The unique fortress city was founded by decree of Tsar Ivan the Terrible in 1551. As a unique integral historical and cultural territorial complex of the 16-20th centuries, in 1990 Sviyazhsk was included in the new List of historical cities and towns of the Russian Federation; in 1996 included in the provisional list of the World Cultural heritage UNESCO in six nominations: history, urban planning, architecture, icons and frescoes, archeology, natural and man-made landscape.
There are 21 registered federal monuments on the island.
in the XVI century. Between the Kazan Khanate and the growing Muscovy, there was a fierce struggle for domination in the Middle Volga region. The capital of the khanate was - for its time - impregnable fortress... In addition to the fortress walls, the castle was protected by a deep moat, and was surrounded on three sides by water - the Kazanka and Bulak rivers. Two campaigns of Ivan the Terrible to Kazan ended in failure. Having overcome a long and difficult transition, in a foreign land, the Russian army was cut off from communication with Moscow and could not undertake a long siege of Kazan. After another such campaign, during a retreat in the fall of 1550, the Russian army, led by the tsar, camped on the Volga bank, at the confluence of the Sviyaga River, at a distance of a day's march from Kazan. The attention of the king and the governor was attracted by a round mountain with a flat top and steep steep slopes - a very successful place for the construction of fortifications. It was decided to build a fortified city here. Plus it was enough deserted place, which was located at the junction of the Chuvash, Mari and Tatar lands (already in Soviet times, the borders of three autonomous republics lay near Sviyazhsk). The wilderness, which reigned around, made it possible to establish the hail unnoticed by the khan's informers.
These decisions were preceded by special mystical events, described from the words of local residents by an unknown chronicler ("Kazan History", chapter 29, Anonymous author, 1564-1565):
And the elders (centurions of the mountain Cheremis) living near Sviyazhsk told, tug and complaining, to our king and governors what they knew well and in detail: "Five years before the construction of this city, when this place was still deserted, and the city Kazan was in peace, we heard here the church bell often ringing according to Russian custom. And fear fell upon us, we were perplexed and marveled, and many times sent some fast-footed young men to get to the place and see why this was happening. And they heard beautifully singing , as during a church service, a voice, but they themselves were not seen singing; only one saw your old karatun, that is, an old man (from the Mari cards - the elder of the clan, from the Tatar cards - the old, ancient), walking in that place with an image and a cross , and blessing on all sides, and sprinkling with holy water, as if he admired this place and measured where to put the city.
Many times the young men sent by us, daring, waited for him to bring him to Kazan and to interrogate where he comes from to this place. He did not fall into their hands. They shot arrows at him from their bows, so that they shot him and grab him, but he became invisible. Their arrows did not reach him and did not hit him, but flew upward, and, falling, broke in half and fell to the ground. And, frightened, the young men ran away. We were surprised and thought to ourselves: "What does this sign portend for us?"
And we told about everything to our masters - to our princes and Murzas. They, having gone to Kazan, told about everything to our queen and the Kazan nobles. The queen and the nobles were also surprised and horrified at the appearance of that old man. "
(Sviyazhsk Island - from the side of the Tatar Mane - Assumption Monastery)
Assumption Monastery 
The mouth of the Sviyaga - a pier in Sviyazhsk 
In the winter of 1550, a thousand kilometers from Kazan, on the Upper Volga, in the Uglich forests, axes rang. The well-known master, clerk Ivan Grigorievich Vyrodkov was entrusted with the management of the construction and drawing up drawings of the fortifications of the future city. By the spring, the wooden city with walls, towers and churches was ready. Then all the logs were marked out, disassembled and loaded onto ships. In April 1551, as soon as the ice melted, a caravan of ships "carrying with them a hail of wood ... of the same summer, new, cleverly created," set off down the Volga to the chosen place. At the same time the sovereign's army set out from Moscow to Kazan; together with him, the armies of Prince Khilkov from Meshchera, Prince of Serebryanny from Nizhny Novgorod and Bakhtiyar Zyuzin from Vyatka, who blocked Kazan, blocking waterways and occupying the crossings across the Volga and Kama.
After the ships arrived at the mouth of the Sviyaga, feverish work began. The mountain was cleared of forest, leveled, and in four weeks the city was erected from the brought logs. At the same time, the Trinity and Nativity churches were erected.
The construction of Sviyazhsk is a unique case in the history of Russian urban planning. In terms of their area, the fortifications of Sviyazhsk surpassed those of Novgorod the Great, Pskov and even the Moscow Kremlin. The fortress was surrounded by a wooden wall 2550 meters long, made up of gorodni - rectangular log cabins filled with earth and stones inside. All along the walls were reinforced with eighteen towers. There were gates in seven towers to enter the city. The Christmas gate, facing north-east, towards the Volga, was the main gate and had a lifting lattice. They were crowned with a six-footed tower, which housed a large self-propelled clock with a bell. The inaccessibility of the fortress was ensured by its extremely advantageous position: from three sides the city was covered by the navigable river Sviyaga, Shchuchye lake and the Shchuka river. To supply drinking water in case of a siege, several secret passages were arranged, through which it was possible to get through to both Pike and Sviyaga. During the spring flood, the round mountain with the fortress turned into an island.
