Russia is the largest state in the world. Its expanses stretch over almost 10,000 km - from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka. Russia is a country with amazing story and culture. That is why we are launching a new special project, within the framework of which we will introduce you to little-known places in Russia.
The first stop on our tour is the island town of Sviyazhsk with a rich history and picturesque paintings.
Mid-16th century. There is a fierce struggle between the Muscovite kingdom and the Kazan Khanate. Ivan the Terrible wants to conquer the Volga region at any cost.
The Kazan Khanate is in deep crisis. Practically the only outpost of resistance to Russian troops, superior in numbers and artillery to the enemy, is Kazan.
In 1550, the army of Ivan the Terrible made a second attempt to conquer the capital of the Kazan Khanate. Unsuccessful: too far from Moscow to regularly supply troops with provisions and weapons. But, returning home, the governors noticed a high hill in the middle of the river with steep slopes and a flat top (Kara-Kermen). The “find” was reported to the king.
Grozny immediately appreciated the strategic value of the hill. The hill is surrounded on almost all sides by water; it is only 26 miles from Kazan, but it is not visible from the city. Ivan IV came up with a cunning plan - to build a fortress that would become a transit point for Russian troops.
1,000 km before the proposed fortress, in the Uglich forests, the tsar ordered the construction of a wooden Kremlin. The order was carried out. And in the spring of 1551, when the Volga broke up from ice, the tsar ordered the fortress to be dismantled, the logs loaded onto rafts and floated to Kara-Kermen.
On May 24, 1551, Russian troops and workers landed on the island. Work began to boil: 75,000 people worked day and night. In less than a month, a powerful military fortress grew up on an overgrown, uninhabited hill, surpassing even the Moscow Kremlin in size. Next, two churches were erected - Trinity and Rozhdestvenskaya, as well as numerous outbuildings. The fortress city was first called “Ivan-Gorod”, and then - “Novograd Sviyazhsky”.
In the second half of the 16th century, Sviyazhsk received the status of a county town: the population grew, crafts developed, and new churches and houses were built.
TO early XVIII century the city became “monastic”. Kazan took over all economic, political and administrative functions. In Sviyazhsk there were two monasteries - Trinity-Sergius (later Ioanno-Predtechensky) and Assumption. The city was considered a stronghold of spirituality and beauty.
The harmony was destroyed by the revolution. In 1918, Trotsky arrived in Sviyazhsk - the Red Terror began. Priests were executed, churches were destroyed (from 1929 to 1930, 6 of the 12 churches that existed in the city were destroyed), and both monasteries were closed.
IN Soviet time Sviyazhsk has become a “city of unnecessary people.” In 1928, a correctional colony for troubled teenagers was located in the cells of the Assumption Monastery, and in 1943 - an NKVD camp. Later, these premises were converted into a psychiatric hospital.
Only in the 1960s, after the Kuibyshev reservoir was filled, when Sviyazhsk became an island, did its cultural and historical revival begin.
Today, the island town of Sviyazhsk is like a portal to the past. There's no public transport, industry and modern buildings- only the picturesque nature of the Middle Volga and numerous architectural monuments.
There are about 20 ancient buildings on the island: some are well preserved, others are dilapidated. Among the existing buildings: the Assumption Cathedral (1556–1561), the bell tower of the St. Nicholas Church (1556), the Sergius Church (XVII century), the Church of Constantine and Helen (XVI–XVIII centuries) and others.
The pearl of the island is the Trinity Church (1551) - the first Orthodox church on the Volga and the only building that has survived from the time of Ivan the Terrible. It was built from huge larch logs without single nail in just one day of light.
Of course, the church was being completed. In the 19th century, the hipped roof was replaced with an eight-pitched roof, a porch was added, and log walls they covered it with planks and painted it... The temple then looked faded and inconspicuous.
But in 2009 they decided to return it to its historical appearance: they removed the paint and added wooden terrace. Only the planks were left (apparently to protect the ancient logs from rain and snow). Now, not only inside, but also outside, the Trinity Church exudes the atmosphere of the era of Ivan IV. By the way, at the entrance to it there is a bench on which, according to legend, the Terrible Emperor himself sat.
As in other historical places, the main “entertainment” in Sviyazhsk is visiting architectural sights. This can be done either independently or using the services of professional guides.
The latter organize various excursion programs, including interactive ones (with historical performances and theatrical performances).
In 2012, after reconstruction, the Horse Yard was opened, the construction of which dates back to the 16th century. In Tsarist Russia it served as an inn for visitors, and in Soviet times as a utility block. Now the Horse Yard is an ethnographic center where you can plunge into the atmosphere of antiquity.
