History of Sviyazhsk. Unique places in Russia that you have hardly heard of: the island city of Sviyazhsk

The island-town of Sviyazhsk is an unusual and incredibly picturesque place that attracts tourists with its historical sights and beautiful panoramas. The town stands on a small piece of land in the middle of a green-blue flood formed by the waters of the mighty Volga and the Sviyaga River. Sviyazhsk can be called big museum, where fascinating pages of history unfold before visitors.

The city has preserved monasteries and churches built 400-500 years ago. They withstood a difficult time and all the hardships, so that later they could be reborn and again become the spiritual centers of the Volga region. Many architectural monuments of Sviyazhsk are unique not only for Tatarstan, but for the whole of Russia. Their cultural value recognized by international organizations.

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What to see and where to go in Sviyazhsk?

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Since its founding in the middle of the 16th century, the monastery has been the main spiritual center of the entire Volga region and one of the richest monasteries in Russia. In the 18th century, after the secularization of the lands, it gradually began to decline, and during the Soviet period it was completely plundered and closed. The revival began in 1997. The main architectural monuments of the complex are the Assumption Cathedral and the St. Nicholas refectory church with a bell tower, built 400 years ago.

The cathedral is part of the Assumption Monastery ensemble. It is a unique example of Russian medieval architecture. The temple was erected in the classical Pskov-Novgorod style by craftsmen from Pskov from white hewn stone. The external decorations of the facade are made in the form of patterned kokoshniks, which were completed later - in the 18th century. Inside, fresco paintings from the era of Ivan the Terrible have been almost completely preserved.

Temple of the beginning of the 18th century, erected on the site of a dilapidated wooden church. The first building was built with elements of the Baroque style. After the destruction in the 1930s, only the lower tier with fragments of frescoes remained from it. The restoration of the temple began after a thorough analysis of historical data, which made it possible to recreate its original appearance. Restoration work was completed in 2015.

A five-tiered tower 43 meters high, built in the 16th-17th centuries. Such structures in Russia are a rarity. It is an integral part of the Nikolskaya refectory church (the temple seems to have been specially built for it). At the beginning of the 19th century, the total number of bells reached 22, the largest of them weighed 8.5 tons. Only monks are allowed to enter the belfry.

Now the former convent is the courtyard of the Assumption Monastery, but until 1917 it was an independent institution. The first mention of it dates back to the middle of the 16th century. In 1919, the monastery was abolished and a museum-reserve was organized on its territory. The main architectural monuments are the wooden Trinity Church built in 1551, the one-domed church of Sergius of Radonezh built in 1604 and the cathedral in the name of the icon Mother of God, erected in the neo-Byzantine style at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries.

A small temple of the middle of the 16th century is the only wooden building in Sviyazhsk, preserved from those times. The church was cut down from larch and put up literally in one day. In subsequent centuries, the appearance of the building changed as a result of alterations and restorations, which led to a significant distortion of the historical appearance. The church resembles a wooden manor, and only the dome with a cross indicates a religious purpose.

The appearance of the cathedral is strikingly different from the appearance of the churches of Sviyazhsk. Unlike the latter, built in the manner of Russian architecture, it was erected in an elegant neo-Byzantine style. The temple has impressive dimensions - the spherical central dome reaches 32 meters in height. The external appearance of the building has been completely preserved, but interior was lost during the Soviet era.

The temple was erected in 1604, it was originally built as a courtyard of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. It is a two-story stone building: earlier, utility and residential premises were located on the first level, and the church itself was on the second. Inside, a fragment of a 17th-century fresco depicting the Old Testament Trinity (a copy of the icon of the same name by Andrei Rublev) has been preserved.

The first church was erected under Ivan the Terrible in 1551; a building built in the 18th century in the style of ancient Russian architecture has survived to this day. Since 1939, a museum was located on its territory, until in 1993 the temple was transferred to the Orthodox community. The church is the only religious building in Sviyazhsk that does not belong to any monastery.

The church was built in the middle of the 18th century in the Baroque style, the classical bell tower was added later. At the beginning of the 20th century, the building was dismantled and all that a tourist can see today is the preserved brick foundation. Now a wooden cross has been erected on the site of the church. The plaque contains a photograph of the temple and its Short story. IN last years restoration work began.

home Town Square, founded on the site of the Nativity Church destroyed in the 1930s Holy Mother of God(its ruins are nearby). Here are the main administrative and public buildings: government, post office, school, police, as well as cafes and shops. Equipped for tourists Observation deck overlooking the picturesque floods of the Volga.

The museum collection is located on the territory of the building of the middle of the 19th century. It consists of several permanent exhibitions: “Pages of the History of Sviyazhsk”, “The Ancient City of Sviyazhsk”, “Enchanted by the Island”, “Like the Mother Volga…” and other thematic exhibitions that tell about the history of the city and acquaint visitors with its cultural heritage.

The museum opened in 2016 and immediately attracted the attention of visitors. The exposition is located in a city estate of the 19th century, which previously belonged to a family of wealthy burghers. It is dedicated to the history of the Red and White armies, their confrontation, as well as to the personalities who played a key role in the outcome of the war. A separate exposition tells about one of the leaders of the Revolution - Leon Trotsky.

