Bolaq

The Bolaq (Tatar: Cyrillic Болак, Latin Bolaq, Arabic بۇلاق; Russian: Булак, Bulak) is a canal that once flowed from the northern part of Birge Qaban to Kazanka (Qazansu). Today it is an isolated channel in downtown Kazan. The modern length of Bolaq is 1,550 metres (5,090 ft), and the width is 24 metres (79 ft). As a street Bolaq, or, more correctly, Uñ yaq Bolaq/Pravobulachnaya and Sul yaq Bolaq/Levobulachnaya streets is a major arterial road in Central Kazan.

Bolaq or Bulak, the Russian spelling, refers also for two streets, that are the embankments of the channel: Left Bolaq (Sul yaq Bolaq/Levobulachnaya; Cyrillic:Сул Болак/Левобулачная) and Right Bolaq (Uñ yaq Bolaq/Pravobulachnaya; Cyrillic:Уң Болак/Правобулачная). The origin of the word bolaq is disputive. Some claim that this comes from balaq, i.e. "arm". Another state that "bolaq" is an Old Tatar/Bulgar for "brook" and could be found in several modern hydronyms of Tatarstan.

Bolaq, as a part of Qaban lake system once was a part of Volga's riverbed, but then Volga came some kilometers to the west. By the results of geological and hydrological researches nearby thousand years ago Bolaq was a natural river, 60 metres (200 ft) wide and 6.5 metres (21 ft) deep. Bolaq had a delta of many distributaries. With time Bolaq became shallow. The number of branches in delta decreased and for several recent centuries there were only two: Zur (Big) Bolaq and Çerek (Foul) Bolaq.

In the 15th century Bolaq's valley was covered with brake. A water of Bolaq was used for drink and dough that time. The shore protection of Bolaq was firstly realized in the Khanate's epoch. Cheremis workers set logs to the bottom of natural river. That period Bolaq was navigable channel, sluice in the mouth kept the level of Bolaq stable. The berths of Bolaq supplied for the Taşayaq trade fair. During the storm of Kazan Kazan Chronicle reported that Bolaq was already swamped and served only as defence zone. In the 19th century as a result of the city's economical development Bolaq was reconstructed, embankments were built on apartments and depots, first wooden bridges were built. The first arched stone bridge was built in 1907 by the project of Lev Kazimirovich Khrshchonovich.

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