A craft settlement was organized on its territory, where you can watch how horseshoes are forged, clay pots are made and fishing baskets are woven.
By the way, fishing is one of the main occupations of local residents to this day (even on the city’s coat of arms there are fish). It’s understandable: there is no industry for Agriculture there is little space, but there is plenty of water.
Sviyazhsk stands on the spot where the Sviyaga River flows into the Volga; navigation begins in April and ends in October. Almost all local residents have boats - in summer the Volga banks are literally strewn with fishing enthusiasts.
People even come from other regions to “hunt” pike and bream. Men joke: “Sviyazhsk - perfect place for fishing with my wife. She’s going to the city on an excursion, and you’re calmly waiting for the bite.”
Previously, it was possible to get to Sviyazhsk only by water. But in 2008, a dam with an asphalt road was built, which connected the island with the “mainland”. Now you can get to the village by both river and land transport.
In summer, a passenger ship runs daily on the route Kazan River Station - Sviyazhsk.
Departure time: 8:20
Arrival time: 10:30
Ticket price: 100 rub. (tickets are sold one hour before departure)
In the evening at 16:30 The ship departs back and arrives in Kazan at 18:45 .
Additional sightseeing tours are also available on weekends.
In addition, you can get to Sviyazhsk by motor boat or speedboat from nearby Vasilyevo or Vvedenskaya Sloboda.
Sviyazhsk is located 30 km from Kazan - 40 minutes by private car. You can find directions on the Internet or use a navigator. But you cannot enter the village by car - there is parking below for cars.
From the central railway station of Kazan, trains regularly run to the Sviyazhsk railway station, which is 14 km from the island, in the village of Nizhnie Vyazovye. From there you can get to the island-city by hitchhiking or taxi.
Sviyazhsk is a small island embraced by the mighty waves of the great Russian river. In 1833, Pushkin visited Sviyazhsk. Since then, there has been a legend that it was precisely this that the poet had in mind when describing Buyan Island in “The Tale of Tsar Saltan.” Of course, this is just a legend (Alexander Sergeevich wrote about Princess Swan in 1831), but it is easy to believe in it, because Sviyazhsk is truly a fabulously beautiful island. There you want to wander between churches and dilapidated houses, admire nature, stand on the shore and think about the past and future.
Sviyazhsk is a tiny village where most of the inhabitants are old people, but its history can be the envy of many world cities. For more than 15 years, this place has been vying for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Federal and local authorities They are doing everything to make Sviyazhsk a “world heritage”. But many of those who visited this city (not tourists, but simple connoisseurs of history) note that restoration work is sometimes carried out roughly, without respect for historical accuracy and respect for Russian culture (as long as it looks like something ancient). That is why Sviyazhsk is a must see!...until it became a typical tourist ethnopark.
And finally, a life hack: if you want to feel the silence and historical grandeur of the island city, go to Sviyazhsk in autumn or winter.
Hello everyone, friends! Being in Kazan for 3.5 days, I went to the island town of Sviyazhsk. Today's story is about this wonderful place, its history and unique attractions! I talked about how to get to Sviyazhsk from Kazan.
The city of Sviyazhsk, bordered on all sides by the waters of two rivers Sviyaga and Shchuka, arose in the 15th century as a fortification from wooden log house. It was erected on the island in a month on the orders of Ivan the Terrible for the purpose of another attempt to take the Kazan Khanate, which eventually, a year later, was finally crowned with success.
If you look at the map of Sviyazhsk, you will see that the island is small, and you can get around it in three hours.
Where is the fortress? - you ask, looking at the map of Sviyazhsk. Unfortunately, the wooden fortress has not survived to this day, but the Church of the Holy Trinity has been perfectly preserved - the only monument of wooden architecture of that time in the Volga region, now the main attraction of Sviyazhsk. The iconostasis of this church has been preserved in its original form. As the locals say, Ivan the Terrible himself visited here more than once.
Interesting fact: the island was repeatedly visited by royalty: Paul I, Nicholas I, Alexander II. Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin often visited here; they say that Sviyazhsk is the prototype of Buyan Island in his fairy tales.
If we talk about other attractions of Sviyazhsk, these are also churches and monasteries. The first of them, after the wooden Trinity Church, was erected the male Assumption Monastery of the Mother of God. It was built immediately after the capture of the Kazan Khanate.
The Mother of God Assumption Monastery is a whole white-stone complex, which includes the Assumption Cathedral
Gate Church of the Ascension of the Lord
The St. Nicholas Church also belongs to the Mother of God Assumption Monastery; during my visit it was under restoration. You can see the church's bell tower in the photo above.