View from Sviyazhsk towards the Volga 
In the Assumption Monastery 
The chief architect of the island of Sviyazhsk is giving us a lecture ... 
Trotsky's house (he was here during the Civil War) 
Then we went along the island to the church of St. Constantine and Helena is the only parish church in Sviyazhsk (all the rest are monastic ones). The ascent to the temple was decorated with an old stone staircase. This staircase was specially built in honor of the arrival here of Empress Catherine II, who admired the beauty of these places when she traveled along the Volga. The island was also visited by her son, Emperor Paul, who also especially noted the Makarievsky monastery. This monastery (especially the bell tower), by the way, is clearly visible when you climb the mountain along the aforementioned stairs. The emperor made significant contributions to the maintenance of the monasteries, which at that time (when the monastic lands were already secularized) was a good help for them.
The stone church in the name of Saints Equal to the Apostles Constantine and Helena is very harmoniously combined with the surrounding landscape, this is especially noticeable when you swim up to the island from Kazan. It was built at the end of the 17th century together with a free-standing bell tower. At the beginning of the 18th century, the temple and the bell tower were united by a common refectory. On the site of this stone church, there was a wooden church built back in 1551 (according to the record of 1568 in the scribal book of the city of Sviyazhsk and its district). Now the church in the name of Constantine and Helena is a three-part pillarless church, the four-sided church under the box vault is crowned with a small dome on a deaf drum.
(Church of St. Constantine and Helena is the only parish church on the island) 
In the north of the island there is the Assumption Monastery - right to the shore comes the condo stone wall of the monastery, which in many places has crumbled and overgrown with old times on the foundations. On the northern side, the island was bordered by the Shchuka River, which flowed into Sviyaga and was an excellent natural defense of the city. From the northeast, a view of Shchuchye Lake opened up, where previously there were rich fisheries for the inhabitants of Sviyazhsk. After the flooding, everything became a single floodplain of the Volga - the old one could be guessed by the islets and sand spits, which was well differentiated in clear water. In these places there were also abundant floodplain meadows, which was of great economic importance for the inhabitants of the city, not less important than fertile arable land or a forest.
We stopped again near the ancient walls of the monastery, the guide told us the sad new story monastery. Outside these walls, in the 1920s and 1930s, a prisoner of war camp, a concentration camp for a "counter-revolutionary element" and a transit prison were alternately located. In doing so, we learned for the first time very startling facts. So, as a prisoner of war in the Austro-Hungarian army, Joseph Tito (the future leader of Yugoslavia) was here for some time, who even later married a local native. As a political prisoner, there was Prince Obolensky, who died here and was buried in a mass grave on this island. For some time, Princess Obolenskaya was also imprisoned here, however, thanks to her ability to beautifully embroider, she managed to survive this prison and the hungry years of the war. How many ordinary people have died here - only God knows, probably tens of thousands. The whole of Sviyazhsk is a huge cemetery, almost everywhere here in different time there were burials. Directly opposite the entrance to the Assumption Monastery there is a stone cross - at this place in 1918 the Bolsheviks shot the monastery brethren. 
The monastery was founded at the end of the 16th century and was originally located in the northwestern part cathedral square Sviyazhsk. However, after severe fires in 1753 and 1759. The John the Baptist Convent was moved to the premises of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, which was abolished in 1764, and founded in 1551.
(A thunderstorm with a downpour is approaching Sviyazhsk) 
To the right of the Trinity Church is the Sergius Church. It was located on the second floor of the monastery's refectory, built in 1604. The main shrine of the temple was the miraculous icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh. The icon was brought to Sviyazhsk in 1551. Now it is kept in Kazan in the Church of the Yaroslavl Miracle Workers, which is at the Arsk cemetery (where, by the way, Joseph Stalin's son Vasily is buried).
(Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh - Pskov style of architecture) 
Our Vyatka friends take a blessing from a local priest 
spiritual conversations about the meaning of life ... 
the oldest fresco in Sviyazhsk - the Holy Trinity of Andrei Rublev 
Among the surviving monastery buildings, the oldest is the Trinity Wooden Church, which is the oldest surviving Orthodox church in Tatarstan. The temple was built in 1551 simultaneously with the Sviyazhsk fortress in the Uglich forests, then transported by water and assembled in a new place. Although the temple was rebuilt several times in the 19th century, having received, for example, a bulbous end instead of a tent-roofed one, it retained its main features. This temple is a real window into the past. As you enter it, you feel that time has passed half a millennium ago. It reminded us very much of the Kizhi churchyard on Lake Onega. Everything inside is made of wood: a cage made of ancient logs, wide benches, a darkened and smoked plank on the ceiling, an old iconostasis. It was here that the Russian Orthodox Tsar prayed fervently before the decisive campaign against Kazan. Until recently, his abusive armor was kept here.
(the entrance to the courtyard of the monastery is on the left, and on the right is the first church of Sviyazhsk - the Trinity wooden church made of larch tree ...) 