In the 1940s, after the end of the Second World War, Sviyazhsk became a subdivision of the GAUAG and was used to keep prisoners (mainly political ones), as well as disabled people who were injured during the hostilities. The monument to the victims of repression was erected in 2011. It is a grating in stone through which a prisoner releases a dove.

The building is located on Rozhdestvenskaya Square, it houses the hotel of the same name. Historical building It was built of stone and wood in the 19th century; it belonged to the merchant F. T. Kamenev. But this building has not survived to this day. In 2011, a new house was erected in its place. The restorers tried to recreate the original appearance and interior as much as possible.

A red brick building built at the beginning of the 20th century. It still fulfills its purpose (the secondary school is located here). Gothic elements can be seen on the central facade of the building - they are indicated by the lancet shape of the windows and the stained glass rose located under the roof, which is typical for Catholic churches architectural approach.

One of the numerous exhibition halls of the Museum-Reserve "Island-city of Sviyazhsk", located in a two-story building that was once part of the system of hydraulic structures of Sviyazhsk. The first floor - the base of the tower is made of stone, the second - of wood. Inside there is a small exhibition of paintings by local artists and an exhibition of handicrafts.

The complex is a historical reconstruction of Sviyazhsk, where you can immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of bygone centuries. Craft shops and shooting ranges operate here, impromptu military duels are regularly held in full historical attire and cook National dishes. You can also visit an exhibition of ancient weapons and armor.

The horse yard is located near the Assumption Monastery. The ensemble of buildings is architectural monument. After the restoration, an entertainment complex was launched on the territory of the courtyard. Here you can ride a horse, visit a smithy, bakery and honey shops, order a carriage and ride it around Sviyazhsk, dine in a restaurant and buy souvenirs.

Sviyazhsk is located on an island connected to the "mainland" by an isthmus, just at the place where Sviyaga and Volga meet, forming wide spills of incredible beauty. The city looks very picturesque from the pleasure boats passing by. Small islands and land areas are scattered in the middle of the mirror-like water surface, giving the surrounding landscape a unique flavor.

Of all "pearls" of Tatarstan This one is perhaps the largest. Island-city of Sviyazhsk based 24 May 1551 years during the reign Ivan the Terrible, then on Chuvash land Kazan Khan Shigalei like a fortress, completely surrounded by water.

• A bit of history
• Geographical position
• How to get there?
• Attractions of the island
• Religious Shrines
• Memorable objects
• Museums and entertainment
• Holidays in Sviyazhsk?
• Where to go with children?
• Where to stay in Sviyazhsk

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A bit of history

Sviyazhsk is history in the flesh. Each milestone reflects the past the whole country, and not just one. Let's start with the fact that the real full city With two churches, in the name of the Nativity of the Virgin and Sergius of Radonezh, the necessary infrastructure And communications Total in 4 weeks! This alone makes it unique And the only of a kind.

Another interesting circumstance- first Sviyazhsk had to stand completely different place, and was built there. But later dismantled on a log and forwarded along the Volga to where indicated His Royal Majesty. Namely, the modern place of residence.

Geographical position

Sviyazhsk is located in Zelenodolsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan at the confluence of two rivers Sviyagi And Pike. Coordinates: 55°46′20″ N 48°39′35″ E

The population is slightly more 200 people- by the standards of such a huge country as Russia, this is comparable to small village.

The city is beautiful at any time of the year and in any weather. Gorgeous and as different as the paintings of artists, summer sunsets- on the one hand, and covered with snow quiet streets without any signs of traffic. Feeling it's like you're in another dimension.

How to get there?

Arrive in Sviyazhsk can be done in several ways:

If you chose to travel by car, then:

ATTENTION! Entrance to the city by car forbidden. The car can be left parking lot.

The boats go there every day at the same time - 8:20 morning. They depart from River port of Kazan. Finding the port is easy, any passer-by will tell you the address - Devyataeva street, 1.

Back the ship will depart for Kazan from Sviyazhsk to 16:30 , from the river station, taking with them those who went on business colorful local residents and impressed trip of tourists.

Attractions of the island

Combination architectural monuments, narrow streets, almost rural life, and even a powerful fence - fortress walls, in general give the impression ancient fairy tale. Remember, after all, "past the island-Buyan ..." Why not?! Pushkin been here. They say that even fell in love with this place. Perhaps it is the local beauties and described by Alexander Sergeevich in their stories. Because Sviyazhsk is a little fairy tale.

Religious Shrines

One and a half kilometers long there are quite a few islands religious monuments:

Memorable objects

What Interesting, before the townspeople lived right in ancient houses. But with the advent of modern communications it was decided to relocate them to more modern houses with electricity and the possibility of heating with natural gas. So there was no need remake monuments of architecture, which means crumble the walls And spoil primordial beauty. Even new buildings in Sviyazhsk the locals make similar to monuments.

Museums and entertainment

Many artists, poets And writers and now chant Sviyazhsk in his work.

Don't miss the opportunity ride around Sviyazhsk on a carriage. On horse yard both in antiquity and now live beautiful horses. They can be stroked and fed. lovers equestrian sports will be happy to offer you a ride around the island on horseback.

And here's another place Lazy Torzhok "what's next to Christmas Square, invites its visitors to put on armor and feel real warrior-defenders. Here you can shoot from medieval weapons. This program is called Sagittarius fun«.