At the end of the 16th century, two more monasteries were built in Sviyazhsk - the male Trinity-Sergius monastery and the female Ioanno-Predtechensky monastery (below in the photo).
In addition to the wooden Trinity Church and St. Sergius Church, the complex of the women's St. John the Baptist Monastery includes the amazingly beautiful Cathedral of Our Lady of All Who Sorrow, the Joy of All Who Sorrow.
It is this cathedral that is best seen from the water when you approach the island by boat.
And here is the Church of Constantine and Helena, located not far from the river station of Sviyazhsk. The building dates back to the 17th century.
Roses were still fragrant in the garden of this church.
In addition to churches, the attractions of Sviyazhsk include houses scattered here and there along the streets.
It is worth noting that these are not only old houses, but also modern houses, which are built by local residents with such love, in a style imitated by old houses!
Women's gymnasium building
In the horse yard, as well as on the main square, there are souvenir shops and cafes where you will be treated to tea from a samovar and pancakes baked on a wood-burning stove!
The trip to the island city of Sviyazhsk left a pleasant impression and admiration for the hospitality of the local residents, friendliness and talkativeness. The love with which they put effort and work into the development of Sviyazhsk gave me a feeling of respect and joy.
A walk around the island of Sviyazhsk will take you 3-4 hours; use the map of Sviyazhsk when planning your route. Have a nice walk!
Have you often visited a fairy tale? No? Then you are welcome to visit picturesque island Sviyazhsk with its unique natural beauty and unforgettable culture.
The island of Sviyazhsk found its place on a high hill near the Sviyaga River. Area of this paradise only 62 hectares, and from Kazan it’s a stone’s throw – some 30 kilometers. No matter where you are on the island, you can always admire the surface of the river.
By the way, Sviyazhsk was not always an island. Until 1956, it was an ordinary city with its own inhabitants.
And since the Kama Reservoir was opened, water has embraced this city from all sides. Then a lot of residents left their homes. And today many tourists come to this place to admire its sights.
It’s incredible how 21 monuments of federal significance fit into such a tiny territory?!
One of the most main attractions islands - an ancient building of the St. John the Baptist Monastery (previously called the Trinity-Sergius Monastery).
This church is first wooden structure on the Volga. It was consecrated in 1551. Later the temple was constantly updated. By the way, it is precisely because of the constant alterations that the church looks absolutely unattractive from the outside. But once you get inside... Every log here is in a hurry to tell the visitor its ancient secrets.
The church is always dimly lit and cool. And near the temple there is a very unsightly bench. Local residents say that it Ivan the Terrible was resting. But whether this is true or a tourist attraction remains a mystery.
In the same year when the Trinity Church was consecrated (1551), a Sergievsky Temple. At first it was wooden, but in 1604 Boris Godunov ordered the construction of a two-story stone church on this site, which was called the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh the Wonderworker.
The peculiarity of this temple is the iconostasis, painted in the style of Ancient Rus'.
At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, another temple was built on the island of Sviyazhsk - a cathedral Mother of God"Joy to All Who Sorrow."
A little later, in 1914, the walls of the cathedral were painted. And around the temple, caring nuns created incredibly beautiful flower garden.
The chapel, in comparison with the churches of Sviyazhsk, quite young. It was consecrated in 2004 in the name of the royal passion-bearers (but built a little earlier).
At the entrance, visitors are greeted by an icon depicting the royal family.
In the chapel itself you can see quite a lot of famous icons, one of which streams myrrh.
Another ancient building on the island is the Assumption Cathedral. It was built in 1556.
This the largest temple in Sviyazhsk. Interestingly, the temple is completely painted with frescoes that date back to the era of Ivan the Terrible.
Is here and unique fresco- image of Christopher. Here he is depicted as a warrior with the head of a horse. It’s amazing how such an image could survive, because in the 18th century similar images of Christopher were destroyed.
The only town church in Sviyazhsk that has survived to this day. It was built in the 18th century instead of a wooden church.
In the 20s of the 20th century it was closed. A little later, from 1980 to 1990, the church was used for museum exhibitions. And only in 1994 the temple began to receive parishioners again.
The island of Sviyazhsk is famous for its unusual and ancient architecture. He is known all over the world as spiritual cell of Kazan. A huge number of churches, temples, monasteries built in the 16th-19th centuries make this island calm and peaceful. It's easy and pleasant to be here.
What’s also interesting is that Sviyazhsk hardly changes from year to year. There are no cars driving here like all over the world, there are no humming factories here. Only silence and comfort.
There is only one school on the entire island, which employs part of the population. The rest have their own farms and churches.