The view of the monastery is completed by a huge Cathedral in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow". It was built in 1898-1906. designed by architect F.D. Malinovsky. The side-altars were consecrated in the name of the Monk Seraphim of Sarov and the prophetess Anna. This is a large four-pillar cross-domed church built in the neo-Byzantine style with elements of eclecticism. 
House of the merchant Kamenev 
In the museum of the island of Sviyazhsk - this is how the temples looked before the revolution 
An old photo of the Makaryevsky monastery, where we will have a camp - on the banks of the Volga 
INFORMATION ABOUT TREASURE ON THE ISLAND OF SVIYAZHSK:
A scattering of 79 copper coins of the 18th century was discovered by employees of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow) in Tatarstan. At one of the excavations near the foundations of a residential building under construction on Rozhdestvenskaya Square in Sviyazhsk, archaeologists were fortunate enough to find a real treasure of copper coins in denominations "polushka" and "money" minted in the period 1730-1770.A large-scale project is underway in the republic to revive the unique monuments of history and culture of Orthodoxy and Islam - the island city of Sviyazhsk (Zelenodolsk region of the republic, 30 km from Kazan) and ancient city Bolgar (Spassky district, 120 km from Kazan), reports
Sviyazhsk is an island-village in the middle of the river. Aerial photographs of this city are stunningly beautiful. And those people who have already been here often talk about the amazing atmosphere of these places, beautiful and measured.
The aura is truly incredibly mesmerizing. After all, the famous island city Sviyazhsk still retained the natural charm of old Russian fairy tales. Some truly mystical power emanates from the water and earth. Even five centuries ago, great warriors and historical figures already lived here.The bird flies over the island in 7 seconds, the cart crosses it in 7 minutes. The history of Sviyazhsk, a small reserved island-town on the Sviyaga River, is so mysterious, tragic and majestic that, according to its fate, one can study the history of Russia over the past 500 years.
15 versts from Kazan on a river called Sviyaga, the mouth of which flows into the Volga, between the two rivers there is high mountain and a place suitable for building a city, very spacious, deserted and overgrown with dense forest. Wherever the ship came from, whether from the north or from the south along the Volga or from the west along the Sviyaga, Round Mountain, which became an island in high water, immediately attracted the attention of travelers, and even more so for experienced warriors - more ideal place not to be found for a well-fortified fortress. On the approaches to its steep slopes there are water barriers, around the plain. Round Mountain occupies a dominant position - vegetable gardens and control the most important Volga trade route.
This was immediately understood by the young Moscow Grand Duke Ivan IV, who later received, along with the royal title, the meaningful nickname Grozny. And the terrible centuries-old glory of this indestructible, forbidden place for any traveler could not stop his evil, ebullient energy. "Black Fortress" - this is how the Cheremis mountain was called - the people who have lived on these shores for centuries. This place was considered cursed by them. Horrifying legends asserted that anyone who breaks the taboo will be possessed by an evil spirit that sleeps for centuries in the bowels of this mountain.
After an unsuccessful campaign against Kazan, the Terrible Tsar was a sign from above, and suddenly a vision appeared to him in a dream, in which the place he had seen was shown and ordered to put a city there. When he awoke from sleep, he realized that this vision is true, and not false. Inspired by Ivan the Terrible, he implements a plan that is truly ingenious and daring to the point of insanity. The plan was so daring that when European diplomats told their monarchs about it, they refused to believe.
In the winter of 1550, in an atmosphere of strict secrecy, under the supervision of tsarist clerks, work began to boil in the upper Volga in the Uglich region. Logs of walls, towers, churches and residential buildings were prepared for the entire fortress city. When spring came, the log cabins, having marked out on a log, were dismantled, ships with a new city set off for the mouth of the Sviyaga. We sailed for a month and reached the place on May 16. A large army and thousands of builders with their families arrived with the floating city on ships, barges and rafts. With the help of the squad, in less than a month they assembled this wonderful city on Round Mountain. The largest fortress of Sviyazhsk at that time surpassed the Kremlin of Novgorod, Pskov and even Moscow!
The city on ships, depicted on the coat of arms given to Sviyazhsk by the great empress Catherine II, is not an artistic image, but a reality. The fortress was not built here, it sailed here. Where was the place of the grandiose work? There are two points of view, some say that the Sviyazhsk fortress was created in the ancient Russian city of Uglich, others - in a small quiet town Myshkin, but scientists still agree on one thing: the place was somewhere between these cities. In those days, there were the possessions of the ancient princely family of the Ushatykh.
From the time of Ivan the Terrible to the present day, this city has been able to accumulate invaluable historical and cultural experience. Sviyazhsk is also unique in that it was first built entirely elsewhere. After the completion of the construction, the workers dismantled the city, marked each log and transported it down the Volga with the help of rafts to the place chosen by Tsar John IV. On a hill protected from nomads by swamps. This is an incredible city that was built without a single nail or saw.
The construction of such a large fortress in 4 weeks is a unique case in the history of world urban planning. For that time, it was not only large and reliable, but also ultra-modern. The walls of the fortress stretched for 2.5 km, were fortified with 18 towers, 7 of which are passable. The main ones, looking at the Volga, were the Christmas gates 6 fathoms high with a lifting lattice. There was a garrison room in the tower above the gate, as well as 2 prisons. To supply water, engineers arranged several secret passages to the Shchuka and Sviyaga rivers. The citadel at the mouth of the Sviyaga was named "Novograd Sviyazhsky".
