Sights of Sviyazhsk. Secular buildings of the island

October 30 is approaching - Day of Remembrance for Victims of Political Repression. Recently I had a chance to see the island town of Sviyazhsk, on the Volga, not far from Kazan. Here since 1936 there was a prison of the NKVD of the TASSR, where from 1937 to 1948. 5 thousand repressed people died.

General history of Sviyazhsk very rich. The city was founded as a fortress in 1551. In the middle of the 16th century, there was a fierce struggle for dominance in the Middle Volga region between the Kazan Khanate and the growing Moscow kingdom. Since 1547, Ivan the Terrible made unsuccessful attempts to defeat the Kazan Khanate. Even having a numerical superiority and artillery, the Russians could not take Kazan. The border of the Kazan Khanate lay only 20 kilometers west of its capital, along the Sviyaga River, and Ivan the Terrible needed a well-fortified fortress, since the Muscovite troops, cut off due to difficulties in communications with Moscow, could not besiege Kazan for a long time.

It was decided to build a fortress at the mouth of Sviyaga, at a distance of a day's march to Kazan, on Round Mountain - a high hill with a flat top and steep slopes. There were swamps around the hill. The fortress was cut down and built on the Upper Volga, in the Uglech forests, 1000 km away. The built walls and towers of the fortress were brought in the spring on rafts and assembled here. Thanks to such tricks, the Tatars did not find out about the construction. And soon Kazan was taken.

Sviyazhsk became a real island after the construction of the Kuibyshev hydroelectric power station - the reservoir flooded the adjacent lowlands. This was in 1957, at the same time most of the 3.5 thousand local residents left their homeland. For many years it was possible to get here only by water. But in 2005, a dam was built, along which you can now get here by car. The Sviyazhsk dam looks so funny from space :)

Back in 2008, the monasteries and numerous churches of Sviyazhsk lay in ruins. In 2009, Sviyazhsk was classified as a cultural heritage site of republican significance in the form of a landmark (within the boundaries of the Sviyazhsk rural settlement). The former President of the Republic M. Shaimiev and the Republican Foundation for the Revival of Historical and Cultural Monuments took Sviyazhsk under his wing. In Sviyazhsk they said that Mintimer Sharipovich comes here every 2-3 weeks, inspecting the progress of restoration work. A lot has been done: all utilities have been installed, gas has been supplied, residents have been relocated from the cramped cells of the former monastery, where they lived for decades without basic amenities...

1.

View of the Assumption Monastery of the 16th-20th centuries.

2. The dam and the road along which we arrived from Kazan are clearly visible from above, from the monastery walls:

From Kazan you need to drive here along the M-7 highway towards Moscow, after the bridge over the river. Sviyag turn right following the sign.

3. At the monastery wall there is a monument to the victims of political repression (sculptor M. Gashimov):

4. We are first taken to the history museum of Sviyazhsk, past the monastery. We'll come back here later

Now about 350 people live in Sviyazhsk. They were moved from old wooden houses to newly built municipal cottages. And in the “wooden buildings” after renovation there will be shops, arts and crafts workshops, etc.
5.

The Museum of the History of Sviyazhsk is located in a complex of government buildings built in the 1838-1840s. Restoration has just finished here and there is no permanent exhibition yet
9.

10. Model of the once densely populated Sviyazhsk

12. The museum displays things found by archaeologists. Here, for example, is a nice fragment of a tile

13. Sviyazhsk in an 18th-century engraving. Doesn't remind you of anything?
A.G. Rudakov, M.I. Makhaev. View of Sviyazhsk at the water field before the full moon. 1769

In the world, here’s a miracle:
An island lies on the sea,
There is a city on the island
With golden-domed churches,
With towers and gardens...

A tempting version: as if Sviyazhsk is the prototype of Pushkin’s wonderful city. However, no. Pushkin learned about Sviyazhsk after he wrote the fairy tale :)
14.

View of Sviyazhsk. Unknown artist. Ser. XVIII century

15. Bird's eye view of Sviyazhsk in summer

16. and in winter

Part of the museum's current exhibition consists of paintings with views of historical and current Sviyazhsk, portraits of its inhabitants.
17.

City-city of Sviyazhsk. R.T. Safiullin. 2010.

