Ilsur Metshin has inspected the course of reconstruction of the first stage of Yunusovskaya Square in the Old Tatar settlement

By September, the reconstruction of the first stage of Yunusovskaya Square near the Gabdulla Tukai Museum is planned to be completed in Kazan. As of today, the workers have already finished block pavement and side stones installation, and have begun setting of a lawn, automatic irrigation systems, water supply and sanitation. The reconstruction of one of the main symbols of the settlement was inspected by the Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin.

“Yunusovskaya Square has a special significance for the city. The reconstruction project was discussed with the old residents of the Old Tatar settlement, who appealed to the leadership of Kazan with a request to improve the territory. They shared photos and told what the square looked like years ago,” - the Mayor said.

The area of 0.7 hectares is a resting place for citizens in the Old Tatar settlement. Its territory is a vivid example of an Islamic garden created on the chor–bak basis, which means “four gardens” in Arabic. The territory of Yunusovskaya Square is divided by Fatykh Karim and Gabdulla Tukai Streets into four small green spaces.

When developing its architectural concept, archival materials, historical photographs, as well as the local residents’ memories were used. “The image recreates the square during the height of Tatar culture in the XIX-XX centuries,”- said Daria Tolovenkova, Deputy Chief Architect of Kazan. According to her, when planning the territory, existing transit routes were taken into account, thus access to unique objects in each of the four gardens will be preserved.

During the reconstruction of the square, the sidewalk was extended for the convenience of pedestrians and paving stones were laid out in the form of a Tatar ornament.

To create a cozy atmosphere, additional street lighting will be installed in the squares – lanterns, lamps and a park garland, as well as small architectural forms.

A lime hedge will be planted along the square near the Gabdulla Tukai Museum, and the garden will be decorated with plants with white and pink flowers and silver leaves - white turf, hydrangeas, lilacs, delphiniums, tulips and other flowers and shrubs. “The plant composition of each of the gardens will be unique, while colors will match the architecture of nearby buildings,” - D.Tolovenkova noted.

“Small architectural forms and plants will help to recreate the spirit of that time, turning the square into a cozy yard,”- said Daria Tolovenkova.

After walking around the square, Ilsur Metshin looked around the main element of the garden – a fountain in the form of a copper water post of the XIX century. “We have denied the idea of installing a regular fountain here. To emphasize the atmosphere of this place, the fountain is made exactly in this form,”– said D.Tolovenkova.

The head of the city appreciated the work of designers and architects of the city, who created and implemented the project. “Attention to the historical center of Kazan is of a high importance for the city's leadership. One of the main tasks is to preserve the atmosphere of the Old Tatar settlement,”- the Mayor summed up.

For reference, Yunusovskaya Square was built in the Old Tatar settlement in the second half of the XVIII century by the architect Vasily Kaftyrev. The square was named after the merchant family of the Yunusovs.