Every year tourists from all over the world come to the island of Sviyazhsk to touch the historical architecture, which has been keeping its secrets for many years.
This is truly a fairy tale! No corner of the world compares to this island. No noise from cars, factories, industrial enterprises, only silence, peace, tranquility.
Sviyazhsk is a village in the Zelenodolsk region of the Republic of Tatarstan, 60 kilometers from. It is interesting for its location on the island at the confluence of the Shchuka and Sviyaga rivers and for the fact that it has preserved the appearance of an ancient district town with numerous monuments of ancient Russian architecture.
This is a popular tourist destination with several Orthodox churches, museums, church shops, stables, souvenir shops, hotels, cafes.
The island offers magnificent views of the Volga and the neighboring river bank.
As of 2018, you can visit Sviyazhsk for free; only entrance to museums and excursions are paid separately.
Sviyazhsk was founded in 1551 as a military fortress for the conquest of the Kazan Khanate. In 1552, after the capture of Kazan, Sviyazhsk began to develop as the spiritual center of a vast conquered territory.
By the end of the 16th century, there were three monasteries and nine churches.
In 1781, Sviyazhsk became a district town of the Kazan province.
During Stalin's repressions, Sviyazhsk was a place for executions, exile and forced labor. The monastery buildings were looted and closed.
In the first half of the 20th century, a prison operated in the building of the Mother of God - Assumption Monastery, then a colony for minors and even a psychiatric hospital.
In 1956, Sviyazhsk became an island for the first time as a result of the construction of the Kuibyshev reservoir. It became possible to get to it only by ship or boat, and the population left the city en masse.
In 1932 the town was converted into a rural settlement and is now still a village.
In 2008, Sviyazhsk was connected by a dam to the “mainland” on the left side of Sviyaga, and a road was built to it. In 2011, the village again became an island - this time the transport dam was cut by a canal. A bridge was built across the canal, and now you can freely approach the island by car.
In 2009, the museum-reserve “Island-city of Sviyazhsk” was opened in the village.
Since 2010, the stage of restoration of historical objects began in Sviyazhsk - all churches were restored and new objects were built (museums, stables, hotels).
Now in the village, which is unofficially called the “island town of Sviyazhsk,” only about 300 people permanently live, but in summer period visits him a large number of tourists.
On the territory of Sviyazhsk there is a functioning monastery, several Orthodox churches, and museums. A diagram of the museum-reserve’s facilities can be seen below.
The Mother of God - Assumption Monastery, founded on the territory of Sviyazhsk in 1555, was one of the richest and most influential in the Middle Volga region. In the 19th century the monastery fell into decay, and at the beginning of the 20th century it was closed. Subsequently, it was used to house a prison, a juvenile colony and a psychiatric hospital.
In 1997, the monastery was inaugurated again, and in 2017 it was included in the list world heritage UNESCO.
Official website of the Mother of God - Dormition Sviyazhsk Monastery: sviyazhsk-monastery.ru.
Built in 1561, it is a masterpiece of Russian architecture.
The frescoes in the cathedral are of particular value - they date back to the reign of Ivan the Terrible (16th century). This is one of two complete collections of frescoes from that period that have survived in Russia to date.
Built in 1556, it is a unique type of bell-tower church.
The height of the bell tower is 43 meters.
3. The building of the monastery school.
Dating back to the 18th century.
Built in the 17th century.
In the mid-19th century, the Sviyazhsk Theological School was located here.
5. Fraternal Corps.
The building consists of several buildings erected in the 17th and 18th centuries. They housed the monks' cells, a hospital, and a treasury chamber. At the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th century, the Church of Saints Herman of Kazan and Mitrofan of Voronezh was built on the eastern side of the building.
6. Ascension Gate Church.
Construction dates back to the end of the 17th century; now the temple is under restoration.
St. John the Baptist Monastery was founded at the end of the 16th century as a nunnery. By the beginning of the 20th century it was one of the largest convents Kazan diocese - there were about 400 novices and nuns.
In 1919, the monastery was closed, now it is the courtyard of the Mother of God - Assumption Monastery.
On the territory of the monastery there are:
1. Cathedral “Joy of All Who Sorrow.”
The red-brick multi-domed Easter-colored church is the latest of all the churches in Sviyazhsk; it was built in 1898 - 1906. The height of the cathedral is 32 meters.
The temple is active and holds morning and evening services.
2. Trinity wooden church.
This is one of the few surviving oldest wooden churches in Russia and the oldest in the entire Middle and Lower Volga region.
It was built in 1551, but since then the appearance of the temple has been significantly changed.
