# Söyembikä Tower, Kazan > Kazan's leaning tower: 58 metres, seven tiers and a spire almost 2 metres off vertical. It stands inside the Kazan Kremlin opposite the Qolşärif Mosque and is free to see from outside — you can't go in. Allow 10–15 minutes as part of a Kremlin walk. Until December 2026 it is under scaffolding. Web page: https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/syuyumbike-tower - City: [Kazan](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan), Russia - YesGo score: 66/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 15 min - Opening hours: Outside — 24/7 from the Kremlin grounds (enter via the Spasskaya Tower); no access inside - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free — seen from the Kremlin grounds - Inside: Closed to visitors; small organised groups were occasionally taken in until 2022 - Restoration: Until December 2026: scaffolding and safety mesh; the crescent was taken down on 6 October - Kremlin grounds: Open 24/7 via the Spasskaya Tower - Location: By the Presidential Palace, opposite the Qolşärif (Kul Sharif) Mosque - Metro: Kremlyovskaya, then ≈ 10 min uphill on foot - Time needed: 10–15 min - Coordinates: 55.80053, 49.10519 - Facts checked: 29.10.2026 ## Key facts - **58 m** — tall, in seven tiers (source: Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve; Russian Wikipedia) - **1.98 m** — the spire leans to the north-east (source: Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve; Business Online (Kremlin press office, 2025 survey: 2.08–2.09 m)) - **17th–18th c.** — most likely date — nobody knows exactly (source: Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve; Russian and English Wikipedia) - **1549–1551** — Söyembikä ruled Kazan as regent for her infant son (source: Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve; Russian Wikipedia, “Söyembikä”) - **1914–1916** — an iron belt was fitted round the lowest tier to stop the lean (source: Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve; Kultura.RF) - **1832** — since then the tower has carried Söyembikä’s name (source: Russian Wikipedia; Business Online) - **3 + 4** — three square lower tiers, four octagonal ones and the spire (source: Russian Wikipedia; Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve) - **Crescent** — on top today; a double-headed eagle in imperial times (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Moscow copy** — the tower of Kazansky railway station echoes Söyembikä (source: English Wikipedia; Russian Wikipedia, “Kazansky railway station”) - **UNESCO** — part of the Kazan Kremlin World Heritage site since 2000 (source: UNESCO World Heritage List; Russian Wikipedia) > **Under scaffolding until December 2026** A planned restoration is under way: the tower is wrapped in scaffolding and safety mesh, and the crescent was lifted off on 6 October to be restored. The lean is hard to see and photos will show a building site. If your dates are flexible, come after the works. ## Can you go inside the Söyembikä Tower? No. There is no exhibition inside, just stairs in the walls and empty tiers, and the tower is closed to visitors. Until 2022 small organised groups were occasionally taken in. You see it from outside, from the [Kremlin](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/kazan-kremlin) grounds — and that is free. The courtyard behind the arch belongs to the Presidential Palace and is off-limits — you see the tower from the square. ## Is it worth it? **YesGo rating:** don't make a separate trip for it. It is a 10–15-minute stop on the way from the Spasskaya Tower to the [Qolşärif Mosque](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/kul-sharif-mosque) — look at the lean, take a photo, hear the legend. The mosque, right opposite, deserves more of your time. ## How to get to the Söyembikä Tower 1. Take the metro to Kremlyovskaya station, at the foot of the Kremlin hill. 2. Walk uphill to the Kremlin — about 10 minutes. Coming from Bauman Street, enter through the Spasskaya Tower, open around the clock. 3. Follow the main avenue past the Annunciation Cathedral — about 5–7 minutes to the tower. 4. The tower stands by the Presidential Palace, opposite the Qolşärif Mosque. 