18.

Another painting by R.T. Safiullina from the series "Seasons"

19 and 20 are also works by R.T. Safiullina

20.

Works by Rashit Safiullin and other artists dedicated to Svyazhsk can be viewed

The history of Sviyazhsk is closely connected with the civil war. In the summer of 1918, Kazan was captured by the White Czechs. As Leon Trotsky, who was sent to Sviyazhsk to command the offensive operation on Kazan, wrote: “Within a month, the fate of the revolution was decided anew here.” The forces of the Volga River Military Flotilla were gathered in the area of ​​the Sviyazhsk station, an armored train arrived there, and an airfield was located on a field nearby. For the first time in the history of the civil war, Trotsky used the method of so-called “decimation” in Sviyazhsk - the execution of every tenth soldier from the units retreating from the front. He went down in history with the installation in Sviyazhsk of a monument to the “first revolutionary”, for whose role it was decided to choose Judas Iscariot, the apostle who “revolted” against Jesus Christ.
They told us on the excursion. that no documentary evidence has yet been found that the monument actually existed.

21. Another building of the complex of government buildings, where the prison was located in the 1930s and 40s:

22. Scheme of the buildings of Sviyazhsk prison No. 8 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan. 1946

23. Authentic prison door

Vladimir Mikhailovich Golitsyn (1901 - 1943), a descendant of an old princely family, served his sentence and died in Sviyazhsk. In 1918-19 He was in charge of a poster workshop in Bogoroditsk, then he made GROWTH Windows in Tula. In 1920 he was recruited as an artist in the Arctic. In 1922, as an employee of the floating Arctic Marine Scientific Institute, he went to Novaya Zemlya as part of the first Soviet expedition.

Later he worked as an artist, in 1923-25. - in the Handicraft Museum. In 1925, for painting wooden boxes in the Old Russian style, he was awarded a gold medal at the International Exhibition in Paris. He worked as a decorator at the Bogoroditsky Theater, illustrated books, and collaborated with the magazines “Krugosvet”, “World Pathfinder”, “Pioneer”, “Knowledge is Power”. Invented more than a dozen children's board games.

He was first arrested in 1925, then in 1926 he was kept in Butyrka. In 1941, he was again arrested, convicted, and since June 1942 he was in penitentiary colony No. 5 of Sviyazhsk. On December 29 of the same year, he was assigned to be transferred to Yeniseisk, despite severe exhaustion. However, on February 6, 1943. died, diagnosed with exacerbation of pellagra. Rehabilitated in 1958. In 1983, on the western wall of the Assumption Monastery, as a sign of memory of the stay of V.M. Golitsyn and his relative S.V. Olsufieva in Sviyazhsk ITC No. 5, memorial plaques were installed to I.V. Golitsyn and M.A. Trubetskoy.

Sofya Vladimirovna Olsufieva (1984-1943) together with her husband, archaeologist and art critic Yu.A. Olsufiev, Father Pavel Florensky and S.P. Mansurov in 1918 in Trinity-Sergiev Posad created a commission for the protection of monuments of art and antiquity, and participated in the rescue of the relics of Sergei of Radonezh. Yuri Aleskandrovich Olsufiev was shot in 1938. Before her arrest, Sofya Vladimirovna worked at the Kuskovo museum-estate. Convicted on November 1, 1941, she had been in Sviyazhsk since December 1942. She died on March 15, 1943, diagnosed with exacerbation of pellagra. In 1991 she was rehabilitated.

26.

V.M. Golitsyn. Arkhangelsk. Sketch of painting a wooden box. 1923-24 Copy

27.

V.M. Golitsyn. Red Army soldiers. Sketch of painting a wooden box. 1923-24 Copy

The museum contains manuscripts of books by Andrei Guryevich Loshadkin (1881-1942) “Garden, vegetable garden, apiary and fish pond or auxiliary branches of agriculture”, “A short course in gardening”, “Pumpkins, melons, watermelons”, etc., written in 1930- 1940s in Sviyazhsk prison. He is a graduate of the Kazan Art School, studied at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, but due to financial difficulties he entered the Higher Agricultural Academy. courses. He worked as an agronomist in Kazan and the province. In 1931 he was arrested, then released, but in 1938 he was arrested again. He served his sentence in the Sviyazhsk penal colony No. 5, worked here as an agronomist, and spent the evening and night hours drawing and writing books. He died on August 2, 1942 in Sviyazhsk from dysentery. Rehabilitated in 1986

29.

