Arsk Field
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The Arsk Field (Tatar: Arça qırı/Арча кыры, Russian: Арское поле) was situated to the West of city walls. The name comes from the Archa Darugha, a subdivision of the Khanate of Kazan. In 1552 it was a base of the inner Tatar troops during the Russian siege of Kazan. In 1774 it was a battlefield for Pugachev rebels and governmental forces.
In the 18-19th centuries a trade fair was held at the field. Since the beginning of 19 the century the field was build up with apartments, but the nearby forest was turned to the parks, named the Russian Switzerland and German Switzerland. Both of them were renamed to Gorky Park at the soviet rule.
After the 1917 October Revolution the field was renamed to Nikolay Yershov Field, after the prominent Red commander. Today both names are popular. (Tatar) "Арча кыры". Tatar Encyclopedia. (2002). Kazan: Tatarstan Republic Academy of Sciences Institution of the Tatar Encyclopaedia.