And in between the energy-intensive business defense of the motherland you can taste the same medieval dishes in the tavern Ivan". Just don't think bad. The food is here, of course. fresh, just cooked for a long time forgotten technologies.

Where to go and what to see in Sviyazhsk?

What to see on your own?

Self-guided tour of Sviyazhsk is good, but with guide still better. Because no one else won't tell you have so many interesting legends. For years, caring citizens bit by bit put it all together memories, stories And legends about their small homeland and now they are happy to spend excursions.

Every street bend, every foundation or brick- lives here for something" And " for some reason". Interesting recreate in your imagination a complete picture formation of the past, present and possible future "pearls" of Kazan.

Season tours open here at April and ends at the end October. But this does not mean at all that winter Sviyazhsk is less beautiful. excursion tour can be bought at any travel agency "Kazan, as well as already on the spot, upon arrival in Sviyazhsk.

Holidays in Sviyazhsk?

Holidays in Sviyazhsk are noisy And funny. One of the must-sees stand out:

Where to go with children?

For travelers with kids travel companies can offer many options. There are full excursions oriented to a specific age.

And in the capital of Tatarstan there is also something to see. Read in this article where to go with a child in Kazan.

At all kids, for example, the fabulous side of the island will be interesting - Pushkinskoye Lukomorye and adventures Buyan Island. Older guys will not leave indifferent the ascent to the most high point , ruin And old legends fortresses.

Where to stay in Sviyazhsk

For one day island the length of the whole one and a half kilometers, of course, you will bypass. But comprehend all history, feed atmosphere and extraordinary aura of the ancient island-city in a few hours of stay impossible.

Most popular among tourists and pilgrims overnight stays Also mystical like everything on this island. They belong to architectural monuments.

In this case, there is an option stay the night V fabulous city. Here you will find several hotels. But it's better in advance. book places. Still, in spite of all antiquity, we are now in the 21st century and there are those who want to plunge headlong into history so many.

Sviyazhsk is called place of power. But for real you can only feel it having been here. Anyone who has been here at least once returns. And who knows, maybe yours visit old Russian town will be decisive in your life?

There is a wonderful monument of Russian antiquity in the Republic of Tatarstan - the island-town of Sviyazhsk, the sights of which delight with their beauty and uniqueness, modesty, and, at the same time, grandeur.

We can safely say that this is a fateful place for Russia. Indeed, if it were not for Sviyazhsk, it is not known when Kazan would have been taken and how the history of the Russian state would have developed then.

There is an island-city at the mouth of the Sviyaga River on a hill that bears speaking name « High mountain". From Kazan, the main city of the Tatar people, Sviyazhsk is only 30 kilometers away.

The city of Sviyazhsk was founded in 1551, when Ivan the Terrible ruled Rus'. It was this high peninsula that Ivan Vasilyevich noticed at the confluence of 3 rivers: the Volga, Sviyaga and Pike, and decided that it was here that a fortress should be built to attack Kazan.

Surprisingly, the Sviyazhsk fortress was built and completely ready in just a month. The high fortification became one of the outposts of the Russian troops during the capture of Kazan.

Such a speed of construction of the settlement became possible due to one circumstance. The fact is that all the "details" of the future construction were made in the city, not far from. There, in the winter of 1550-1551, the “city was assembled”, everything was carefully numbered. And then they dismantled it again and in the spring they floated along the great Volga to the indicated place.

Such a military trick was used because the enemy, against whom, in fact, everything was started, was only 30 kilometers away. And, of course, any long-term construction could not go unnoticed.

So, in an atmosphere of deep secrecy, as far as it was, of course, possible at that time and in those conditions, the Sviyazhsk fortress was built in the shortest possible time.

It was a whole city, which included not only fortifications. It had fortress towers, fortified walls built in 2 rows, between which the space was to be filled with sand and stones, residential buildings, temples.

During construction, he was given the name Ivan-gorod. In terms of its area, it surpassed many of the largest cities in Russia at that time. It was bigger than the Pskov, Novgorod and even Moscow Kremlins. Already on the spot, it was renamed Sviyazhsk after the name of the Sviyaga River.

The town immediately became known throughout Rus' and is very popular. Many people came there, wishing to become subjects of the Muscovite kingdom. In those years, the area of ​​the Sviyazhsk fortress was simply huge. By its size, it was much larger than the same fortifications, located, for example, in Veliky Novgorod or even in Moscow. It housed a large Russian army, well trained and armed with cannons.

But the great importance of the fortress for the young Russian state did not end there. After all, after the capture of the Kazan kingdom (in 1552), according to the Orthodox custom, people had to be baptized. And in Sviyazhsk there were already ready-made monasteries of the Orthodox faith. Thus, the border town also became a place of baptism for many who were attached to the Orthodox faith. And in this case, Ivan the Terrible confirmed his genius!

How the island was formed

By the way, Sviyazhsk became an island quite recently. In 1957, the shortage of electricity in the country worsened. Urgently began to build hydroelectric power stations on large and small rivers. During construction Kuibyshev reservoir huge areas were flooded.

Similar activities were carried out in other places. So, for example, under the waters of the newly formed Rybinsk reservoir, more than 700 villages were completely flooded.