5. Then visit the mosque and, after the Kremlin, walk down to the [Palace of Farmers](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/palace-of-farmers). ## Why does the tower lean? It stands on a weak foundation on oak piles over uneven ground, and the soil settled unevenly. The spire leans north-east — **1.98 m** according to the museum, 2.08–2.09 m in the Kremlin press office’s 2025 survey. An iron belt was fitted round the lowest tier in 1914–1916, and the foundation has been strengthened several times; the museum says work in 1998 stopped the movement. It is monitored with instruments, and seasonal movement of 1–3 mm is considered normal. So yes, it still leans — it just isn’t getting worse. ## The legend of Queen Söyembikä The story everyone in Kazan tells: after taking Kazan, Ivan the Terrible wanted to marry Queen Söyembikä. She agreed on one condition — a tower taller than anything in the city, built in seven days. One tier went up each day, and on the seventh she climbed to the top and threw herself off. Hence the seven tiers. History is less dramatic. Söyembikä ruled Kazan as regent in 1549–1551; in 1551, before Kazan fell, she was taken to Moscow and later married to Shah Ali, khan of Kasimov, where she died. The tower was most likely built well over a century later. ## A short history Nobody knows exactly when the tower was built. The museum says the 17th–18th century; many scholars point to around 1700, when tiered towers were fashionable across Russia — it doesn’t appear in a 1692 view of Kazan. Others believe it is older and stands on a khan-era structure. It was a watchtower and a gateway into the governor’s courtyard. Imperial Russia crowned it with a double-headed eagle; today a gilded crescent sits on top. The wrought-iron “Day and Night” gates in the arch date from 2003. ## What to see - The lean — clearest from the square by the Qolşärif Mosque. - Seven tiers: three square ones with open galleries, then octagons and the green spire. - The “Day and Night” gates — sun, crescent, zodiac signs, the Sirin bird and a swan (behind scaffolding during the works). - The tower, the mosque and the Annunciation Cathedral in one frame from the main avenue. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] I know it’s outside only — no entry - [ ] Checked whether the scaffolding is down - [ ] 10–15 minutes built into my Kremlin walk - [ ] Cash or a Russian Mir card for Kremlin museums — foreign Visa and Mastercard don’t work in Russia - [ ] I’ll stand on the mosque side to see the lean ## Söyembikä Tower vs Qolşärif Mosque vs Kremlin museums | | Söyembikä Tower | Qolşärif Mosque | Kremlin museums | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Leaning tower, 17th–18th c. | Tatarstan’s main mosque, opened 2005 | Nine museums and exhibitions | | Entry | Free, outside only | Free, you can go in | Paid | | Time needed | 10–15 min | 30–40 min | 1–3 h | | For whom | Everyone, on the way | Everyone | Museum lovers | The tower and the mosque face each other — see both in half an hour. Add museums if you have time. ## Kazan's historic sights compared Every historic place in Kazan rated by YesGo. - [Kul Sharif Mosque](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/kul-sharif-mosque) — YesGo score 73/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Free (museum 250 ₽) - [Kazan Kremlin](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/kazan-kremlin) — YesGo score 71/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Grounds free; museums 200–800 ₽ - [Söyembikä Tower](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/syuyumbike-tower) — YesGo score 66/100 (Yes, go) · 15 min · Free, outside only - [Kazan Federal University](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/kazan-university) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Outside free, museums from 350 ₽ - [Bauman Street](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/bauman-street) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Sviyazhsk](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/sviyazhsk) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Island free, museums 1,000 RUB - [Raifa Monastery](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/raifa-monastery) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free ## The Kremlin and the centre in half a day From Bauman Street through the Spasskaya Tower to the leaning tower and the mosque, then down to the Palace of Farmers. 