Soyembika Tower is one of the the main sights of the Kazan Kremlin. It is located in the center of the Kremlin. The tower`s construction date is enshrouded in mystery. According to some sources, a wooden tower existed in the Tatar period.
However, the wooden tower was burnt during the storm of the city. So, Ivan the Terrible had it replaced with a stone one within the shortest possible period of time. But because of the hurry the tower was not built properly. As a result, it soon began to lean. Today its inclination is about 2 meters, which is a bit less than that of Pisa Tower. But Soyembika Tower is 2 meters higher (58 meters).
There are many legends related with the name of the tower. According to one of the most popular legends, after Ivan the Terrible had conquered Kazan he wanted the queen Soyembika to marry him. In case of her refuse the tsar threatened to punish all Tatars. To save her people the queen accepted the proposal of Ivan the Terrible. But she wanted him to erect a 7-tier tower in a week`s time. When the tower was finished, she threw herself down from its highest tier. The legend was popular since the early 18th century.