The large village of Sviyazhsk near Kazan did not bypass the attack. Only a few streets remain of it. Saved them from flooding under water only a good location: they were on a hill. Nature itself took care of preserving these architectural antiquities in human memory.

After the flooding of the lowland part of the settlement, many of its inhabitants did not want to return here. This is the history of this amazing place: Sviyazhsk island in Kazan.

This is how an island was formed instead of a peninsula, surrounded on all sides by water. He had this status for more than half a century. And only in 2009 a dam appeared, connecting Sviyazhsk with the "mainland". A highway was laid along it. So now you can get to the town not only by sea.

Now the population of Sviyazhsk is small, 250 people live here. Almost every local resident has his own boat, and fishing has become a common activity. Well, pike and bream peck here, and you can sunbathe, swim.

Most of the residents work in the tourism sector: they are guides, museum workers, as well as service personnel of cafes and hotels.

City of monasteries

In the 16th century, the first architectural structures appeared. It was a unique case when the construction of the fortress wall went in parallel with the construction of religious temples, which became the main attractions of the village in the future.

Assumption Monastery

The first monastery erected here consisted of two churches: Trinity and Sergius. It was they who made up the complex of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. The rector of the monastery was Archimandrite St. Herman of Kazan and Sviyazhsk Archbishop, famous for the creation of one of the first printing houses in Rus' for the publication of church literature.

His relics are now in the Cathedral of Our Lady of All Who Sorrow Joy, which is also located on the island of Sviyazhsk, in the John the Baptist Monastery. About it we will talk further in the article.

Interesting fact that the monastery in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was erected immediately from stone, despite the fact that in those ancient times it was quite an expensive material. And, usually, all the buildings were wooden. This once again underlines the fact that Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible gave great importance this place as the center of the further spread of Christianity in the Volga region.

In the 18th century, a monastery school began to operate on the territory of the monastery. Later, with the onset of Soviet times, the monastery began to experience difficult times. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary monastery closed. The building housed a hospital for the mentally ill.

Mass shootings took place here in 1918. After the defeat in the battle for Kazan, when it was not possible to liberate the city from the White Czechs, on the orders of Trotsky, every tenth Red Army soldier from nearby military formations was shot.

In 1928, a children's commune was placed in the Assumption Cathedral and the monastery of the island-town of Sviyazhsk, which eventually became a correctional institution (colony). It contained 200 prisoners who had not yet reached the age of majority. During the war years, the NKVD prison for prisoners of war and political prisoners was located there.

About 5,000 people were shot within these walls. In memory of the dead, a monument to "Victims of political repressions" was erected here. In this sculptural composition a political prisoner (an intellectual with glasses) is depicted, and he releases a dove through the bars.

The monument is located behind the monastery wall, to the left of the stairs leading to the island.

Later, the correctional facility again became a labor colony, and then a psychiatric hospital. This ends the "black streak" in the life of the monastery.

Since 1997, the monastery has resumed its work again. It is currently active. More recently, the Assumption Cathedral of Sviyazhsk has become one of the objects included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

For 5 centuries, of course, a lot has changed, and at present the Sviyazhsky Mother of God-Assumption Monastery is open here. In his architectural complex St. Nicholas Church enters with a refectory and a high bell tower, which aspires upward like a snow-white arrow.

Its height is 43 meters, and according to the guide, the ringing of bells is perfectly audible on the opposite end of the island. And the distance is more than 1 km.

Nearby is the church of German of Kazan and Mitrofan of Voronezh,

to which a residential fraternal building is attached. Inside, the inhabitants of the monastery can climb the beautiful porch. There are even two of them.

The entrance to the rectory building is decorated in the same style. He reminds me of something.

Between these buildings is the entrance to the monastery, and above it rises the Church of the Ascension.

And in the center of the monastery territory there is a huge white stone Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which has existed since the reign of Ivan the Terrible.

Over the years of its existence, the Assumption Cathedral was rebuilt many times, and a lot of different styles. Eight-pointed crosses, similar to steering wheels, are very unusual.

Inside the cathedral almost perfectly preserved unique frescoes 16th century. More than 1000 sq.m of paintings! Many of them are unique. very unusual for Orthodox church the fact that inside there is even a lifetime portrait of Ivan Vasilyevich.

And here is one of the few frescoes, which depicts St. Christopher with a horse's head.

Such an image that does not correspond to reality was created due to the fact that, according to one version, Saint Christopher was very handsome. Women did not give him a pass, constantly seducing him and leading him into temptation.

This became a rather problematic circumstance for the saint. Then he prayed to God. And the Lord gave him an appearance that made Christopher ugly "like a dog." Yes, according to various sources, Christopher had either a dog's head or a horse's. And only since the 18th century, all the images of St. Christopher are written completely in the form of a man.

John the Baptist Monastery

It is known that the monastery, founded in the 16th century, was originally called the Trinity-Sergius, and it was founded by the monks of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. It was in honor of the Trinity and St. Sergius that two main churches were built and consecrated on its territory.

At the end of the 18th century, the monastery was closed, and its inhabitants returned to Sergiev Posad. And then the John the Baptist Monastery “moves” to this place. Until that moment, it was also located in Sviyazhsk, but it was badly damaged during a fire. Well, when the territory was vacated, the nuns moved here.

This monastery was for women and existed until the revolution of 1917. And at the end of the 20th century it was again transformed into a men's one.