Drawings by A. Loshadkin

30.

The fraternal corps of the Assumption of the Theotokos Monastery. Sviyazhsk, where ITK No. 5 was located

After the colony was transferred from here in the mid-1950s, a branch of the republican psychiatric clinic was located here.
The hospital was closed in the late 1980s, at which time several churches were returned to believers. A branch of the Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Tatarstan is located on the island.

31. One of the streets of Sviyazhsk:

32. Municipal housing

34. Shop

35. We crossed the island and came to the Church of Constantine and Helena (late 17th century) on the opposite bank from the Assumption Monastery

36. In the distance on the other bank you can see the church of the Makaryevsky Monastery

37. House of the mayor F.P. Polyakov, end of the 19th century.

38. House of Illarionov - Medvedev - Brovkin, late 19th century.

39. Almshouse (beginning of the 20th century), where we were fed deliciously (there is now a hotel with all the amenities and a cafe). Trotsky spoke at rallies in 1918 from the balcony of this building.

40. Moskovskaya Street with the above houses

41. The local school is located in the building of the district government building (19th century). There are few children in Sviyazhsk; children are brought to school from nearby villages. There is also a kindergarten in the same building.

42. Next to the gymnasium there is a hill with the ruins of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (XVI century), destroyed in the 20-30s of the last century. In Sviyazhsk, all the places of destroyed churches are marked with crosses, and similar information stands are located at the restored monuments

43. Not far away is a monument to the Sviyazhsk people - participants of the Second World War.

44. Fire wagon and vocational school buildings, 1870s

45. All this is located on the central square of Sviyazhsk, there are also flower sculptures:

46. ​​Estate of merchant F.T. Kamenev, end of the 19th century. There is a hotel here now

50. There are many other crosses like this in Sviyazhsk. And this one is near the preserved ruins of the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (XVII century). Opposite there was another church - St. Sophia. Both temples were destroyed in the first half of the 20th century.

51. Somewhere around here it is planned to make something like this

52. And we are walking along Trinity Street to the St. John the Baptist Monastery, past a wooden two-story house built at the end of the 19th century:

53. St. John the Baptist Monastery used to be a women’s monastery, but is now being revived as a men’s monastery. There are three churches on the territory of the monastery. Cathedral in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow", early 20th century:

54. Nearby is the oldest wooden Trinity Church not only in Sviyazhsk, but also in the entire Middle Volga region, built simultaneously with the city in 1551 (the foundation remains from that time):

55. Sergievskaya Church was built during the time of Boris Godunov, at the end of the 16th - beginning of the 17th centuries. and dedicated to Sergei Radonezh - the patron saint of Sviyazhsk:

56. On the territory of the monastery, several buildings where nuns lived, built from the late 19th - early 20th centuries, have been preserved.

57. And we return to the Assumption Monastery

58. Playground

60. Restoration work is in full swing at the Assumption Monastery

61. The first thing we see is the Church of St. Herman (XVII-XX centuries) with the fraternal corps

65. View of the oldest stone building in Sviyazhsk - St. Nicholas Church with a bell tower (the bell tower was added later) and the Assumption Cathedral (1556). The cathedral (on the right) was built by the Pskov artel under the leadership of Postnik Yakovlev and Ivan Shirai, famous masters to whom Russia owes one of its symbols - the Intercession Cathedral (St. Basil's Cathedral) on Red Square in Moscow.

66. Next to the cathedral there is a monastery cemetery. Gravestones were recently found in various places on the island, including on roads, and were moved here. There are also monastic graves of recent years

67. The Assumption Cathedral has more than 1000 sq. meters of frescoes from the 16th century. This is a unique ensemble, preserved only in Sviyazhsk, which also includes the fresco of Christopher “The Dog-head”, beloved by tourists - a saint who was depicted with the head of a horse and a dog

68.