3. Sergievskaya refectory church.
A stone one-domed church built in honor of Sergius of Radonezh in 1604. A little later, a bell tower was added to the temple. The temple itself is located on the second floor; at the entrance, an ancient fresco of the Trinity has been preserved.
The museum is located in former government buildings built in the mid-19th century and restored in 2010.
The museum has permanent and temporary exhibitions dedicated to the history of Sviyazhsk.
In 2011, a memorial sign was erected at the site of the mass grave of victims of repression of the 40s of the 20th century. It consists of a two-meter-high part of a marble wall, into which are mounted prison bars and a hand releasing a dove.
The monument is located to the left of the main entrance, after climbing the steps.
The ethnographic complex opened after restoration in 2012 opposite the Assumption Cathedral. Back in the 16th century, a wooden horse yard was built here, which was then rebuilt into a stone one. For a long time it was in a destroyed state, but now it has received a second life.
The ethnographic complex has a stable where everyone can ride horses.
There are also craft workshops, souvenir shops, a guest house, cafes, and fresh bread and Sviyazhsk sweets.
There are cafes and taverns throughout Sviyazhsk; on summer weekends they are filled with visitors.
You can also buy monastic pastries, ice cream and drinks.
Museum staff conduct sightseeing tours of the sights of Sviyazhsk as groups are recruited.
1. Observation pedestrian. Duration - 1.5 hours.
Price sightseeing tour in Sviyazhsk - 1500 rubles per group, for 11 and the next person - 150 rubles each. The price does not include museum admission.
2. Historical pedestrian. Duration - 2.5 hours.
Cost - 2500 rubles per group, for 11 and the next person - 250 rubles each. The price includes a visit to the permanent exhibition of the main building of the Sviyazhsk History Museum.
3. Walking tour “Through the prism of centuries.” Duration - 3 hours.
Cost - 2700 rubles per group, for 11 and the next person - 270 rubles each. The price includes admission to all permanent exhibitions and exhibitions of the Sviyazhsk History Museum.
4. Walking tour “The Legend of the Land of Sviyazhsk”. Duration - 3 hours.
Cost - 3700 rubles per group, for 11 and the next person - 370 rubles each. The price includes a visit to the Sviyazhsk History Museum and participation in the interactive program “Streltsy Fun”.
5. Walking tour “Leafing through the past of Sviyazhsk”. Duration - 3.5 hours.
Cost - 3900 rubles per group, for 11 and the next person - 390 rubles each. The price includes a visit to the Museum of the History of Sviyazhsk, the Horse Yard and participation in the interactive program “Streltsy Fun”.
6. Children's walking tour for children 7-13 years old “On the island of Buyan, or in the kingdom of the glorious Saltan.” Duration - 2.15 or 3 hours.
Cost - 2500 (4500 for 3 hours) rubles per group, for 11 and the next person - 250 (450) rubles each. The price includes a visit to the Museum of History of Sviyazhsk, the Skazka children's leisure center and participation in the interactive program “Streltsy Fun”.
You can visit the museums of Sviyazhsk not only as part of an excursion, but also separately.
Cost of visiting the permanent exhibition of the Sviyazhsk History Museum:
Price for visiting temporary exhibitions of the Museum of History of Sviyazhsk:
Cost of visiting the Civil War Museum:
Price for visiting the Exhibition Hall “Old Water Tower”:
You can also purchase a single ticket that gives you the right to visit all exhibitions of all museums of Sviyazhsk (Museum of History of Sviyazhsk, exhibition hall “Old Water Tower”, Museum of the Civil War, Museum of Gennady Arkhireev and the Art Gallery):
Children will be interested in visiting the Skazka Children's Leisure Center:
Group excursions to Sviyazhsk are offered not only on the island itself, but also travel agencies nearby cities. For example, in Kazan there are enough big choice options for group excursions that include transfer to Sviyazhsk.
For a couple or small company perfect option- individual excursion with a guide. In this case, the accompanying person will adapt to the preferences and time frames of tourists, and will devote more time to interesting details that are not covered in group tours.
A four-hour tour of Sviyazhsk with a visit to all interesting sites on its territory. The guide will not only tell you in a fascinating and accessible way about the history of this region and its shrines, but will also tell you where you can have a delicious lunch and take beautiful pictures.
A three-hour excursion for a company of 1-3 people. The highlight of this trip is that the journey will take place on a small motor boat with a real captain and a professional guide. The tour also includes a guided walking tour of the island and some time to explore on your own.