1. [Bauman Street](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/bauman-street) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 2. [Kazan Kremlin](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/kazan-kremlin) — YesGo score 71/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Grounds free; museums 200–800 ₽ 3. [Söyembikä Tower](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/syuyumbike-tower) — YesGo score 66/100 (Yes, go) · 15 min · Free, outside only 4. [Kul Sharif Mosque](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/kul-sharif-mosque) — YesGo score 73/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Free (museum 250 ₽) 5. [Palace of Farmers](https://yesgo.io/russia/kazan/palace-of-farmers) — YesGo score 64/100 (Yes, go) · 15 min · Free, outside > **The best photo spot** Stand on the square by the Qolşärif Mosque: you get the lean and the minarets in one shot. From the Kazanka embankment the tower rises above the whole Kremlin. ## Good to know The name is spelled several ways: Söyembikä (Tatar), Syuyumbike or Suyumbike (from Russian). Locals stress the last syllable. It isn’t a minaret or a museum — just a landmark to see from outside. ## Tips - See it together with the Qolşärif Mosque — they stand face to face. - The lean shows best from the mosque side, not from the main avenue. - The Kremlin is open all night via the Spasskaya Tower — early mornings and evenings are quieter. - While the scaffolding is up, don't plan a separate visit — catch it on your Kremlin walk. - Foreign bank cards don't work in Russia — carry roubles in cash for museum tickets and cafés. ## Questions ### Can you go inside the Söyembikä Tower? No. The tower is closed to visitors and there is no exhibition inside. You see it from the Kremlin grounds, which is free. ### Is the Söyembikä Tower free? Yes. It stands on the Kremlin grounds, which you can walk around without a ticket; only the Kremlin museums are paid. ### Why does the Söyembikä Tower lean? Its weak oak-pile foundation settled unevenly. The spire is about 2 m off vertical to the north-east. ### Is the Söyembikä Tower still leaning? Yes — 1.98 m by the museum’s figure, 2.08–2.09 m by a 2025 survey. Strengthening in 1998 stopped further movement, and it is monitored with instruments. ### How tall is the Söyembikä Tower? 58 metres, in seven tiers. ### What is the legend of the Söyembikä Tower? Ivan the Terrible wanted to marry Queen Söyembikä; she demanded a tower built in seven days, then threw herself from the top. In reality she was taken to Moscow in 1551 and died in Kasimov. ### When was the Söyembikä Tower built? Nobody knows for sure. The museum dates it to the 17th–18th century; some scholars think it is older. ### How do I get to the Söyembikä Tower? Metro to Kremlyovskaya, walk uphill about 10 minutes into the Kremlin, or enter via the Spasskaya Tower from Bauman Street. The tower is opposite the Qolşärif Mosque. ### Is the Söyembikä Tower worth visiting? As a 10–15-minute stop on a Kremlin walk, yes. Not as a trip on its own — especially while scaffolding is up until December 2026. ## How we checked Height, tiers, dating, the 1.98 m lean and the restoration history come from the official Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve page, cross-checked with Wikipedia. Sources disagree on the lean: the museum gives 1.98 m, the Kremlin press office’s 2025 survey 2.08–2.09 m, and English Wikipedia says the tower no longer leans; we show both figures and don’t repeat the last claim. The dating is disputed, from the khan era to 1694–1718, so we give the museum’s version and note the debate. Sources also differ on the finial: the crescent’s return is dated 1993 (Wikipedia) or 1985–1991 (the museum), so we don’t give a year. The 2026 restoration and the closed interior are reported by several outlets quoting the Kremlin press office, so those rows are marked “verifying”. Free access to the Kremlin grounds is confirmed by guides; the official site does not list a grounds fee. The card warning follows the official BRICS 2024 summit site in Kazan. ## Sources - Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve: Syuyumbike Tower — height, tiers, lean, restorations, Day and Night gates, 29.10.2026 - Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve: visitor rules — 24/7 entry via the Spasskaya Tower - English Wikipedia: Söyembikä Tower; Russian Wikipedia: Söyembikä Tower, Söyembikä; Wikidata Q2166466 - Tatar-inform, 04.10.2026, and Business Online, 06.10.2026 — crescent removal and restoration - Rossiyskaya Gazeta, 27.07.2026, and Milliard.tatar, 28.08.2026 — schedule, lean, access inside - BRICS Russia 2024 official site — foreign Visa and Mastercard cards in Russia - UNESCO World Heritage List: Historic and Architectural Complex of the Kazan Kremlin --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.