Here it is ancient building of all Sviyazhsk: Trinity Church. It is completely wooden and was built in 1551.

Together with the logs for the construction of the fortress, the “component parts” of this church were delivered on ships. It was assembled in just one day and, as chronicles say, "without a single nail." And they also say that on the eve of the capture of Kazan, Ivan the Terrible himself prayed in it.

The evidence that this is the “same” church that was assembled back in the 16th century under and then transported here along with other objects of the Sviyazhsk fortress is the presence of markings on the logs. These decimal signs are still preserved.

In order to go inside, you need to climb such a wonderful wooden porch.

Very minor repairs in the temple were made only in the 19th century. Inside the church has kept its vintage interiors. The temple resembles a simple Russian hut. There are wide floorboards underfoot, benches on the sides.

Inside, a beautiful wooden iconostasis in 3 tiers has been preserved. True, it is not entirely original. What can be seen now belongs to the 18th century. And the most ancient icons of historical value were taken to the Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Tatarstan. This is due to the fact that here the conditions for their safety are not the best.

The temple is active. True, services are performed here only once a year: on the patronal feast day of the Holy Trinity.

And nearby is another church: St. Sergius of Radonezh, built in 1604. Her frescoes depicting St. Sergius and Alexander Svirsky are admired.

The construction plan of this two-story building is unusual: rooms for monks were arranged on the first floor and premises for household needs were located, and the St. Sergius Church itself, where the Services were held, was higher, on the second floor.

Another outstanding temple of Sviyazhsk is the magnificent Cathedral of Our Lady of All Who Sorrow, built of red brick.

It was built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, in 1898-1906, and is part of the complex of the also functioning John the Baptist Monastery.

Inside the temple is huge and very bright.

There are very beautiful paintings under the dome.

To the left of the iconostasis is the temple icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow". A small staircase leads to it.

And on the right, symmetrically, is the icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh. He is revered as the patron saint of Sviyazhsk. After all, the first monastery on this territory was consecrated in honor of this saint.

The temple has 2 side limits. North is consecrated in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov, and the southern limit - in honor of Anna the Prophetess. It is here, on the right side of the cathedral, that there is a shrine with the relics of St. Herman. It was he who was the first rector of the Assumption Monastery.

Temples of Sviyazhsk

When you sail to the island on a boat, you immediately pay attention to the Church of Saints Constantine and Helena, which stands right on the shore.

At present, the Baptism of those who wish is held in it.

And here are the ruins of the Church of the Annunciation. It was destroyed in the 20th century, and now restorers are studying the foundation. Nearby stands a wooden cross, which indicates that this place was previously a temple.

The same cross can be seen near the central square of the island.

This place once stood the Nativity Cathedral, from which the square got its name, as well as the main street coming from her. This is what it looked like in the early 19th century.

And this is also the destroyed St. Sophia Church. The photo was taken at the end of the 19th century.

Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, St. Nicholas Church is another spiritual attraction of Sviyazhsk. It was built in the form of a high bell tower. Graceful and beautiful, she towered over 40 meters.

You can see the location of all the temples, as well as other attractions on the island, on the map at the end of this article.

Museum City and more

Life on the island

The town of Sviyazhsk itself looks like an open-air museum, many of its buildings are of historical value. Here is an example of a typical merchant's house. The lower floor was brick, there were utility rooms, shops. A family lived on the second wooden floor.

This is the estate of the merchant F.T. Kamenev. It was built at the end of the 19th century.

Near the central square of the island, the reconstruction of the fire tower continues.

To the left of it is the administration building. Surprisingly, there was a fire here recently. And even the presence of a fire tower very close did not help. 🙄

WITH opposite side islands (from the dam and car parking) there is an observation deck. From this hill, the low-lying part of the island, with all its buildings, is remarkably visible. Well, how not to capture yourself against the backdrop of this beauty? 😀

Below you can clearly see the modern building of the Sviyazhsk river station. Next to it (in the photo on the left) is preparing to open a museum of archeology.

And nearby you can find a little boat (boat) of Paul 1.

If you go left, you will enter the museum

Walking along the streets of the amazing place of Sviyazhsk, it is impossible to miss the entrance to the Museum of History. Directly in front of him is a colorful cannon with an unusual name for this item - "Girl's Head". It was recreated according to ancient drawings that have remained with us since the time of Tsar Ivan the Terrible and is a historical symbol of Sviyazhsk.

A woman's face with a terrible grimace and a protruding tongue is depicted on the gun carriage. In some ways, it even resembles the terrifying jellyfish Gorgon. Similar cannons guarded the gates ancient fortress, and each had its own name: Dragon, Serpent and others. And next to them lie impressive nuclei.

The museum itself is small, compact and very interesting. Here you can learn a lot about the life and work of the saints revered here, about military battles on this earth. Some halls have been converted and are a monastic cell, a student's room in a gymnasium, a soldier's hut and much more. It's really interesting here!

And if not every tourist comes to the museum or excursion group, then every third seeks to see what is inside the cannon and try to raise the core. 😀

There is also a Civil War Museum on the island. The exposition there is small, but quite interesting. There is a model of the armored train on which Trotsky arrived at Sviyazhsk in 1918. And also the wax figure of Lev Davidovich himself.