A few years after the construction of Sviyazhsk, a scribal book was compiled, in which all the towers, walls, buildings and inhabitants are described in detail. The scribal book sees Sviyazhsk as a real city with all the appropriate attributes: the Kremlin, the posad around it, surrounded by an additional wall, settlements and numerous temples. And they put in it a wooden cathedral church of the Nativity of the Most Pure Theotokos. And all the governors, and boyars, and merchants, wealthy people and ordinary residents set up bright houses for themselves in the city and arranged their lives well. And all the people were filled with joy and gladness and glorified God. From the North-East and South-East the fortress was surrounded by a vast posad - more than 700 solid houses, plus a seating yard with a huge market, which descended like an amphitheater to the Volga, a customs yard, special courtyards for coachmen and Tatar merchants. Here they baked bread, made saltpeter, drove kvass and brewed beer.
All residents of Sviyazhsk at that time numbered more than 4000 people. This is 2/3 of Kazan at that time. The city was oversaturated with crafts and trade. For several centuries, private merchant capital has been actively and gladly invested in Sviyazhsk. When Sviyazhsk became a district center and was awarded its coat of arms, it included the county towns: Cheboksary, Tsivilsk, Kosmodemyansk, Vasilsursk, Tsarevokokshaisk, Tsarevosanchursk and Yaransk.
At the end of the 18th century, Emperor Paul I fervently prayed in Sviyazhsk in front of the Icon of the Theotokos of the Assumption Monastery, wishing peace and prosperity to this small, God-saved city. Emperor Nicholas I approved in 1829 the general plan for the development of Sviyazhsk, making the streets of the city straight, but under the influence of the ancient layout, some streets still retain their picturesque curves. The streets of Sviyazhsk have carried their beautiful names through the centuries, mainly in honor of the ancient temples standing on them.
When Pushkin visited these places, he was completely fascinated. He said that if there is somewhere Buyan Island and Lukomorye, it is here. Many historians say that if Sviyazhsk had not existed, then it should have been invented. For the reason that better place for the city in ancient times it was not found. The location at the foundation of the fortress was also strategic. Excellent fertile lands, beautiful hills, and a convenient place for attacks on the Kazan Khanate - Ivan the Terrible didn't need anything else. As if the Creator himself descended from heaven and created this place for the safe life of people. Until Stalin came to power, everything remained so. Only the times of camps and repression were able to shake these ancient walls and instill a sense of fear in the locals.
The conveniently located city became an island in the full sense of the word in 1956. Soviet engineers created and launched the Kuibyshev reservoir. The arriving water instantly cut off settlement almost seven dozen hectares of land. Residential buildings and buildings were separated from the "mainland", and some families that had lived for many years had to move closer to civilization. The central part of the city has survived thanks to its natural elevation above the area. After all, once the city itself was built right on the top of the mountain. Perhaps that is why it was not completely flooded during the launch of the reservoir. Although, rise the water higher - and ...
Sviyazhsk is a wonderful cozy place. Here, many buildings have survived in the form in which they were created. The whimsical interweaving of eras is mesmerizing. Once upon a time people lived here right in the monastery buildings, and priceless architectural monuments for history. Relatively recently, it was decided to relocate them to newer houses. Where happy homeowners have tap water and heating. It may seem to some that it is too quiet and incredibly few people. But local residents I like it, you can believe it. 
In general, there are many sacred religious buildings in the city. Such as the Holy Dormition Monastery, the Sviyazhsky John the Baptist Monastery, the Sviyazhsky Trinity-Sergievsky Monastery. On the other side is the Monastery of the Makaryevskaya Hermitage of the Sviyazhsky Reserve. A believer should definitely look at the bell tower of St. Nicholas Church, the Assumption Cathedral, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Joy of All Who Sorrow, the Sergius Church, as well as the Church of Constantine and Helena.
The island of Sviyazhsk is the keeper of shrines. Its main treasure is the Orthodox Trinity Church, which belongs to the Kazan diocese. It was built in the 16th century, or rather in 1551. Even in winter, logs were cut for her near Uglich, they were transported along the beautiful Volga on ships, and already in October of the same year Ivan the Terrible himself was present at the church at the prayer service, who had come to storm Kazan.
The history of the Trinity Church is not easy. The structure that has survived to our time has undergone major changes, because it has been repeatedly rebuilt and reconstructed. Initially, the temple was built in the form of a tent. This style was followed by most of the medieval craftsmen who erected holy buildings.
The church changed its appearance in the 18th century, when the tent was replaced with a dome and a roof made of iron, and the body was covered with planks and painted. The drum has also been remodeled. The renovation of the temple was needed to preserve it. But in the end, the church was so rebuilt that it was not a medieval monument that survived, but a landmark of the 18th century. This is the oldest church within the Volga.
