List of historical monuments in Kazan will increase to 250 facilities

 (KZN.RU, January 14, Taisiya Basharkina). The Mayor’s Office of Kazan and public organizations join forces on conservation and reconstruction of the historic and cultural center of the capital of Tatarstan. Detailed discussion with Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, representatives for the city administration and public organizations has been held today in the building of the Executive Committee.

Kazanis set up as a modern metropolitan city. "By the Universiade 2013 we are preparing not only in terms of sports and transport infrastructure, renovation of housing stock but also in terms of conservation and reconstruction of the cultural and historical city center", I. Metshin said. According to the Mayor there were meetings with all owners of historic buildings to whom the task to reconstruct the main streets of the historic city center by the Universiade was given.

Recall that on the territory of Kazan there are 552 cultural heritage sites. Another 251 cultural heritage objects is planned to include additionally. The Architecture and Town-Planning Department assured the KZN.RU correspondent, 176 objects have been already approved by the Ministry of Culture; the remaining 75 objects are under consideration.

As Rafael Valeev, the Vice-Rector of Kazan State University of Culture and Arts noted, each guest come to the capital of Tatarstan doesn’t visit industrial plants but its the historical center, cultural facilities, places of interest. "The subject of our today's conversation is the need for systematic and consistent work in the field of culture", he says.

One of the main themes of the meeting was the fate of the Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda.

Expressing the position of city administration, Tatiana Prokofieva, the Chief Architect of the Kazan said that the city stands for the maximum preservation of historic buildings of the city, and promotion of its history. Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda is the center that holds the traditions of Tatar people, and there is no doubt about the open-air museum creation, she said.

"The preservation of cultural heritage is a matter not of an individual person, the head of the city, the republic but it concerns everyone. Only in this case we can talk about the possibility of monuments preservation", Rafael Valeev summed up.

Ilsur Metshin addressing the representatives for public organizations said, "We would like to do one thing together. We are concerned not only the Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda but the entire historic city center”.