You go to the right - you will get into a cafe, but you will spend the night

If you have a question: “Where to eat in Sviyazhsk?”, then you have already come to the right place. You are welcomed with pleasure in the local Traktir. According to reviews, the food here is very good: borscht, freshly caught fish cooked in all forms, and other dishes. There are other cafes on the island: Buyan, Yolki or Sviyaga, and you can also have a bite to eat at the buffet of the local river port.

Well, if we are already talking… A small hotel with cozy rooms has now been opened in the house of the merchant Kamenev, where you can always stop to rest and spend the night. There is also a hotel "Sviyaga" with 7 rooms for recreation.

You can also spend the night in the "House of the Pilgrim" at the Assumption Monastery. Accommodation here is cheaper, but, of course, without any frills.

Unfortunately, I did not find an opportunity to book accommodation in Sviyazhsk on well-known booking resources. But with their help, you can choose any option for yourself, and you can easily get to the island whenever you want. See below for how this can be done.

Walking with children

If you are relaxing with children, then by all means go to the center children's leisure"Fairy tale". When you see the magical golden gates on one of the few streets of Sviyazhsk, feel free to head there. They will lead you into a fairy tale. Here for children are constantly held exciting games, such as "On the Buyan Island" based on Pushkin's fairy tales, where they say Buyan, but mean Sviyazhsk, as well as other exciting quests

In the city, in some places, on the fences, there are Stories of the Cat-Scientist. Poems are written on the tablets and it is proposed to guess the riddle. All plates are numbered and scattered around different places islands.

On each one is indicated someone's first and last name, as well as the position. Apparently, people live in these houses. It would be interesting to understand what this all means ...

And here is a goldfish entangled in a net. Why does all this happen in the well? Well, apparently, because there is no Blue Sea nearby in Kazan. 😆

In general, Alexander Sergeevich is not forgotten here. Yes, Pushkin, indeed, visited these places when he collected material for his famous "The Captain's Daughter". But by that time, "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", which mentions the island of Buyan, had already been written and published by him.

But the description of the great poet is very similar:

An island in the sea lies
The city stands on the island
With golden-domed churches,
With towers and gardens...

However, if someone likes to think that Sviyazhsk was the prototype of Buyan, I will not argue. Any opinion has the right to exist. 😀

There are also other attractions in the village: ethnographic complex"Horse Yard" and Entertainment Center with the original name "Lazy Torzhok". This historical reconstruction complex is located near the island's central Christmas Square.

Both children and adults will enjoy visiting this historical and entertainment center. Visitors are welcome here malls, craft shops. And by taking part in the folk game "Archery fun", you will have the opportunity to shoot from a crossbow or bow, try on historical costumes and take pictures in them.

"Do you want to be king? Yes please! Change your clothes and sit on the throne. The bird is about to fly out. That's it, the coronation is over. Next king, come!!!" - Approximately so the photographers of the participants in this action invite. Take great photos home! And you will also take part in folk games, watch a knightly tournament and just have fun.

"Horse Yard" is located in a building built in the 17th century. Here, at your request, you can get a few riding lessons, feed the horses, or you can briefly go back in time and ride around the island in a carriage.

In craft workshops, you will have the opportunity to forge a horseshoe for yourself and take it home, fashion your own unique clay pot or other utensils, or you can just watch how masters of their craft do it.

Exploring the neighborhood

Monastery of Saint Macarius

2 kilometers from the museum-reserve of Sviyazhsk, on the shore mainland» there is a very beautiful male Makaryevsky Monastery. It is clearly visible from the island near the pier.

It was founded at the beginning of the 17th century. The monastery complex includes a small Ascension Church, with a bell tower 33 meters high and a temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”.

The location of the monastery is very unusual. Located Makaryevskaya Hermitage Kazan on the steep right bank of the Volga. But not on its top and not at the foot of the slope, but between, on the ledge. It is surrounded by forest on all sides. Makariev Monastery is just immersed in greenery!

Not far from it is a holy spring, revered by people for a long time. There is a wooden chapel-bath here. And right there, a few years ago, an 18-meter monument to Makariy Zheltovodsky, the founder of the monastery, was erected. A very picturesque place, prayed for centuries!

The address of Makariev Hermitage: Republic of Tatarstan, Verkhneuslonsky district, the village of Vvedenskaya Sloboda. Coordinates: 55.78204, 48.70164.

You can also get here by water: a boat runs daily from the Kazan River Station to Sviyazhsk. To get to the Makaryevsky Monastery, you need to get off at the penultimate stop of the boat: "Mine". More details about the schedule will be discussed at the end of the article.

Riding on the Sviyazhsky hills

There is one more attraction that needs to be mentioned here. Not far away is the resort town "Sviyazhsky Hills". The resort is all-season: both in summer and in winter, all conditions for guests' recreation are created here.

In winter, 3500 meters await you ski slopes equipped with chair lifts. So both beginners and fans of steep turns will have something to do.

In the summer you will not be bored with amazing landscapes, inviting you to take a walk. As well as the beach and pool. lovers active rest will be able to ride a bicycle, catamaran, play billiards, golf. In general, relax the way you want.

There are several comfortable hotels in the resort, for example, or the Cascade Hotel. You can stay in a cozy alpine house. Restaurants, cafes, entertainment - everything is at your service!