Christopher "Doghead"

70. Restoration work is currently underway in the cathedral. Due to the gigantic length of the post, I no longer show the frescoes, if anyone is interested, you can see them in my album Sviyazhsk on Yandex photos

71. The building of the monastery school of the 17th-19th centuries.

72. Archimandrite building of the 17th century:

73. The gateway Church of the Ascension is being restored. Work is carried out even at dusk, when we leave the island city

74. An amazing place... It amazed everyone who was on the excursion - both the Kazan residents who had been here even before the restoration work (“how much has been done in such a short time!”) and us, who knew nothing about Sviyazhsk before. I was not at all offended by the new construction (and I come across negative reviews on this topic on the Internet) - after the stories of Kazan residents, what was here before - complete devastation and desolation. I want to come here again, to see the city in all its glory.

Any cruise along the majestic Volga or tour of the treasure cities of Russian culture will be incomplete without a visit to Sviyazhsk - a small village in the Zelenodolsk region of Tatarstan, on an island at the confluence of the Shchuka and Sviyaga rivers. By the way, the island has not always been here: it was formed only in 1957 at the same time as the Kuibyshev Reservoir, and today it is connected to the mainland by a dam.

The island town of Sviyazhsk is a place with an ancient history and an impressive concentration of attractions. Its territory accommodates more than 30 cultural heritage sites, most of which are recognized as monuments of federal significance. The surviving churches and monasteries are witnesses to the events of the past 5 centuries, and the memory of the lost temples is preserved by the historical and architectural exhibition. Popular cruise routes from Kazan pass through the island, and every year more and more discoveries await tourists: Sviyazhsk is being actively restored and is gradually acquiring the features of a full-fledged open-air museum.

A little history

Sviyazhsk was founded in 1551, during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. The powerful fortress was assembled in just 4 weeks: parts were prepared in Uglich and floated down the Volga. This power came in handy a year later: in 1552, during the siege of Kazan, Russian troops were based here.

In the 16th century, the Sviyazhsk fortress was larger in size than the defensive structures in Pskov, Novgorod and even Moscow.

However, the most dramatic page in the history of Sviyazhsk was the 20th century. In 1918, repressions were rampant here: Trotsky ordered the execution of every 10th Red Army soldier from local military units who did not drive the White Czechs out of Kazan. In 1928, the Assumption Monastery was transformed into a children's labor commune, then into a colony, where prisoners of war were kept during the Second World War, and later into a psychiatric hospital. For decades, political prisoners who fell into disgrace with the government were exiled to the island.

In the 21st century, Sviyazhsk is literally reborn from oblivion. A highway has been built to the neighboring islands with the poetic name Tatarskaya Griva, historical monuments have been taken under state protection, the number of tourist sites is growing, music festivals are held annually - in other words, the village is coming to life before our eyes.

How to get to Sviyazhsk

The island town of Sviyazhsk is located 30 km from Kazan, which can be reached by plane, train, bus or boat. The further journey also has to be done by land or water. Motor ships regularly depart from the Tatar capital, traveling to the island for about 2-3 hours. Tickets cost 140 RUB one way; if desired, you can book an excursion tour at the river station (round-trip tickets plus travel information on board, excursions on the island are paid separately) for 450 RUB. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

There is also a bus service between Kazan and Sviyazhsk. Flights from the Central Bus Station depart on Saturdays and Sundays, travel time is 1 hour 20 minutes, tickets are 192 RUB. By train the journey will take a little over an hour and cost 84 RUB.

The railway station is not located on the island, but in the nearby village of Nizhnie Vyazovye, from where it is 15 km to your destination by taxi (about 200 RUB) or by regular bus across the dam.

Another way to get to Sviyazhsk is a trip from Kazan in your own or rented car. The distance between settlements along the highway is about 60 km, you can cover it in an hour: the roads are good, there are no traffic jams. You will have to drive along the M7 highway towards Moscow to the village of Isakovo, then follow the signs. The parking lot is located right at the foot of the hill on which Sviyazhsk stands.

Search for air tickets to Kazan (the nearest airport to Sviyazhsk)

Transport

The island town of Sviyazhsk occupies a very small area (about 65 hectares), so it is not surprising that there is no trace of public transport here: any of the attractions is just a stone’s throw away on foot. Taxis and buses stop at the foot of the hill, where the village rises, and then the tourist has to climb a metal staircase and walk all day long between well-kept houses, temples and monasteries. The only alternative to walking tours is bicycle tours: you can rent a two-wheeled horse in Kazan for 500-700 RUB per day.

