The Leaning Suyumbike Tower

Suyumbike Tower is one of Kazan‘s most recognized buildings, it is an ancient structure that is shrouded in mystery and intrigue. In one Tatar legend I read about how Ivan IV made a proposal to Suyumbike through his Ambassadors to be his wife. It was because Suyumbike refused, the Russian Tsar became furious and send his enormous army to conquer the Kazan Kremlin. As the Russian army began besieging the walls Suyumbike sent forth a message in which she wisely agreed to marry him. She agreed to be his wife on the condition that his craftsmen would build a tower higher than all the minarets in Kazan within a week. Her demands were met in 6 days time. Preceding the wedding ceremony Suyumbike asked for permission to gaze upon the city from the top of the tower before she left her home forever. Once she reached the top tier and looked about her city, she threw herself off the tower. Thus was born the legend of the tower.