Coordinates: 55.72924, 48.72321

Skolkovo in Kazan

And also during our excursion from Kazan to Sviyazhsk by bus, we met, however, quite a bit (in transit), with the ultramodern scientific city of Innopolis in Tatarstan, where IT specialists mainly live and study.

This is the youngest city in Russia. The idea of ​​its creation appeared in 2010. And only in 2013 it acquired city status.

The name "Innopolis" means - an innovative city. It has its own university and a school for gifted children. Education is not cheap, but there is always the opportunity to get to study on grants for free.

After getting an education, you can stay here for further work. After all, many serious enterprises open their offices here. There is a representative office of Yandex, Sberbank here... The local population calls this city Kazan Skolkovo by analogy with Moscow.

And since the city is still quite young, but it is developing by leaps and bounds, and IT specialists are, most often, men, our guide strongly urged everyone to come there, especially girls. It turns out that if Ivanovo is a city of brides, then Innopolis is a city of grooms. 😀

Tatar village

But not only ultra-modern and religious sights are in the area. Not far from the island is the Tatar Avylym complex, which means “Tatar village” in Russian.

This is an open-air ethnographic museum. Here the life and traditions of the Tatar people and villagers about 100 years ago are being revived.

Unfortunately, we passed by on the bus without stopping. But you can go to the Tatar village from Kazan on your own or with a separate excursion.

The place must be very interesting. Even the appearance is fascinating: village houses and wells are built in the middle of the field, a mill rises in the middle of the village. It was built in the 40s of the 20th century during the Great Patriotic War. And in those years, she saved many people from starvation.

However, the mill "works" in our days. Residents of the Tatar village of Tatar Avyly grind flour on it and bake bread from it.

Domestic birds roam the meadow, goats and horses graze in a special paddock. There is also a petting zoo. Guests can interact with various pets, touch and pet them.

It is interesting that the organizers of this complex very carefully approached to ensure that this place became “real”: there is neither electricity nor running water. The houses have stove heating.

The ethnic village is located at the Republic of Tatarstan, Zelenodolsk district, with. Isakovo, st. Embankment, 17. Coordinates: 55.72407, 48.54104. You can get here from Kazan along the M7 Volga highway. After the bridge over the Sviyaga River and near the exit to Sviyazhsk, you will notice a mill, here is the open-air ethnographic museum "Avyly Tatars".

And I would like to finish my article with a bewitching painting by Vasiliev Konstantin Alekseevich “Sviyazhsk”.

Beautiful, is not it?

How to get there, how much does it cost

But still, if you want to get to Sviyazhsk on your own, then it is also quite possible. To do this, you need to overcome about 30 kilometers from Kazan by water or 60 km by road.

The motor ship Kazan-Sviyazhsk regularly runs from the Tatar capital. Travel time is about three hours. Right there, in the port of Kazan, you can buy a ticket for a water excursion to Sviyazhsk on a boat.

The payment includes round-trip tickets + guide's story on the way. Thus, you will be comfortably delivered to the river station of Sviyazhsk. Excursion-tour of Sviyazhsky Island is not included in the payment, you will need to pay extra for this.

You can also get from Kazan to Sviyazhsk by bus. It departs from the central bus station of the capital of Tatarstan.

Trains run from the Kazan railway station to Zelenodolsk, because there is no railway station in Sviyazhsk. And from the Zeleny Dol stop you can get to Sviyazhsk by taxi or by regular bus.

Of course, you can get to Sviyazhsk by car. Distance between Kazan and Sviyazhsk highway is about 60 kilometers. The trip will take about an hour. You need to go towards Moscow to the village of Isakovo, then there will be signs.

It is they who will lead you straight to the parking lot at the foot of the hill on which the city of Sviyazhsk stands. Its coordinates are: 55.76865, 48.65112. And there you will figure out what to see in Sviyazhsk on your own.

And there is also a boat connection with Kazan. True, ships go here infrequently: only 1 time per day. At least that was the situation in the summer of 2017.

From the Kazan river port, the ship departs at 8:20, and from Sviyazhsky - at 16:30. Travel time is about 2 hours. You can return to Kazan at 18:45. So if you want to schedule water travel in Sviyazhsk for the whole day, then this is a great option.

The fare on the boat is 122 rubles. one way (children's ticket - 61 rubles). There is also a high-speed fleet, the cost of which is slightly more expensive: 148 rubles for adults and 74 rubles. for children.

And another good solution is to combine the land and river routes, that is, to arrive in one direction, for example, by bus, and return to Kazan by water. Well, or vice versa. 🙂

By the way, there is a heliport next to the car park. So this type of transportation to the island should not be forgotten either. 😆

It is important to keep in mind that in order to calmly go around the island, it will take at least 2 hours. And if you want to go to museums or have a bite to eat in a cafe, then plan even more time. Sviyazhsk Island is 1200 meters long and 800 meters wide.

See for yourself how many interesting places to see there are on the island.

In the evening, you can not get to the island. Cash desks are open from 9:00 to 18:00. On Friday and Saturday - a little longer: until 19:00.

I think that later you will no longer be able to go through the turnstiles, and the entire infrastructure of the town is finishing its work by this time.