Sviyazhsk beach

Surrounded by water on all sides, Sviyazhsk lives not only from tourism, but also from river fishing. Almost every local resident has a boat: pike and bream are excellent on the local shores. Part of the coast is covered with sand and is suitable for a traditional beach holiday. Of course, the comfort inherent in famous resorts is still out of the question: there are no amenities here, and no water activities either. However, after exciting excursions along the city streets, it is quite possible to sunbathe on a wide strip of sand and even - if you are brave enough - to swim in the river.

Hotels in Sviyazhsk

Most tourists visiting Sviyazhsk stay in Kazan, but if necessary, you can spend the night on the island, where several hotels of varying degrees of comfort are open. The most fashionable is located in the Kamenev estate of the 19th century: the double rooms (standard and luxury) are clean, spacious and beautiful, the interior is stylized as a Russian merchant mansion. The cost of living is from 3000 RUB per day.

A more democratic option is the Sviyaga hotel with 7 rooms named after the fish found in local waters. When staying at “Bream”, “Pike-perch” or “Pike”, you should be prepared for minor everyday inconveniences: showers and toilets here are only on the floor. But the prices are lower: from 1000 RUB per day for a single room.

The third (and so far the last) hotel on the island is the “Pilgrim’s House” at the Assumption Monastery. Accommodation here is cheap (from 300 RUB per bed), but the conditions are appropriate.

Weather in Sviyazhsk

What to bring

In Sviyazhsk there are several shops and kiosks with souvenirs, some of them are located on the territory of the Horse Yard. Here are exhibited both characteristic household items of past centuries, and things familiar to the tourist eye: magnets with images of local attractions, crafts made of wood and clay, textiles embroidered with patterns.

Excellent honey and sbiten are sold in the yard: you can taste them right at the counter and buy a couple of jars of the healthy treat to take home.

Souvenir shops are also open in the center of historical reconstruction “Lazy Torzhok”: here they sell the same folk crafts - clay pots, birch bark figurines, painted plates, and at the same time offer everyone to take pictures in knightly armor and shoot with a crossbow. The best purchases are coins forged using ancient technology, medallions and horseshoes, as well as traditional Tatar treats - smoked horse meat and chak-chak dessert.

Cuisine and restaurants of Sviyazhsk

Cafes and restaurants in Sviyazhsk are still a bit tight: until recently, the only places you could eat a worm were at a buffet at the river station, a snack bar on the central square, and souvenir shops, among other things, offering iconic products of Tatar cuisine. But the situation is gradually improving: more original establishments with dishes traditional for the region are appearing on the island.

Due to the constant influx of tourists, service at three Sviyazhsk catering points is slow.

For fish soup, shish kebab and other delicacies made from fish caught here, you should visit the art cafe “Fisherman's Compound”, stylized as an old hut. Hot dishes in an assortment - from 150 RUB, among the pleasant bonuses - an excellent view of Sviyaga. Good set lunches for 450 RUB can be found in the Buyan eatery, named after the dog that lives on the farm and reminiscent of a typical Soviet canteen both in atmosphere and menu. And at the Horse Yard, guests will find a “Tavern” with an interesting interior, waiters in folk costumes and native Russian treats such as solyanka, borscht and baked pike perch. A 3-course lunch will cost from 700 RUB, dinner - from 1000 RUB per person.

Entertainment and attractions

Sviyazhsk is a center of attraction for travelers focused on spiritual values, because the main architectural beauties here are churches and monasteries. The island town has been applying for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List for several years now, and it is possible that one day it will be able to gain international recognition.

The most famous Sviyazhsk landmark is the active Assumption Monastery of the Mother of God, the same age as the Kazan diocese, founded in 1555. The Assumption Cathedral in the Ukrainian Baroque style and St. Nicholas Church with a bell tower 43 m high, open only to monks, have survived to this day.

The Mother of God Assumption Monastery, once considered the richest in the Middle Volga region, is today famous for its full cycle of frescoes from the 16th century, covering an area of ​​1080 square meters. m.

