Sviyazhsk is a village in the Zelenodolsk region of Tatarstan, located on the island of the same name. Tourists come here to get acquainted with the legendary history of the city, see ancient monasteries with churches from the 16th-19th centuries and a city on an island, reminiscent of the fabulous Buyan Island from Russian folklore, and the beautiful nature of the Middle Volga region.
The decision to build a fortress city on Round Mountain was made by Ivan the Terrible after another unsuccessful conquest against Kazan in 1550 - it was necessary to have a support base for Russian troops near the capital of the Khanate. The location was suitable: it was washed on both sides by the Sviyaga and Shchuka rivers; it took only a day to cross to Kazan.
In order to build such a fortress unnoticed by the enemy, it was built near Uglich, then dismantled log by log, and in the spring rafted along the Volga River to the mouth of Sviyaga. Then they were dragged by drag to the foot of the Round Mountain. In four weeks the city was reassembled: fortress walls, 18 towers, churches and houses. This was in May 1551. Ivan the Terrible's plan worked - in 1552 the offensive began and eventually Kazan fell.
What has remained on the island since then and how to get there? Find out from our material with detailed descriptions and photographs of all the sights of Sviyazhsk.
How to get to Sviyazhsk from Kazan
It is best to combine a visit to Sviyazhsk with a trip to Kazan. The latter is the starting point from where it is convenient to get to the island.
By car (from Kazan) take the M7 highway towards Moscow to the village of Isakovo, then follow the sign for Sviyazhsk. Drive to the island along a causeway; at the end there is a parking lot. The journey will take no more than an hour.
By boat from the Kazan river station to the island of Sviyazhsk. About two hours away. From 6.00 to 20.00. Tickets are sold an hour before departure, up to 150 rubles. From May 1 to August 31 – daily; from September 1 to October 16 – on Saturdays and Sundays. Current schedule.
It is best to come to Sviyazhsk in the summer, but even if you visit this place in winter, you will not regret the time spent on the island.
Story
Ivan the Terrible himself decided to build a fortified city after a series of failed operations to capture Kazan. It was necessary to create a stronghold to support the army. The island was washed on three sides by the waters of the Shchuka, Sviyaga and Volga rivers, from the elevated area - Round Mountain - distant approaches were visible, and most importantly, the island was located at a distance of a day's march from the capital of the Kazan Khanate.
The fortress was built unnoticed by the enemy. First, fortifications were built near Uglich. After that, they were dismantled and, with the onset of spring, the logs were floated along the Volga to the island, then dragged to the foot of the Round Mountain. It took one month to reassemble the fortress. The construction was led by the famous Russian architect of that time, Ivan Vyrodkov.
The city consisted of eighteen towers, residential buildings and an Orthodox church. The fortress fully fulfilled its purpose: a year after its foundation, Kazan was taken.
Sviyazhsk Dormition Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos
Address: st. Uspenskaya. Phones: +7(917)-919-0395 – Pilgrimage House, +7 (987) 401-33-22 – Pilgrimage Department. Website: www.sviyazhsk-monastery.ru/ Visiting hours: from 6.00 to 18.00 (Monday - Friday), from 9.00 to 18.00 (Saturday, Sunday). Admission is free, but you must remember that the monastery is active and you should behave appropriately.
Year of foundation: 1555. Archimandrite German - the first rector, later canonized. The relic of the monastery is the relics of St. Herman. In 1923, for anti-religious propaganda, the ark with the holy remains was opened. At that same moment, according to legend, a tornado began on the island, horrifying all those present. The monastery soon fell into disrepair.
During Soviet times, a correctional labor colony was located in the Assumption Monastery of the Mother of God. In 1935-1953. here was the NKVD prison of Sviyazhsk.
St. Nicholas Church
The oldest in the monastery is St. Nicholas Church. Built in 1555-1956 from cut stone by the Pskov artel of Ivan Shiryaev. Later, a four-tiered bell tower with a height of 43 meters was added (it is the tallest structure on the island). The ancient cell of St. Herman has been preserved in the temple. The church is open only to monks.
Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Assumption Cathedral)
It was erected in 1556-1560. in the Pskov-Novgorod style under the leadership of Postnik Yakovlev and Ivan Shiryaev - the authors of Moscow's St. Basil's Cathedral. The interior wall painting is a unique monument and rarity of ancient Russian art of the second half of the 16th century.
