Bilär (Tatar alphabet, Tatar: Биләр) - was a medieval city in Volga Bulgaria and its second capital before the Mongol invasion of Volga Bulgaria. It was located on the left bank of the Little Cheremshan River, Small Cheremshan River in Alexeyevsky District, Republic of Tatarstan, Alexeeyevsky District of the Tatarstan. The distance to Bilyarsk is 50 km and 150 km to Kazan.

History

The city was founded around 10th century by the indigenous Bilär tribe of the Volga Bulgars. In the Russian language, Rus chronicles, it was also known as "Great City" (''Великий город''), because its population reputedly was in excess of 100,000. Bilyar was one of the main trade centers in the Middle Volga Area, Middle Volga, and alternatively with the Bolghar, Bulgar city and Nur-Suvar served as the capital of Volga Bulgaria in the 12th and 13th centuries. In 1236, Siege of Bilär, the city was sacked by the army of Batu Khan. The city was later rebuilt, but it never regained its former size or power. The city's ruins (nearly 8 km²) were explored by Rychkov, Tatischev, Khalikov and Khuchin. Near old Bilyar in 1654 was founded a Russian border fort ''Bilyarsk'', which today is an ethnic Russian village. In 1930-1963 Bilyarsk was an administrative center of Bilyarsky District, Bilyar District. By the 2000 census, its population was 2,270. It is a birthplace of chemist Alexander Arbuzov. Bilyar was the capital of the Volga-Kama-Bulgaria from the 10th century until the early 13th century. It was also one of the Historical urban community sizes, largest cities of medieval Eurasia. The end of the city in 1236 also resulted in the loss of its monumental architecture.

Bilyar Point

Bilyar Point on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after Bilär.Bilyar Point.
Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, SCAR Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica

In popular culture

Bilyarsk was the home of a fictional Soviet Air Defence Forces, Soviet air force base in Craig Thomas (author), Craig Thomas' ''Firefox (novel), Firefox'' novel and subsequent Firefox (film), film, about the fictional MiG-31 Firefox aircraft stolen by United States Air Force pilot Mitchell Gant. In reality, Bilyarsk has no airport and the closest full-service airport is in Kazan, Tatarstan in Russia, northwest of Bilyarsk.

Gallery

File:Wikiexpedition to Bilyar 15.jpg, Bilyar Historical Archeological Museum File:Wikiexpedition to Bilyar 23.jpg, A piece of Bilyar mill File:Wikiexpedition to Bilyar 14.jpg, Old Bilyar map File:Wikiexpedition to Bilyar 10.jpg, Old pots from ancient Bilyar

References

Resources

* Fayaz Sharipovich Huzin , BILYAR - BULGARIAN GREAT CITY
Publisher "Zaman" Republic of Tatarstan
. Russian (Хузин Фаяз Шариповичь , Биляр - Великий Город Болгарский
Издательство «Заман» Республика Татарстан
)

External links

*[http://www.bulgars.ru/english/volga.htm Where the Volga Bulgaria has disappeared?]
50th Anniversary of Bilyar Archaeological Expedition: results and issues of Great Town investigation
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bilar History of Tatarstan Volga Bulgaria Defunct towns in Russia Archaeological sites in Tatarstan Former populated places in Russia Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Tatarstan