Bolgar

The ancient Tatar city of Bolgar was founded in the 10th century. It was located at the intersection of trade routes that passed along the Volga River, so it soon became the capital of the state of Volga Bulgaria. It was independent from the 9th to the 13th century, and then became part of the Golden Horde. For modern Tatars, the city of Bolgar is a sacred city, where their statehood was formed.