The surviving fresco of the holy warrior Christopher with a horse's head is noteworthy. In iconography, images with a dog’s head were adopted, and later all his animal-like appearances were destroyed. It is also worth seeing the altar images of Ivan the Terrible himself, Metropolitan Macarius of Moscow.
In the summer, the shrine with the relics of St. Herman is in this cathedral.
Architecture of the ancient island-city
Sviyazhsk urban development combines modernity and antiquity. New buildings are adjacent to buildings of the 18th-19th centuries, which gives the city an extraordinary flavor.
River station building
- Address: Sviyaga River embankment.
The journey around Sviyazhsk begins from here - from the river station, the building of which was built in 2011, but its appearance resembles an old Russian tower of the 19th century. This is a small two-story house made of red brick.
Its unusual appearance is given by kokoshnik roofs with thin spiers and a weather vane over the central part of the building.
As for the facade, rectangular windows with triangular canopies and figured masonry add zest to it. There are lawns and clubs around the station, and behind it there is a view of the far bank of the Volga.
Women's gymnasium building
- Address: pl. Rozhdestvenskaya, 3.
The brick building in the Gothic style was erected at the beginning of the 20th century. Its pediment is decorated with lancet windows and stained glass roses - elements most often found in Catholic churches.
The women's gymnasium was a prestigious educational institution for girls from noble families. It was closed after the revolution, and in its place a regular secondary school was established, which still exists today.
Today the building is recognized as an architectural monument and plays a significant role in the appearance of modern Sviyazhsk.
House of merchant Kamenev
- Address: Rozhdestvenskaya Square, 2.
F.T. Kamenev was one of the richest merchants of Sviyazhsk. He owned factories, groceries and shipyards. It was he who owned the two-story estate, built at the end of the 19th century. Its first floor was made of brick and housed a grocery store. The second floor, built of wood, was occupied by the Kamenev family.
The estate was a wonderful example of Old Russian architecture. Its upper floor was decorated with pilasters, expressive platbands and wide cornices. All decorative elements were covered with fine handmade carvings, which gave the building the appearance of a princely mansion.
The Kamenevs lived in the estate until 1918. After the revolution, the Soviet government seized the estate from its rightful owner and turned it into a hostel. Gradually the house fell into disrepair. Without proper maintenance, it soon began to deteriorate and was eventually demolished.
In 2011, work began on restoring the monument to wooden architecture. The house was restored with the utmost precision. Old drawings and photographs were used in the reconstruction.
Today, in Kamenev’s house there is a hotel of the same name. The interior of the building is decorated in a retro style, so guests can feel the atmosphere of a merchant's mansion.
Old water tower
- Address: Rozhdestvensky Lane, 4/6.
The water tower was built at the end of the 19th century. - at the beginning of the 20th century. The tall, brick-built structure was in use until 1980.
After decommissioning, the tower came into the possession of a research institute, whose specialty is the study of old buildings for the purpose of restoration. The structure was restored using surviving drawings, records and photographs. Work on it was completed in 2014.
Today, on the ground floor of the Old Water Tower there is an exhibition center displaying the work of contemporary artists and craftsmen.
Architectural complex "Horse yard"
- Address: Uspenskaya st., 1A.
The horse yard has existed since the founding of the city. In the 16th century it consisted of wooden buildings. The log stables, arenas and forges served the inhabitants of the island for 200 years, after which they were demolished and new stone buildings stood in their place, which have survived to this day.
Today the Horse Yard is a popular historical and tourist center. Its guests can go on a horseback ride, look into the forge, where, just like in the good old days, hammers knock on an anvil and finished horseshoes cool down. You can also order a commemorative minted coin here. Also on the territory of the Horse Yard there are bread and honey shops, restaurants serving national cuisine, and souvenir shops.
Another interesting service is carriage excursions. Tourists sit in carriages drawn by graceful horses, and a guide-cab driver takes them to the most interesting places in Sviyazhsk.
John the Baptist Convent (buildings of the 16th – 19th centuries)
Currently it is the courtyard of the Mother of God Assumption Monastery (located on Trinity Street).
Founded at the end of the 16th century. Heavily damaged by fires in 1753 and 1759. The buildings of the former Trinity-Sergius Monastery, which existed since 1551 and abolished in 1764, were given to him.
In Soviet times there were utility warehouses here.
