 min | Sunset, from outside |
| Söyembikä Tower | The Kremlin's leaning tower | Free, outside only | No | Inside the Kremlin | 10–15 min | Daytime |
One walk, not a choice: Söyembikä and Kul Sharif are inside the Kremlin, and the palace is just past the Taynitskaya gate. Stay in the Kremlin until dusk, then walk down.
Central Kazan into the evening
Bauman Street, the Kremlin, Söyembikä Tower and Kul Sharif by day, then down to the Palace of Farmers as the lights come on. Add them to your route in one tap — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.
- Bauman Street1 h · Free
- 25 min walk from the previous stopKazan Kremlin2 h · Grounds free; museums 200–800 ₽
- 6 min walk from the previous stopSöyembikä Tower15 min · Free, outside only
- 4 min walk from the previous stopKul Sharif Mosque40 min · Free (museum 250 ₽)
- 9 min walk from the previous stopPalace of Farmersyou are here15 min · Free, outside
5 places · about 4 h 54 min with walks · 44 min on foot in total
Nearby — add to your day
How to do it right
- Stay in the Kremlin until dusk and leave by the Taynitskaya Tower — the palace will already be lit.
- Shoot it from above first, from the Kremlin wall, then walk down to the tree.
- Want the arch without people? Come early in the morning.
- Don't go inside for the interiors — there's nothing to see but the canteen.
- Afterwards, walk the Kazanka embankment for night views of the Kremlin and Kul Sharif.
Questions
Can you go inside the Palace of Farmers in Kazan?
Not as a sightseer — it's the Ministry of Agriculture's office, with no tours. Guides say the staff canteen lets visitors in through the door to the right of the main entrance.
Is the Palace of Farmers free?
Yes. You see it from outside, free and at any hour.
What is the Palace of Farmers used for?
It houses Tatarstan's Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the veterinary service and other agencies.
When was the Palace of Farmers built?
Between spring 2008 and 2010, to a design by architect Leonid Gornik.
What is the tree on the Palace of Farmers?
A 20-metre bronze tree in the central arch — the architect's tree of paradise, a symbol of farming. It is lit green at night.
When do the Palace of Farmers lights come on?
Every evening once it's dark. There's no published schedule — about half an hour after sunset is safe.
How do I get to the Palace of Farmers?
Walk out of the Kazan Kremlin through the Taynitskaya Tower and down the hill — 5–10 minutes. From Kremlyovskaya metro it's about 15 minutes on foot.
Is the Palace of Farmers worth visiting?
As a short stop after the Kremlin, especially at night — yes. It isn't worth a separate trip: it's a modern office building, not a historic palace.
Where is the Palace of Farmers?
At Fedoseevskaya Street 36, right below the north wall of the Kazan Kremlin, near the Kazanka river embankment.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Agricultural Palace; Wikidata Q4155923
- Russian Wikipedia: Дворец земледельцев
- Komsomolskaya Pravda travel guide: Palace of Farmers in Kazan
- Tripster journal: The Palace of Farmers — Kazan's controversial new landmark
- Sputnik8: Palace of Farmers
- Kazan Kremlin museum-reserve official website — Taynitskaya Tower hours, 29.10.2026
- Visa and Mastercard statements, March 2022 — suspension of operations in Russia
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