Island-city Sviyazhsk - unusual place- a storehouse of architectural monuments of the XVI century. It is noteworthy that it is here that the museum exposition and historical project of several regions of Russia: Veliky Novgorod, Volga region and the Republic of Tatarstan presents a unique, of its kind, exhibition exposition "Ushkuyniki on the Volga". Sviyazhsk Island is tourist attraction with the prospect of creating a museum of federal significance.
There is a charming island-city of Sviyazhsk, reminiscent fabulous island Buyan. The sights of Sviyazhsk attract pilgrims here from all over the Orthodox world who want to visit the numerous churches and monasteries located on its lands.
Looking back in time
The founder of the city was Ivan the Terrible, who, after another unsuccessful assault on Kazan, decided to found a fortress city on these lands in order to be able to siege the impregnable khan's city for a long time. The location for an outpost here was ideal: a high hill, washed by two rivers and surrounded by non-drying marshes. The fortress was erected in record time - in just four weeks! The construction of the fortress was carried out in the forests located 1000 kilometers upstream of the Volga, then it was dismantled and dragged to the Round Mountain, where the fortress was again assembled on a log, like a designer. At the same time, the first "spiritual" sights of Sviyazhsk were erected: the Nativity Cathedral (destroyed by fire in 1795) and the Trinity Church. After the capture of Kazan, all administrative functions were transferred to it, and only the title of the first Christian monastery of the Kazan diocese was assigned to Sviyazhsk.
The island of Sviyazhsk became relatively recently: in 1955, after the construction of the Kuibyshev nuclear power plant, the middle course of the Volga was turned into a reservoir, the waters of which were flooded a large number of villages. However, Sviyazhsk was more fortunate: located on Krutoya Gora, he retained his history Center over the surface of the Volga, turning into an island.
Attractions of the island
The island of Sviyazhsk is famous for its Christian architectural monuments, but not only they are of interest to visitors. The amazing nature of this Volga region deserves no less attention. Life here flows measuredly, calmly and peacefully, from almost every point of the island magnificent views of the river surface open up, which you can look at for an infinitely long time. The air of the island is filled with silence, grace and tranquility. However, the main purpose of a visit to the island of Sviyazhsk is to visit churches and monasteries that have been perfectly preserved from past centuries.
Holy Trinity Church
The very first church on the island, erected in 1551 during the construction of Sviyazhsk. It is the only wooden temple on the island and the oldest church within the Volga that has survived to this day. Temple in literally the word is built without a single nail thanks to the special technology of stacking the logs. In the second half of the 17th century, the building of this landmark of Sviyazhsk underwent significant changes in the interior, leaving only the iconostasis intact, and at the beginning of the 19th century, the temple was put on a brick base, sheathed with boards and painted with oil paint, hiding the true beauty of this structure. However, during the restoration work in 2010-2012, the Trinity Church was returned to its original appearance.
Inside the temple coolness and twilight reigns, every log breathes with antiquity. Now the church acts only as a museum, the entrance is paid.
Assumption Monastery
Another architectural monument that Sviyazhsk is proud of. The monastery has a unique historical and architectural value, which has no equal in the entire Middle Volga region. On its territory there are two ancient temples built in the middle of the 16th century almost immediately after the construction of a fortress here. This is the Nikolskaya Church with a high bell tower, which is now open exclusively to monks, and the Assumption Cathedral. The latter, built in the style of Pskov churches, and its frescoes are of particular value to art critics. In the 18th century, the temple received a new dome and patterned baroque kokoshniks, but otherwise its appearance remained unchanged.
Inside the cathedral, a complete unique cycle of wall painting from the era of John IV (dated 1561) has been preserved. This is one of two examples of 18th century fresco painting in Russia. The frescoes cover an area of approximately 1,080 sq. m, the most famous compositions: "Saint Christopher" (the only surviving fresco in the world with a non-canonical image of a saint), "Procession to Paradise", "Dormition of the Mother of God" in the altar, "Fatherland" on the dome and "Crucified Christ on the breast of God" on vault of the church.
In addition to the ancient churches on the territory of the monastery there are other sights of Sviyazhsk, built in the 17th-18th centuries. In the Soviet years, as part of anti-religious propaganda, the Ascension Church and the Church of Herman Kazansky were destroyed. On the territory of the monastery during the Soviet years there was a correctional labor colony and an NKVD prison.
Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh
The city of Sviyazhsk - a museum under open air... One of its wonderful "exhibits" is the Church of Sergei Radonezhsky, dating back to the 16th-17th centuries. Outwardly, this church is very simple, made of white hewn stone of various sizes without any decorations. A green dome rises above the southeastern part of the temple, and a small bell tower is located diagonally from it. Remains of fresco paintings can be seen on the western wall of the temple.
The church is located on the second floor, the lower floor was used as a warehouse for the monastery's economy; it is also believed that earlier monastic cells were located here.
Initially, it was a two-altar church, but at the end of the 18th century, the building was given to the women's community, and another altar with a side-altar was added to the church.
The interior decoration of the temple has practically not suffered from time to time. The one-tier carved iconostasis, painted in the Old Russian style, has been perfectly preserved here. In the altar, located under the dome, in winter time the relics of St. Herman. In the middle part of the castle, as in ancient times, there is a fraternal refectory.