Church of the Life-Giving Trinity
The same church that was brought here along the Volga was then assembled in one day by the people of Prince Peter Semenovich Serebryany-Obolensky in 1551. This is the only surviving structure of the wooden fortified city. The interior of the temple was greatly distorted over time, but the structure of the iconostasis itself remained intact. The church was being completed and covered with planks. Now the external appearance of the temple has been restored.
Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh
It was built in 1551 and was originally made of wood. During the reign of Boris Godunov, a stone temple made of white limestone was erected and re-lit as the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh the Wonderworker. A surviving wall inscription from 1604 tells about this event.
In winter, the shrine with the relics of St. Herman resides in this church.
Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”
In terms of its size, the most impressive cathedral dates back to 1898-1906.
Its architecture is close to the Naval Cathedral in the city of Kronstadt. Built in neo-Byzantine style. Externally, the temple has remained virtually unchanged, but the interior wall paintings have been almost completely lost. Restoration work is underway.
Chapel of Nicholas and Alexandra, Royal Passion-Bearers
Located on the corner of the monastery fence, built in 1897.
Museum "Tatar Slobodka"
From the boat we will go up the path to a unique repository - the museum of the archaeological tree “Tatarskaya Slobodka”. On the territory of Sviyazhsk it is impossible to disturb the natural landscape with modern buildings, so the museum was disguised as a hill.
In the 16th - 18th centuries. there was a Tatar settlement in this place. The remains of wooden buildings were left where they were discovered. And around them in glass cases there is an exhibition: tools and ancient weapons, kitchen utensils, leather shoes and even toys. All this was found at the excavation site.
The highlight of the museum is a huge animated panel. The life of a 17th-century settlement is reproduced in animation mode.
Believe it or not, there are 450 different characters involved in 100 everyday scenes! The animation characters saw logs, build, fish, wash clothes, put out fires, and simply go about their business.
This museum is a must visit!
Church of Saints Constantine and Helena
Address: st. Konstantinovskaya, 2
Refers to the earliest buildings on the island. The temple was erected on the personal orders of Ivan the Terrible in 1551. The initial structure was wooden, then later - stone. The church is located at the end of Uspenskaya Street, on the slope of the coast - here a beautiful panorama opens up with the surface of the water, a low horizon and the surrounding banks.
This is a functioning parish church. Divine services are currently held on holidays and Sundays.
Tips for staying in Sviyazhsk
Sviyazhsk is a small island, so tourists often spend one day here. However, if you want to stay in the village for a longer period, then you need to think about your place of residence in advance.
Where to stay overnight
There are several hotels on the territory of Sviyazhsk:
- hotel "House of Merchant F. T. Kamenev". The interior of the establishment is stylized as a merchant's estate. All furniture and accessories are made to order and are designed to return hotel guests to the atmosphere of the 19th century. There are only eight double comfortable rooms. Price for overnight stay - from 3 thousand rubles. for two/day. Address: Rozhdestvenskaya Square, 2;
The hotel “House of Merchant F. T. Kamenev” is designed in the style of a merchant estate - The Sviyaga hotel is also located in a historical architectural building - the building of the Almshouse, built in the 19th century. There are seven rooms (four doubles and three singles), which are named after fish that live in the rivers of Sviyazhsk. The downside of this hotel is the amenities on the floor, but the prices here are much lower - from 1 thousand rubles. per person/day. Address: st. Moskovskaya, 6;
Hotel "Sviyaga" is located in a historical building - The hotel “Monastery House of the Pilgrim” is located next to the Mother of God Dormition Monastery. There are rooms for four, six, eight and sixteen people. Prices: from 350 rubles per person per day. Address: st. Troitskaya, 3.
The hotel "Pilgrim's Monastic House" looks very strict inside and out
What to bring from the island
In Sviyazhsk you can purchase both ordinary souvenirs in the form of magnets, wooden or clay crafts, textile decorations, and items typical of the life of past centuries. The main part of the shops and souvenir shops is located on the territory of the Horse Yard. The Lenivy Torzhok complex also sells memorabilia:
- clay pots;
- birch bark figurines;
- painted plates;
- coins;
- medallions;
- horseshoes.
In Sviyazhsk you can buy souvenirs for every taste
19th century secular buildings
Sviyazhsk was a county town with typical architecture of its time. But thanks to its “isolation” from the outside world (it became an island after most of the area was flooded due to the construction of the Kuibyshev hydroelectric station in 1955), the civil buildings of the 19th century were not rebuilt and were preserved in the best possible way (as, for example, in Torzhok ). The street names are pre-revolutionary. Here you will see residential (Uspenskaya and Nikolskaya streets) and government houses (Uspenskaya street), barracks of an engineering regiment (Uspenskaya street), a city school, a building of a lower vocational school (on the central square) and other buildings.