The second monastery is Ioanno-Predtechensky, which has now become the courtyard of Uspensky. It began its existence simultaneously with the city, in 1551, and at first served as a women's monastery. The pearl of the architectural ensemble is the wooden Trinity Church: the oldest temple in the Lower and Middle Volga region and the only building that has survived since the founding of Sviyazhsk. The neat log building, erected and consecrated in just one day, resembles a traditional five-walled hut. Nearby are the stone Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh and the red-brick Cathedral of Our Lady of All Who Sorrow Joy, built in the Russian-Byzantine style.

There is also a museum in the ancient village - the art and historical-architectural “Island-city of Sviyazhsk”. The exhibition is located in several historical buildings, the main one of which is the Church of St. Konstantin and Elena. In the exhibition halls you can examine archaeological artifacts found in the surrounding area, works of church art and elements of folk life.

The urban development of Sviyazhsk can also be considered an independent attraction. It does not shine with luxury, but it allows you to imagine in detail what the Russian outback was like some 100-200 years ago. A striking example of local architecture is the estate of merchant Kamenev, built in the 19th century and recently restored, on the central square.

Sviyazhsk for children

Little guests of Sviyazhsk, tired of long excursions, will certainly enjoy visiting the Horse Yard, built in the 17th century and turned into a full-fledged ethnographic complex. Here you can ride a horse (and, if desired, in a carriage), buy original souvenirs and dine at the tavern.

Even more entertainment for kids and adults can be found in the cultural center “Lazy Torzhok”, stylized as a real medieval city. In the armory, blacksmith and pottery workshops you can watch craftsmen at work and try yourself in a new craft, compete in archery accuracy and try on detailed recreated armor. And on weekends, interactive knightly tournaments are held here - spectacular open-air shows.

The main attractions of the island-city of Sviyazhsk are, of course, the monasteries. There are three of them on the island. In addition to visiting them, there will also be a walk around Sviyazhsk and, as usual, a lot of photos.

Continuation of our walk around Sviyazhsk. Beginning in the article: where I wrote in detail about the history of Sviyazhsk, how to get to it from Kazan and about the Mother of God Dormition Monastery, located at the entrance to the island town.
It's time to look at the sights that are located in the depths of the island.

It is interesting that until 1917 it was female, and from 1917 to this day it has been male.
The monastery was founded in the 16th century, giving it the name Rozhdestvensky. At first the buildings were made of wood, then of stone and brick, but the ancient buildings were lost due to frequent fires (1795, etc.) and reconstruction.
Active work was carried out in 1796, when the bell tower and the St. John the Baptist chapel of the St. Sergius Church appeared.
The monastery experienced difficult times under Soviet rule and closed in 1919. However, its entire territory is declared a museum-reserve of history and architecture; in 1959, the restoration of the central cathedral took place.

The red brick domes of the Cathedral of the Icon of Our Lady “Joy of All Who Sorrow” are visible to all guests of the island from afar. The architectural features are reminiscent of the Kronstadt Cathedral in St. Petersburg, which also has a hemispherical dome.

Construction of the cathedral took place from 1898-1906. according to the project F.N. Malinovsky, the luxurious building is made in the New Byzantine style.

Restored interior decoration of the Cathedral of the Icon of Our Lady “Joy of All Who Sorrow.” The painting is mainly done with oil paints.

Trinity Church, Sviyazhsk.

The oldest building on the territory of the monastery and the whole of Sviyazhsk is the Trinity Church, made of wood in 1551. This temple is one of the most unique objects of historical and cultural significance. Minor reconstructions were carried out only in the 19th century, when a roof and dome made of iron and a plank covering instead of a hipped roof appeared. The interior decoration has preserved the three-tiered iconostasis made of carved wood, although most of the iconographic treasures were taken to museums or to an unknown location in Soviet times.

The history of the construction of the Trinity Church is very interesting: along with the materials for the construction of the Sviyazhsk fortress, logs for this church were brought in 1551. They assembled the church within one day, as they say, “without a single nail.”

Legends call the founder of the Trinity Church Prince Nikita Serebryany, a contemporary of Grozny. There is evidence that Ivan the Terrible prayed here on the eve of the capture of Kazan.

