The small river Bulak connects the lake Kaban with the Kazanka and through it with the Volga. It is believed to be an artificial channel as it has a perfectly straight chute and an artificially planned course.
The river name comes from the Old Tatar word «bolaq» meaning «brook». In the middle of 16 century, when the Russian troops of Ivan the Terrible stormed Kazan, the Bulak had two arms: Zur Bulak, the main course, which run on the place of today circus, and Cherek Bulak or Rotten Bulak, which run near the Kremlin wall.
For a long time the Bulak was not beautified, but in 2015 it was fully landscaped. The river was spanned by 6 bridges and grass and flowers were planted everywhere. So the Bulak became a city sight where the citizens and the guests of Kazan come for a walk.