What to see with your child
If you are visiting Sviyazhsk with a child, then excursions tailored to the child’s age will be selected for you. The little ones will be able to take a walk along “Buyan Island” or “Pushkin Lukomorye”, and older children will enthusiastically visit the ruins of the fortress, listen to legends about it and climb to its highest point.
There is a legend that Alexander Pushkin, sailing past the island of Sviyazhsk, exclaimed: “But this is my island Buyan from the fairy tale “About Tsar Saltan”!
Children will also be interested in the historical playground called “Lazy Torzhok”, located on Rozhdestvenskaya Square. Here you can take part in historical battles, trying on the role of a warrior, watch knightly fights, study military costumes and even make a souvenir with your own hands. Entrance to the site by ticket, price - 80 rubles.
In the Lazy Torzhok complex you can watch the battles of knights
Memorial structures
The difficult post-revolutionary times left their mark on the life of the city. Not far from the central square there is the “Wall of the Communards” with a small fenced obelisk - the site of the execution of the Red Guards in 1918.
At the wall of the Assumption Monastery you will see a stele - this is a monument to the victims of political repression. It was installed after a mass grave was discovered on the island in 2010, dating back to the 1940s - the time when the NKVD camp was located here. Judging by the remains, some prisoners died of disease and starvation, while others were shot.
Interesting Facts. Monument to Judas
to Judas allegedly discovered on the territory of Soviet Russia.
. The installation of the monument was supposedly personally directed by Leon Trotsky. This famous revolutionary was sometimes called the "demon of the revolution."
According to legend, the format of the monument to the main biblical villain was approved by Lenin himself. It is believed that Trotsky initially wanted to erect a monument to Lucifer himself. However, Lenin banned this project, since the installation of such monuments would indirectly confirm faith in God. The project for a monument to Cain was also rejected by the leader of the world proletariat. Therefore, the revolutionaries converged on a monument dedicated to Judas.
According to legend, the opening of the monument took place with an orchestra and a parade of two Red Army regiments. After the fabric was torn from the monument, the amazed residents of the city saw a full-length stone human figure. The Judas monument depicted a crouching biblical antagonist with his arms raised. Rumor has it that the prototype of the monument was Trotsky himself.
Of course, this story is 100% fiction. Similar rumors were spread by former White Guards who were forced to immigrate from the country after the Bolshevik victory. There are quite a few references to the existence of monuments to Judas in Soviet Russia. In particular, the famous Danish diplomat Henning Koehler writes about the monument in his memoirs. He claimed to have witnessed its installation in 1918.
Let us note that many contemporaries fully trusted such rumors, since they were hostile towards the Bolsheviks. In particular, the famous Russian writer Ivan Bunin believed the information about the installation of the monument to Judas. Naturally, nothing like this ever happened.
There is a completely logical explanation for these rumors. The commander of the Red Army who took Kazan was the famous leader of the Latvian riflemen. His name was Yan Yudin
. During the fighting, this officer was killed. Moreover, the date of his death approximately coincides with the time of installation of the “monument to Judas.”
In fact, they were talking about the funeral of Yan Yudin. A monument was actually erected to him. It is known that he died from an accidental shell fired by the White Army artillery. The Dane Köhler could well have confused the consonant surname with “Judas”.
Complex "Lazy Torzhok"
Opposite the square is another interesting place - the historical reconstruction complex “Lazy Torzhok”.
Reenactments of military battles of past eras are sometimes carried out here. The participants wear costumes, armor, and weapons from those ancient times. And if you are lucky, you will definitely be lucky enough to see a bright spectacle.
There is a shooting range here where you can shoot with a bow and crossbow.
Archery and crossbow shooting range.
Then dress in a period costume, put on a helmet and take a photo. Try delicious herbal tea in the historical kitchen. There are also a lot of souvenir shops with handmade products in Torzhok.
At this point, you can complete your walk around Sviyazhsk along Rozhdestvenskaya Street. go to the river station to return to Kazan.
I am sure that a visit to the Sviyazhsk Museum-Reserve will not leave you indifferent. The wonderful island-city will be seen for a long time among the floods of the mighty Russian Volga River.
Larisa Nikolaevna, administrator, 43 years old