A seven-hour excursion for 1-7 people visiting several interesting sights in the vicinity of Kazan - the Raifa Monastery, the Temple of All Religions and the island of Sviyazhsk. In the busy program there will be room for a little rest - you can drink tea from a samovar, try on armor and shoot with a real bow and crossbow.
You can get to Sviyazhsk Island by river or by highway, electric trains also go in this direction.
From Kazan you need to follow the M7 highway, after the bridge over the Sviyaga River and the village of Isakovo, turn right at the road junction, then there will be a right turn to Sviyazhskaya Dam No. 1, then without turns to the island.
Directly at the entrance to the museum-reserve there is a large free parking lot.
Entry to the island itself by car is prohibited.
The distance from Kazan to Sviyazhsk by water is 31 km. Motor ships depart daily from the river port of Kazan at 08:20, the return flight is at 15:30 (it is recommended to check the current flight schedule at the port).
The cost is 127 rubles one way. Travel time is about 2 hours. You can buy a ticket for the ship only at the ticket office of the River Station.
The usual summer navigation period is from late April to late October.
The Sviyazhsk railway station is located 15 kilometers from the village of Sviyazhsk. Trains and electric trains traveling from Kazan in a western direction stop there (Adler, Kanash, Albaba, Sviyazhsk, Kislovodsk, Volgograd 1). Travel time is about 1 hour. Tickets are sold on the Russian Railways websites and. You can take a taxi from the railway station to the island.
The history of Sviyazhsk began in 1550, when Tsar Ivan the Terrible was returning after an unsuccessful campaign against Kazan and drew attention to the high Round Mountain of the island, which occupied advantageous position for further attempts to capture Kazan. Allegedly, it was then that John IV Vasilyevich decided to found a fortress on this place in order to continue the conquest of the Khanate.
Nowadays, thanks to the efforts of local and federal authorities, Sviyazhsk has been turned into a glossy tourist oasis of Tatarstan and Russia as a whole. And a few years ago...
Not— Yes, the motor ship "Moscow", although it was moving slowly, arrived at the place on time, according to schedule. I'm talking about something else. We didn’t have time to see THAT SVIYAZHSK that it was just recently ‒ without industry and agriculture, without modern cottage houses, roads and cars, without street lighting and sidewalks, immersed in silence and deep provincialism... IN THAT SVYAZHSK, where goat paths went down from the monastery to the water, where on holidays there was a smell of freshly baked bread and pies, and the main occupation of the islanders was fishing and weaving fishing rods networks...
At the first moment, we were upset. Still would! The ancient fortress city, and now the village of Sviyazhsk, disappeared before our eyes. Everywhere, the main “actors” - both in the center and on the outskirts - were bulldozers, excavators, tractors, KAMAZ trucks and cranes. And also the black-tanned heroes of “hand-to-hand” labor.
Everything around roared and rumbled, crackled and collapsed. The entire village was dug with trenches, deep and shallow, the passage through which caused considerable inconvenience. There were no bridges with railings, no bridges without railings, or simply planks thrown over the trenches, and, passing through such obstacles, everyone felt a little like a tightrope walker.
On the streets lay a thick layer of road dust, sand and clay, broken and mixed by the wheels of construction equipment, heated by the July sun to the point of intolerance. Walking along it was even more difficult than getting through the trenches. My feet slipped and sank into an unpleasant assortment that penetrated my shoes.
It was possible to move more or less unhindered only along islands of old Soviet asphalt untouched by civilization, the remnants of an even older cobblestone surface and a compacted dirt road that had been compacted for years and centuries.
All this, taken together, meant that revival was actively underway in Sviyazhsk, as evidenced by the poster: “The revival of the Bolgars and Sviyazhsk is a national task.”
The point is this: When it filled with water in 1957 Kuibyshev Reservoir, and many settlements went under water, Sviyazhsk, thanks to its “mountainous” location, was preserved, but at the same time became an island. Since then, there has been virtually no construction in the village. And nothing at all. There were no communications, so stoves were heated in houses, water was taken from pumps and wells, and amenities were located on the street.
No roads were built, no cars were bought - the island is small, there is nowhere to go anyway. Communication with the capital by water was carried out by Omik or Moskva. The ensemble of the island-city of Sviyazhsk, which had developed over centuries, remained almost unchanged, and was “mothballed” at the level of the 60s and more early years XX century It was. It was until the dam was built - an embankment road that connected the island with the mainland, and the supreme authorities of Tatarstan decided to transform Sviyazhsk into a tourist and pilgrimage center.
Here we are, just when, after many years of oblivion, large-scale transformations began on the island-village-town of Sviyazhsk. Everywhere something was being dug, dug, laid, peeled, scraped, plastered, whitewashed, painted, uprooted, removed, broken, installed, erected. Newest Construction Materials, the latest technology. Bright colors, newly made brick, fresh asphalt concrete and paving slabs. Work on the island was in full swing.