Cathedral of Our Lady "Joy of All Who Sorrow"
The most impressive cathedral was built in the late 18th - early 19th centuries in the neo-Byzantine style, which was popular in Russia at that time. The appearance of the temple has practically not changed, and now it resembles a multi-tiered tower with a hemispherical dome. From the five-tiered iconostasis, only one row survived, the oil painting of the cathedral was almost completely lost, but in this moment work is underway to restore it.
Near the temple, the hands of the nuns broke a magnificent flower garden.
How to get there
Going to Sviyazhsk (how to get here, we will tell you a little later), you should take water with you and have something to eat, because there are only two cafes on the island, the service of which leaves much to be desired. Also, do not forget that the monasteries of the island are active, you should behave and dress appropriately.
You can get to the island in two ways: from the eponymous railway station by car across the dam or by a motor ship departing from the Sviyazhskaya pier in Kazan. The second option is much more interesting, since it provides an opportunity for about two hours to enjoy the beautiful views of the powerful and full-flowing Volga.
Sviyazhsk is truly a holy place for Christians, the air of which is filled bell ringing and prayers. A walk around the island, where the most ancient and unique temples of the Volga region are located, will remain in your memory for a long time.
30 kilometers from Kazan, at the mouth of the fast, full-flowing river Sviyaga, there is a miracle island, the island town of Sviyazhsk.
The unique fortress city, built in just four weeks, was an all-Russian Orthodox shrine for several centuries, attracting many people from all over the country.
The history of this ancient city is amazing. On February 12, 1550, Tsar Ivan IV of Moscow laid siege to Kazan. The siege lasted eleven days, and there were many casualties on both sides. On February 25, the king retreated. Returning home, Russian troops stopped on the right steep bank of the Sviyaga. Here Ivan IV took a fancy to the wooded island “Round Mountain”, which, towering over the Volga, allowed him to keep under control the river routes, roads and Kazan itself. The king decided to build a fortress town here that would help him capture the capital of the Kazan Khanate. He instructed the military engineer clerk Ivan Vyrodkov to draw up drawings of the fortress and begin construction, but not at the chosen place, but in the Uglich forests, in the patrimony of the boyars Ushatykh. All winter, a city with walls, towers and churches was cut down a thousand kilometers from Kazan. In the spring of 1551, after a trial assembly, all buildings were dismantled, loaded onto ships, and floated to the mouth of the Sviyaga.
The city was founded on May 24, 1551. The top of the mountain was hastily cleared of the forest, but it turned out that the material brought in was enough for only half of the city, the rest had to be cut from local wood. An unprecedented event in the history of architecture - in four weeks on the Round Mountain, washed by the Sviyaga and Shchuka rivers, a whole wooden fortress city with powerful oak walls, golden-domed churches, painted huts, high towers and bell towers has grown. The city was named in honor of the founder Ivan-city, later they began to call the “New city of Sviyazhsky”, and soon the short name of Sviyazhsk was fixed - from the Sviyaga river.
For almost 500 years of its history, Sviyazhsk has gone through a lot: ups and downs, poverty and wealth, fame and obscurity, veneration and outrage ...
After the conquest of Kazan, a powerful fortress turns into a large administrative and commercial city, where foreign embassies and foreign merchants arrive. Later, Sviyazhsk is a monastic town where life is simple, quiet and filled with grace, then - the county town of the Kazan province, which was established in 1781 with its own coat of arms - the shield depicts a city sailing on a ship, and under it fish. This is a tribute to the memory of the wonderful construction of the city, brought from the Uglich forests. After the revolution, Sviyazhsk was plundered, desecrated churches that housed prisons and correctional institutions ...
Today the walled city is being revived. As in the old days, the traveler is greeted by white-stone monastery walls, golden domes of churches, as before, people live here, perhaps the descendants of those who created this fabulous miracle, whose name is Sviyazhsk. The hospitable island is visited by many tourists from all over the country. You can get to Sviyazhsk by water. The pleasure boat is slowly approaching amazing island, and Sviyazhsk opens up just as slowly to our eyes.
And immediately on the high coast of the island we are greeted by a modest white church with a low bell tower - the Church of Constantine and Helena, built in the 16th century. It is visible from all sides and harmoniously fits into the natural surroundings of the island. This is the only of the posad churches that have survived in Sviyazhsk. Once it divided the upper part of the city - the fortress and the lower - the posad, where artisans lived.
And on the site of the border there was the Christmas Gate - the main entrance to the city. The main town square was located on both sides of the Rozhdestvensky Gate. From the side of the posad on the square there was a seating yard and shops. The trading rows went down to the Sviyaga River, there was a pier where ships with goods moored. Fairs were held in Sviyazhsk every year on July 8 and September 25 (according to the old style) on the feast day in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
The city was famous for its merchants, who built here wonderfully wooden and stone houses for everyone. The first floor is a bakery, shops, shops, the second floor is living quarters for the merchant's family.