On the territory of the monastery there is another ancient building - the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, or briefly the St. Sergius Church with one dome and a small belfry, built in 1604. The temple belongs to the type of refectory. Its special value is explained by the frescoes preserved on the porch, which depict Sergius of Radonezh and Alexander Svirsky. The fresco is unique, as it is a wall enlarged copy of Andrei Rublev’s work “Trinity”.

Churches, temples and cathedrals of Sviyazhsk.

Sergievskaya Church. The two-story white stone church was consecrated in 1604 in the name of Sergius of Radonezh. This building has an unusual layout: during its construction, there were utility rooms and monastic rooms on the ground floor, and the church premises themselves were on the second floor. The church has three altars, each altar is in its own chapel. Inside the church you can see a well-preserved fresco painting from the 17th century depicting the Trinity, Patriarch Nikon and Sergius of Radonezh.

Cultural and natural landscape of Sviyazhsk.

Comprehensive restoration and reconstruction work in the fortress and cathedrals has been carried out in Sviyazhsk since 2010 under the “Renaissance” program; at the same time, the city’s housing stock is being updated, new premises are being built for cultural institutions, hotels, etc.

In 2017, an application was submitted for inclusion in the list of sites under the protection of UNESCO, the Assumption Monastery and the Trinity Church.

Sviyazhsk today.

There are many buildings in Sviyazhsk that appeared in the 20-21st century, but are stylized as antique. Due to the large number of new buildings, the so-called “new build,” the island city cannot receive the status of a historical and cultural museum-reserve.

Hotel "House of Merchant Kamenev".

Some buildings from the 19th and 20th centuries have been preserved on the territory of Sviyazhsk.

The territory of the island is landscaped and beautiful, visitors feel like they are in a fairy tale on the island of Buyan.

The historical and reconstruction complex “Lazy Torzhok” consists of shopping arcades and craft shops.

Church of Constantine and Helena, Sviyazhsk

At the very shore there is the parish Church of Saints Constantine and Helena. It is visible first of all when you approach the island on a boat.
The church was built at the end of the 17th century. At first the belfry was a separate building, but over time it was connected to the church, with a refectory built between them.
During Soviet times, the church did not work; it opened only in the 90s. 20th century as a space for exhibition events. The church currently hosts baptisms.
In the foreground is the building of the girls' gymnasium, built in 1913-14, which still houses the school.

Sviyazhsk is a sparsely populated rural settlement. In 2016, its population was only 259 people.

Houses of Sviyazhsk.

In Sviyazhsk, as well as in many cities of Tatarstan that are of historical value (Bolgar, Chistopol, Elabuga, Bugulma, etc.), there is a project “Cultural heritage: the island-city of Sviyazhsk and ancient Bolgar”, in accordance with which it is allowed to build new houses only for 5 standard projects: a house with an attic, a house with a mezzanine, a one-story house with 5 windows facing the street, etc.

The appearance of Sviyazhsk must correspond to the historical one; the houses must have dimensions and proportions in the spirit of ancient buildings.

In the process, we are developing other standard projects that will not limit the inhabitants of the island, but will help preserve the stylistic unity of the ancient city.

And behind the golden gates of the Skazka children's leisure center, interesting games and quests are held for preschool and school-age children.

Museum of Sviyazhsk.

The “Devka’s Head” cannon, recreated from ancient images, is installed in front of the entrance to the Museum of the History of Sviyazhsk. The museum houses rich exhibitions dedicated to the history of the island, including stories about the activities of the saints revered here, as well as archaeological and military history. The museum has halls for conducting interactive classes, they are equipped with a soldier's hut, an official's office, a monastic cell, a gymnasium classroom, models of ancient houses and steamships, etc. are presented. All exhibits of the interactive space are available to visitors who come here for thematic classes and game meetings.

At the end of the street is the Gate Bell Tower in the Sviyazhsk Mother of God Assumption Monastery, which means that we have walked around Sviyazhsk and are returning back to the car.

We are leaving the island of Sviyazhsk - an amazing museum-reserve. This is just a small dot on the map of the Republic of Tatarstan, but it is an important and eventful period in the history of our country.

Sviyazhsk official website.

Detailed information about the city, excursion routes and travel companies is available on