Roughly 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of Kazan, the archaeological complex of Bolghar lies on the shore of the Volga River, not far from its modern descendant, Bolgar. Evidence shows that Bolghar, the capital of Volga Bulgaria was established in the early Middle Ages. The capital was eventually moved to Bilyar. After the Mongols invaded in the early 13th century, Bolghar became the Golden Horde’s capital. Under the reign of Berke, the Bulgars of the area converted to Islam. Most of the stone structures preserved today date back to this…