Walking along the streets of Sviyazhsk, it is impossible not to admire the wooden lace in which merchant houses are dressed. Fancy shape balconies, intricate platbands, graceful entrance gates - all this creates unique look Russian town. Here every house, every building has its own history. And the further we move along a narrow path into the interior of the island, the further we plunge into the depths of centuries, at a time when Sviyazhsk was, first of all, a spiritual center. And here we have the Holy Gates - the entrance to the territory of the female John the Baptist monastery.
One of the most interesting monastic ensembles of Sviyazhsk is the St. John the Baptist Convent, founded at the end of the 16th century. In 1795, it was moved to the site of the abolished Trinity-Sergievsky Monastery, where it is still located.
The monastery is surrounded by a stone fence that separates the holy monastery from the vain world.
The oldest building of the monastery is the wooden Trinity Church - the only structure that has survived to this day from those that were cut down near Uglich and delivered to the mouth of the Sviyaga in the spring of 1551. The history of this church has been going on for almost five centuries, which has witnessed many events that took place in Sviyazhsk. Fires and time have spared it, and now it is a unique example of ancient Russian architecture. In shape, the Church of the Holy Trinity resembles a cross - a symbol of the Christian faith, facing east. Inside, the church is more like a village hut. Wooden benches, massive doors, calm lighting, the scent of unpainted wood create an atmosphere of home comfort. All the fuss of the outside world suddenly recedes. It seems that after long aimless wanderings you have finally returned to the place where you are loved and expected, where everyone will be understood and forgiven, warm with affection and care.
This is the peculiarity of Russians wooden churches... The felled tree seems to continue to live here - it warms in winter and gives the desired coolness in summer. The feeling of something dear, close is enhanced by the subtle, barely perceptible smell of candle wax, which is soaked through and through the ancient walls. The simple decoration of the church is complemented by a four-tiered carved iconostasis, striking in its beauty. The Royal Doors are decorated with icons depicting the Annunciation and the evangelical apostles. Attention is drawn to the bright clothes of the saints and Latin inscriptions - alien to the Orthodox church. The origin of the iconostasis has not yet been established and is one of the mysteries of the Trinity Church.
In the center of the monastery is the Sergius Church - the first stone building on the territory of the monastery. The thick walls of the temple are lined with hewn white stone.
The building has two floors. Below were the cells for monks, and above the church. There was a refectory near the church, where the parishioners waited for the beginning of the service, and enjoyed themselves. The pilgrims who came to the monastery from afar on the days of major holidays were also accommodated there; this part of the temple was also used for memorial rites and for reading royal decrees.
The youngest church of the St. John the Baptist Monastery is the Cathedral of the Mother of God "Joy of all who grieve." It was laid down in May 1898. The architect Malinovsky built it in the false Byzantine style that was widespread in those years. Decorated with a majestic dome, the cathedral still dominates the ancient monastic buildings. Anyone entering it, the temple amazes with a huge internal space. Sunlight enters through the many windows that adorn the dome and arched floors of the cathedral. In the center of the temple, the sun's rays meet and grant God's grace to everyone who enters with an open heart and a pure soul.
On the territory of the St. John the Baptist Monastery, attention is drawn to the cells where the nuns have lived for a long time. Their life in the monastery was simple and unhurried. The modest decoration of the cells: a narrow bed, a table, a beveled stand-lectern, helped to abandon worldly concerns and fully devote oneself to serving God. A little further away is the abbess's building - a simple structure that served as the home of the abbess of the monastery.
This is how the ensemble of the John the Baptist Convent has survived to this day. And in the southern part of the island, perhaps the most famous Dormition Monastery in Sviyazhsk opens to the eyes of travelers.
It was founded in 1555 by Archbishop Guriy. Two unique monuments from the times of Ivan the Terrible have survived here - the Assumption Cathedral and the Nikolskaya Refectory Church.
Cathedral of the Assumption Holy Mother of God was erected in 1560 from white stone. The temple was built by Pskov craftsmen with the participation of Postnik Yakovlev and Ivan Shiryay. The small temple delights with the harmony of lines. Bizarre architectural details give the Assumption Cathedral airiness and lightness. One gets the impression that we have before us a fabulous little house, descended from a painting by an unknown artist.
Immediately after the construction, the Assumption Cathedral was painted inside and out. Unfortunately, the external painting of the temple has not survived. But the interior decoration of the cathedral makes an indelible impression, and for a long time it remains in the memory of everyone who once opened a heavy door and found himself under the arches. ancient temple... The amazing, fantastic world of frescoes excites with its splendor, they breathe of distant antiquity. The caring hands of an unknown master breathed life into them, it seems that they are not alien to human suffering, dreams, joys and experiences. The artists who painted the Assumption Cathedral drew plots for their colorful compositions not only from canon books, but also from the Apocalypse and apocryphal legends (the history of the first people in paradise, etc.). On the dome we see the image of the god of hosts. Dressed in white robes, shimmering in transparent pink and light green tones, the Sabaoth sits on a golden throne on two pillows - green and red. He creates, blessing everyone with both outstretched hands. The fiery red circle behind the throne symbolizes the "unapproachable light" in which the Lord lives. The blue stripe that goes around the circle represents the sky and is filled with images of cherubs and two-winged angels. The foot on which the creator's feet rest, as well as the legs of the throne, also stand on a blue stripe. Looking at this image, one involuntarily recalls the lines of Holy Scripture: "Heaven is my throne."
