Kazan – Healthy city, positive lives

19 September 2018

Discover how Kazan built a healthier, more harmonious city through sports, cultural heritage, green spaces, and a shared respect for all faiths and peoples.

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In Kazan, the development of urban infrastructure and promoting of a healthy lifestyle with more opportunities for creative and sporting activities shifted the people’s interests positively and improved the city’s quality of life. We look at the strategies that transformed Kazan into a healthy city known for sports, and social and religious harmony.

Promoting healthy lifestyles

Kazan recognises that good quality of life begins with a healthy population. The emphasis on sports, medicine and nutrition to improve people’s lives has paid off, with positive indicators such as increased life expectancy and rising birth rates. Beyond the push to encourage its population to adopt healthy lifestyles, Kazan has successfully branded itself as a sports city, hosting international sports events of high standing. The sports events also provide an impetus for urban development and upgrading of existing infrastructure. It is notable that the infrastructure developed do not become post-event white elephants, but world-class facilities utilised by Kazan’s citizens.

Kazan Arena stadium with a large red and white banner under a blue sky with clouds.

The Kazan Arena was constructed to host the Summer Universiade 2013 and has been well-used by citizens after the events. © City of Kazan

Empty Kazan Arena stadium with red seats spelling "#KAZAN" and green upper tiers under a large roof.

Kazan Arena © Damien Woon

A modern rowing stadium with blue seats sits beside calm water reflecting the building under a blue sky.

Kazan Rowing Sports Centre © City of Kazan

Indoor aquatic center with a blue pool, multiple diving platforms labeled Kazan, and a colorful FINA banner on the wall.

Kazan Aquatics Centre © Chang Jun Biao

Several children playing in a large indoor gymnasium with a wooden floor and hanging nets overhead.

Youths participating in sports © Chang Jun Biao

Preserving history and culture

After Ivan the Terrible besieged Kazan in 1550, the city’s Muslim population were forced to stay outside the inner city, residing in a suburb at the intersection of the Bulak canal and urban posad. The settlement then came to be known as the Tatar Sloboda. Over the course of several centuries, the Tatar Sloboda helped to preserve and develop Tatar traditions and culture. Over the last decade, the city has focused on the restoration of this historic district to preserve the city’s cultural heritage.

A street in the Tatar Settlement showing rundown buildings, a colorful green and yellow house, bare trees, and a lone pedestrian.

Colorful restored wooden buildings in the Tatar Settlement, with a tall tree and street lamp along a quiet road.

The Tatar Settlement before and after restoration © City of Kazan

Ornate historic building on Bauman Street supported by wooden scaffolding during renovation, with pedestrians walking past barriers.

Ornate white multi-story building with decorative facade on Bauman Street, with pedestrians walking on a sunny day.

Bauman Street – before and after rejuvenation © City of Kazan

Two framed prints of buildings hang on a rustic brick wall beside a wooden door and a black wall lamp.

Images showing the Tatar Settlement before rejuvenation © Damien Woon

A weathered brick building with a large colorful mural featuring a person and a butterfly near a wooden entrance door.

The rejuvenated Tatar Settlement © Damien Woon

Creating a pleasant urban environment

Kazan has embarked on a number of environmental development, or urban greenery projects, with the aim of improving the city through architecture, landscaping and by creating public gardens and recreational areas. These public improvement projects not only beautify the city, they also have a positive influence on the users’ behaviour. The city noted that in areas where the projects have been completed, people take greater care of the environment and no longer leave rubbish in the parks.

Aerial view of a grand white domed palace and ornate buildings at sunset with green parks and a parking lot.

Kazan waterfront © City of Kazan

Aerial view of a riverside promenade with a carousel, crowds, and a historic kremlin with towers at sunset.

Kazan waterfront – a promenade of activities for the people © City of Kazan

Bulak River with a stone arch bridge, lined by multi-story urban buildings on both sides, before rejuvenation.

Aerial view of the rejuvenated Bulak River flanked by green landscaping, roads with cars, and colorful city buildings.

The rejuvenated Bulak River © City of Kazan

Aerial view of a city with a star-shaped park, a lakeside fountain, and urban buildings stretching to the horizon.

Promoting family life

The Kazan Family Centre is a distinctive building in the shape of a cauldron, created by sculptor Dashi Namdakov. It serves as both a venue for wedding solemnisations, as well as a symbol of marriage and family life. The centre has seen celebrations of renewed vows between couples who have been married for over 50 years, and frequently organises activities that promote family life. The success of the centre’s push for marriage and family life can be seen in the city’s increasing child birth rates, multiple child births, and less divorces.

Aerial view of a circular domed building with ornate arches near a waterfront, surrounded by green lawns and pathways.

Elegant white hall with gold crystal chandeliers, rows of beige chairs, a wooden podium, and red flags on the left.

Perpetuating religious diversity

Kazan is a city of diverse cultures, with 115 different nationalities of people, 36 national cultural organisations, 180 religious communities and 9,000 foreign students. The respect, friendship and tolerance that the Kazan people have for one another is highly evident. Every temple is open to everyone, regardless of individual beliefs. Inter-racial or inter-faith marriages are common. Religious leaders unanimously agree that there is no need to force one’s opinions on others; the importance of mutual love and that ultimately it is about interaction as human beings. As a result, there is no religious pressure and racism in Kazan. Civil harmony as a way of life sends a strong message to a world that is often engulfed in friction, hatred and violence due to race or religion.

Aerial view of Kul Sharif Mosque with blue domes and minarets inside Kazan Kremlin, river and city skyline behind.

White Orthodox cathedral with blue and gold onion domes topped with crosses under a cloudy sky.

Aerial view of a city with a tall ornate brick bell tower and a nearby church with gold onion domes.

Colorful temple complex with multiple domes in yellow, blue, green, and black under a clear sky.