Kazan – is one of the oldest cities of unique multi-national historical and cultural heritage. It saved archaeological, architectural and cultural relics and monuments of ancient Bulgar, Golden Horde, Kazanian khanate, Russian and Soviet periods. There are 758 historical and cultural relics in the city. 113 of them have federal status, 283 republican and 362 local. 211 cultural and art institutions and creative unions are concentrated in the city. Among them there are 110 municipal and 101 republican, departmental and commercial ones. About 500 members of creative unions live in Kazan. Approxomately 150 objects are being built, restored and reconstructed within the federal program “Conservation and Development of the Historical Centre of the Kazan city”.

Kazan is the capital of original people and multinational republic. This nation has its own language, culture, old traditions, religion and holidays. Being the centre of multinational culture, contemporary Kazan has been the organizer of the International Festival of Opera Singing, named after F. Shalyapin, the Festival of Ballet Dancing, named after R. Nuriyev, festivals of organ music, theatre performance, Pianoforum and others. It is impossible to imagine cultural and spiritual life of the city without Tatar national holidays, such as Sabanyui (Harvest Holiday), Nauruz and the main festival, the Republic Day, which is celebrated on August, 30. This holiday implies both ancient customs and festivals and a new traits of Kazan.

The role of Kazan in the development of cultural links between the Tatars overseas is special. Kazan has been the spiritual capital of the Tatars, living all over the world.

The last years went down in history as the time of legislative basis formation and a period of legal foundation for its development. Laws of the Tatarstan republic on culture, museums and museum heritage, conservation and application of historical values and libraries have been adopted recently.

Realization of Cultural Development Program of the Kazan City implies state guarantees for improvement, heritage conservation and cultural values’ popularization, as well as providing stable economic basis for intensive cultural growth of the city.