Seven Archangels and a Guardian Angel appear a little lower. This heavenly host is the guardians of the throne of the Lord. They have been given the right to mediate between heaven and earth.
On the walls of the Assumption Cathedral you can see interesting frescoes dedicated to the theme "Days of Creation". The artist develops the plot of the painting, moving along the wall from left to right, following the sunlight. One gets the impression of involvement in the events depicted by the ancient master. Bright colorful frescoes tell us about the creation of the world - step by step, day after day, in the same sequence as the Lord did.
Many frescoes are dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the lives of the saints, the apostles, biblical events and, of course, the life of the Virgin Mary. The temple fresco "Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos" amazes with the richness of colors, brightness, clarity of lines.
She tells us about the last journey of the most holy woman of Orthodoxy, the Virgin Mary. It was in honor of this event that the Assumption Cathedral was consecrated.
There is also a fresco in the temple telling about the overthrow of Satan and his army, which is a rare image for Orthodox churches. Fallen angels cast down from heaven fly, unnaturally bent over, upside down.
You can endlessly talk about the splendor of the interior decoration of the temple. But only once, having seen it with your own eyes, you can feel the attractive power of ancient frescoes.
The temple painting of the Assumption Cathedral is understandable and close to everyone. Some, looking at the vivid, memorable images, are strengthened in their faith, others, who first came to an Orthodox church, involuntarily freeze, experiencing sacred awe and reverence for the extraordinary power of the talent of ancient masters who managed to convey to us the majestic beauty of the interior decoration of the House of God. It is difficult to overestimate the significance of the Sviyazhsky frescoes: after all, this is the only complete cycle of wall painting of the 16th century that has almost completely survived to this day.
Reluctantly leaving the Assumption Cathedral, we find ourselves in the monastery courtyard, where our view is the Nikolskaya Church - the oldest stone building in Sviyazhsk. It was founded in the fall of 1555 almost simultaneously with the Assumption Cathedral. The construction was completed a year later. It was necessary to erect this small church, because the newly founded monastery urgently needed premises for church services, and the construction of the Assumption Cathedral, which had begun, could not be completed quickly due to the large amount of work.
A bell tower was erected next to the church. This tallest structure in Sviyazhsk is 43 meters high. A steep staircase leads upstairs, along which the bell ringer once hastily climbed to breathe life, fill with strength, and make five heavy bells speak. The bells called the monks to prayer, announced the end of the service, glorified the name of God. Their cheerful chimes, drawn-out, mournful voice or alarming alarm bells brought joy, sadness or news of a fire to the inhabitants of the monastery walls.
From the lower tier of the bell tower through an underground passage there was an exit to the bank of the Sviyaga. Who used it secret passage? Maybe those unfortunates who, by the will of fate, ended up in an "earthen prison" to pacify and correct the disobedient monks and who somehow managed to get out of there and resort to the help of the Sviazh brothers? Or, perhaps, using a secret passage, the monks could spot the enemy army approaching Sviyazhsk in time and, having warned the brethren, prepare for defense ... The true purpose of this passage still remains one of the mysteries of the Assumption Monastery.
And on the territory of the monastery, we can see many more interesting buildings: brotherly cells, the abbot's chambers - permanent and summer, hospital cells. These buildings live their own special lives, each building here has its own history. We can touch the silent, cool stones and, as it were, travel back several centuries, to the times when the Assumption Monastery flourished, ranked seventh in the list of 1105 monasteries of the Russian Empire.
A significant part of the territory of the monastery was occupied by a magnificent garden - a symbol of paradise bushes. In the summer heat, he gave the desired coolness to the inhabitants of the monastery. You could take a break from everyday worries in a beautiful gazebo, covered with wood chips and decorated with carved details. And in the fall, the garden gave rich harvests, being a source of food for the monastic brethren. The same purpose was served by the vegetable garden, where there was a greenhouse for growing early vegetables and seedlings.
A little further off you can see the old monastery cemetery. For many years the inhabitants of the monastery found peace here. This cemetery became the last refuge for the martyrs who died in Sviyazhsk in the post-revolutionary period. Those years were a difficult test for the wonderful island of Sviyazhsk and its inhabitants. The destruction of temples, desecration of ancient shrines, constant arrests and executions - one of the sad pages of the history of the island. But, despite this, Sviyazhsk managed to preserve its originality - the appearance of an old Russian town with golden domes of white-stone churches, slender bell towers, fancifully decorated with merchant houses.
Today, the ancient shrines of the island - the city of Sviyazhsk - are being revived again. Since 1997, the Assumption Monastery began to operate again. The brethren, led by the rector, Father Kirill, took responsibility for the reconstruction of the temples and buildings of the monastery, which are architectural gems Sviyazhsk.
The fabulous island surrounded on all sides by water attracts travelers like a magnet. A man who once stepped on a saint full of unsolved mysteries the land of Sviyazhsk, will forever preserve in memory that special atmosphere of something sublime, indestructible, which, as it were, envelops the island, turning it into a miracle city.