And we, under the scorching, exhausting sun, walked around and overcame the inconveniences of the restoration period, dug up the length and breadth of the city, and it was still difficult for us to imagine what Sviyazhsk would become, but... what we saw was alarming and caused sadness.
The Sviyaga Hotel was supposed to be located in a merchant's house of the 19th century. Previously there was an almshouse there, and in Soviet times there was a boarding school for blind children.
I really wanted to see the joy of change on the faces of the islanders, but their faces were not joyful. The villagers do not want to lose THEIR SVYAZHSK. They are worried about how their future will turn out. They got used to their land, to the open spaces, to dilapidated houses and disorder. We adapted. (A little more than 250 people live in Sviyazhsk. Mostly pensioners. And another 180 summer residents - author's note.) You can understand: history is being torn apart, the cultural layer is dying, the connecting links of the past and the present are disappearing.
And we? Looking ahead, I’ll say: I couldn’t resist, I found fresh photos online, from August, this year, and... I didn’t recognize Sviyazhsk. Now I know for sure: Rejoice! We need to rejoice, because we saw, saw, and felt a little more from THAT SVYAZHSK!
Merchant wooden residential building of the 19th century. Balcony... columns... birdhouse under the roof... Trotsky lived in this house in 1918.
The house offers a wonderful view of the Volga.
The fortress was built in 1551 light hand» Ivan the Terrible in just four weeks, which was unthinkable by all parameters of the construction of fortifications at that time.
The first stage of construction was carried out in winter, upstream of the Volga - in the city of Myshkin. All the pegs and logs of the fortress ensemble were carefully numbered and lowered on rafts to the confluence of the Sviyaga and the Volga. Here they were caught, and within 4 weeks a team of 75 thousand carpenters built a fortress city on Round Mountain, which was immediately populated by Russian people and equipped with artillery. This was the second stage of construction. The remake was called Ivangorod, but the name did not stick, and soon it was renamed Sviyazhsk.
From that Sviyazhsk, only the Trinity Church has now survived. It was cut down either in Myshkin or in Uglich in the winter of 1550, floated down the Volga along with other structures of the fortress and assembled in one day by the soldiers of Prince Serebryany-Obolensky. The basis of the church was a frame made of thick larch logs. The church was consecrated on May 17, 1551 - on the day of the Holy Trinity.
The church stands on a whitewashed brick plinth, the outside is covered with boards and painted blue-gray oil paint. The dome with an eight-pitched roof is covered with painted green color iron. Porches are attached to the main church building. The large square frames of the extension windows occupy all the wall spaces, and the glass is covered with wooden window sashes...
In the future, Sviyazhsk will become the first Christian city of the Kazan region with the Trinity-Sergius, Assumption and St. John the Baptist monasteries, will be built with new churches and monastic cells-buildings, a horse yard and gardens with merchant houses, will acquire a bakery and a water tower, a gymnasium and a hospital, and will be equipped with paved streets and gas lamps.
The main part of the area of the former St. John the Baptist Monastery is occupied by the Cathedral of Our Lady of All Who Sorrow, Joy of All Who Sorrow, built in 1896-1906. designed by the architect Malinovsky.
Inside the cathedral there are excellent acoustics, a magnificently beautiful space with worn and blurred picturesque paintings walls and domes.
An ancient one rises to the belfry metal staircase. The refectory church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, built in 1604, has been preserved in the monastery courtyard.
You can take a break from the heat in the shade of the wall.
From the former St. John the Baptist Monastery along Uspenskaya Street we walked to the Uspensky monastery, which could only be reached through a hole in the wall for the movement of construction equipment.
The territory of the monastery was a continuous construction site, cathedrals stood in forests. But we saw the main churches of the monastery. On the right, the magnificent Assumption Cathedral, built based on Pskov architecture in the mid-16th century, was erected in 4 years from white hewn stone by the artel of Postnik Yakovlev and Ivan Shirai - the architects who built St. Basil's Cathedral (Pokrovsky Cathedral) in Moscow and the Annunciation Cathedral in Kazan.
The temple acquired its current appearance in the 18th century, when, under the influence of the then fashionable “Ukrainian Baroque” movement, the cathedral grew significantly in height, acquiring 12 sharp kokoshniks and a new dome.
