The embankment on the Volga is a landmark of Bolgar. It starts near the river pier and stretches for 1 kilometer along the river. The most well-maintained and visited section of the embankment is a 300-meter-long stretch from the pier to the Museum of Writing Language.
The pier in front of the Museum of Bulgarian Civilization was built in 2013. Cruise ships are moored here now. Many of them come from Kazan. For the residents of Tatarstan, Bolgar is a shrine where Volga Bulgaria adopted Islam, which they profess. There are also large ships moored here, cruising along the Volga between Moscow and Astrakhan.
If you have sailed to Bolgar by ship, first visit the Museum of Bulgarian Civilization. It is located on the 3rd and 4th floor in a building that towers over the marina. After that, go down to the Volga Embankment and walk along the water. Near the pier, the embankment is very wide.
After 300 meters you will come to the stairs and the Museum of Writing Language. This is a small open-air area, where steles with various inscriptions and epigraphs are installed. Here you can see the development of writing in Volga Bulgaria.
There is a steep staircase near the Museum of Writing Language, where you can climb up the slope to the Museum of the Quran and then go to the Cathedral’s Mosque. However, if you have time, then you can walk along the embankment further. Benches and small art objects are installed along the embankment. There is another path near the Khan`s Palace, where you can climb up the slope.
