Kazan Kremlin — Qolsharif's Lost Secret
Uncover the hidden manuscript of Qolsharif, resilient imam of Kazan, concealed during Ivan the Terrible's 1552 siege. Decode clues across the Kremlin to reveal the Tatar defiance that survived conquest.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 1552, as Ivan the Terrible's cannons thundered against the Khanate of Kazan, Imam Qolsharif rallied the faithful from his grand mosque—the largest in Europe
Kazan Kremlin — Qolsharif's Lost Secret
You are a scholar of forgotten lore, arriving in Kazan centuries after the pivotal year of 1552.
As Ivan the Terrible's cannons thundered against the Khanate, Imam Qolshar
KAZAN, 1552: PRESERVING THE TATAR SOUL IN THE FACE OF CONQUEST
« The capture of Kazan was an act of vengeance and conversion, but also the beginning of a long coexistence. »— Serge Zenkovsky, 'Pan-Turkism and Islam in Russia'
From the Splendor of the Khanate to Islamic Revival
Founded in the early 15th century after the disintegration of the Golden Horde, the Kazan Khanate quickly became a powerful Tatar-Mongol state, a major commercial and cultural crossroads. Its capital, Kazan, was a symbol of Islamic civilization in the heart of the Volga region. However, its strategic position made it a target for the expansion of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. In 1552, after several attempts, Ivan IV, known as the Terrible, led an relentless siege. The city fell after a heroic resistance, culminating in a massacre and the destruction of many Islamic monuments, marking a period of cultural and religious repression.
The conquest of Kazan integrated the Khanate into the Russian Empire, but could not erase the Tatar identity. After centuries of fluctuating tolerance, Catherine the Great's Edict in 1773 marked a turning point, restoring freedom of worship for Muslims. Kazan then experienced an Islamic and cultural revival. Mosques were rebuilt, Islamic education flourished, and the Old Tatar Settlement became a vibrant center of Muslim life. This legacy of resilience is visible today in the architecture, language, and traditions that define the modern city.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Memorable Siege
Relive the military tactics that led to the fall of the powerful Kazan Khanate in 1552.
Spiritual Heritage
Journey through eras where Islam, crushed then tolerated, found its path to revival in Kazan.
Crossed Dynasties
Explore the violent encounter and then the complex intertwining of Russian and Tatar cultures.
A people's memory never fades.
Discover how a manuscript preserved the soul of Kazan.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience.
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Your turn to play
Unveil the fragments of the 'Manuscript of Resilience', journey through centuries of Kazan's history, and reveal the perseverance of a people in the face of conquest. Your quest begins before the walls that resisted the assault.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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Kazan Kremlin — The Lost Manuscript
Uncover the forgotten manuscript revealing a secret pact between Islam and Orthodoxy, hidden during the 1552 siege. Decode clues across the Kremlin to expose the truth before it vanishes forever.
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