On the left is the bell tower of the Assumption Monastery. The bell tower belongs to the St. Nicholas Church - one of the first built in Sviyazhsk. St. Nicholas Church is active, but is open only to monks. The height of the bell tower is 43 m. This is the most high building in Sviyazhsk. Beautiful and strict. During the time of Ivan the Terrible, a tower clock was installed on the bell tower, and a secret underground passage led from the lower tier to the shore of Lake Shchuchye, intended to supply water in the event of a siege of the Sviyazhsk fortress.
ABOUT future fate Sviyazhsk is eloquently narrated in Sergei Sokolov’s book “Kazan. Portrait in the style of impressionism." And here are just some fragments: “The first heaviest blow to the city was dealt by the revolution and civil war. Here in 1918, Leon Trotsky stopped the retreat of the Red Army through decimation - a method forgotten since ancient Rome and the hordes of Genghis Khan. Every tenth Red Army soldier was shot. They just lined up on the square military unit, retreated under the pressure of the army of Kappel and the White Czechs, and every tenth person was shot in the back of the head...
Near this wall, the White Guards shot the Red Guards.
By order of Trotsky, with the assistance of the revolutionary writer and poet Demyan Bedny, a monument to Judas Iscariot, brought from Moscow on an armored train, was erected on the main square of Sviyazhsk! The sculpture depicted a man shaking his fist at the sky. Even such a hater of Orthodoxy as Vladimir Lenin considered this a mistake, and soon the nonsense monument was removed. But monasteries and churches were closed, icons were torn from iconostases. Monks and priests, as well as many residents of the city, were shot.
The Nativity Cathedral and St. Nicholas Church were blown up, and the gate church of the Assumption Monastery was dismantled. Then Sviyazhsk became a unit of the Gulag for a long time and prisoners were kept in monastery cells, and the brick fences of the monasteries were the last “wall” for “enemies of the people” doomed to be shot. It is unknown how many people died in these concentration camps; the archives are inaccessible. Then the Great Hospital for the Disabled was added to the prison facilities. Patriotic War and a mental hospital. These were not institutions for the treatment and recovery of patients, these were rooms for isolating from society the incurable, disfigured by the war and Stalin’s camps, or simply unwanted. Best place There is no better place to do something like this than the island of Sviyazhsk...”
Looking at the monastery fence, we almost passed by two slabs embedded in the wall: “Vladimir Golitsyn Artist, sailor 1901 - 1943” and “Sofia Olsufieva Restorer 18... (then the numbers are erased).” And crosses...
At home I found information about these people. Frost on the skin. Sofya Vladimirovna Olsufieva (June 3, 1884 - February 15, 1943). Painter, graphic artist, restorer. From a noble noble family. From 1934 she lived in Moscow, where she got a job as a restoration artist at the Museum of Fine Arts. Accompanied her husband, an employee of the department of ancient Russian painting Tretyakov Gallery– on business trips to old Russian cities.
In March 1938 the husband was arrested and shot at the Butovo training ground “for spreading anti-Soviet rumors.”
In 1941, when the threat of occupation of Moscow arose, Sofya Olsufieva, at the age of 57, was arrested along with a large group of aristocrats. Sentenced to 10 years in forced labor camps. After the verdict, she ended up in a convoy of prisoners, which was driven to Kazan. Place of imprisonment - Sviyazhsk concentration camp. Died in custody - Sviyazhsk concentration camp. Burial place - Sviyazhsk concentration camp...
Together with Sofya Vladimirovna, her relative V. M. Golitsyn, an artist, sailor, prince, who was arrested at the same time as her, was serving his sentence and died in the camp in her arms.
Golitsyn was one of the builders of the Perseus ship and participated in the Arctic expedition on the Malygin icebreaker. At the International Exhibition in Paris he was awarded a gold medal for painting wooden products(1925). Inventor of children's board games, children's book illustrator.
Sentenced to 5 years in forced labor camps. He served his sentence in a colony in Sviyazhsk. Died of pellagra.
In the wall of the monastery where the camp was located, a slab with the dates of the lives of Olsufieva and Golitsyn was preserved.
From 1937 to 1948, during the operation of the Gulag political prison in Sviyazhsk, 5 thousand repressed people died. We walked around the fence.
Once upon a time there were many churches in Sviyazhsk, and the ringing of bells made an unforgettable impression on those sailing along the Volga. During Soviet times, all parish churches of Sviyazhsk were destroyed. The oldest surviving church is that of Constantine and Helena, built in late XVI V. and rebuilt two centuries later. The church is located near the pier.
According to legend, Ivan the Terrible himself chose the place for the church. They also walked in and around the church construction works, so we could only watch it from a distance.
Survived...
It’s hard to even imagine what Sviyazhsk would look like if all the churches had been preserved... 
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