To enter the island, you need to pay an entrance fee: 300 rubles per adult, and for pensioners, schoolchildren and students - 180, free for children under 7 years old.

After buying entrance tickets, you will need to go through the turnstile and climb the tall stairs (probably I won’t please everyone now, but that’s what it is), which consists of 102 (!!!) steps.

And it is also important to keep in mind that the weather on the island is very changeable. In a few hours spent here, I managed to experience the sun, and the icy wind, and pouring rain. 😕

Look at the location of the sights and the island of Sviyazhsk on the map (press "+" to zoom in or "-" to zoom out).

The city of Kazan has many accommodation options to stay here for a few days. It is very easy to rent an apartment or a room on the service, or through booking a hotel.

My trip to the island-town of Sviyazhsk took place on July 24, 2017. Other sights of Kazan and its environs, where I managed to visit, are on this map. And you can see their detailed description.

Sixty kilometers from the capital of Tatarstan, the ancient beauty of Kazan is annually visited by thousands of tourists from different parts of our country and from abroad. What draws them to these places? In our article we will talk about this amazing place.

Sviyazhsk is the name of an island and a small rural settlement. It is located in the Zelenodolsk region of Tatarstan, at the confluence of the Sviyaga and Pike rivers. This is an amazing island with ancient architectural structures, it became a monument of Russian history and architecture in Tatarstan.

The island of Sviyazhsk separates from Kazan no more than sixty kilometers. Pre-revolutionary, old street names are still preserved on the island: the main street is Uspenskaya, stretching from south to north across the entire island, Troitskaya street runs parallel to it, and Nikolskaya street to the north. All of them are crossed by Alexandrovskaya street.

Population

Sviyazhsk in Tatarstan is inhabited by a little over two hundred people, which on the scale of our country is comparable to a very small village. The island is beautiful at any time of the year and in any weather. Picturesque summer sunsets and quiet streets covered with snow, without any signs of car traffic. Getting on a fabulous island, you feel like in another dimension. And if you take into account the ancient buildings around, then this impression only intensifies.

Story

The history of Sviyazhsk is inextricably linked with the development of these places by the Russians, or more precisely, with the conquest and further annexation of the Kazan Khanate to the Russian state.

In the 15th century, there was a cone-shaped hill covered with centuries-old forest - Mount Kruglaya, around which the Sviyaga and Pike rivers flowed. And by the middle of the 16th century, the powerful fortress of Ivan the Terrible was located here.

It is known that since 1547 the Russian tsar repeatedly undertook campaigns against Kazan, but all of them failed. Returning after one of them (1550), young Ivan the Terrible saw the ideal location in the military-strategic plan of Mount Kruglaya and decided to be a Russian fortress here.

The tsar entrusted this difficult task to the first, who left a big mark in the history of our country, military engineer Ivan Grigorievich Vyrodkov. And it should be recognized that this most talented specialist found an ingenious solution. The fortress was completely cut down near the city of Uglich. All its details were numbered, fused and assembled on Bald Mountain.

It was a grandiose project - the Sviyazhsk fortress surpassed even the Moscow Kremlin in size. It was cut down in 1551, and in less than a year (1552) Kazan fell. So on the banks of the Sviyaga, Volga and Pike, this island city and a powerful fortress appeared in record time.

During its nearly five-century history, Sviyazhsk has experienced ups and downs, wealth and poverty, obscurity and glory. But time steadily moved forward, the town grew, developed, the first monasteries and churches appeared on its territory. After the conquest of Kazan, the powerful fortress turned into a large commercial and administrative center for those times, where foreign merchants arrived and foreign embassies were located.

Later, Sviyazhsk turned into a monastic town, where life became quiet and filled with grace. Even later, Sviyazhsk became a county town of the Kazan province, which received its coat of arms in 1781. A city sailing on a ship is depicted on a shield, under which fish are splashing. This is a kind of tribute to the unusual and very original construction of the city, which was actually brought from the Uglich forests.

An unenviable fate awaited the town after the revolution - these were defiled and plundered temples, which housed correctional institutions and prisons. And then came an even darker time when picturesque island Sviyazhsk in Tatarstan became one of the Gulag camps.

At the end of December 1955, part of the city was flooded. This happened due to the launch of the Kuibyshevskaya GRES. The road that connected it with the land went under water, and Sviyazhsk turned into a real island.

The newest history of Sviyazhsk began in 2008. Until that time, local residents lived on the island, until a dam with a highway was built, again connecting Sviyazhsk with the mainland. The implementation of the well-known program "Renaissance" began in 2010, during which it is planned to turn Sviyazhsk in Tatarstan into a museum-reserve of republican significance. Large-scale restoration and restoration work is underway here.

Sviyazhsk: description of the modern island

Nowadays ancient walled city is experiencing a rebirth. As in the past, participants of excursions in Sviyazhsk are greeted by white-stone walls of monasteries, gilded domes of churches, as in ancient times, people live here, and perhaps among them there are descendants of those who once created this man-made miracle.

city ​​architecture

Sviyazhsk in Tatarstan, thanks to isolation from the outside world, after the transformation of the town into an island, kept intact unique architecture and the layout of the county town of the 19th century. Today, most of the local population has been relocated to municipal apartments, and their houses are being reconstructed and transferred to various institutions and organizations.

The estate of the merchant Kamenev is a prime example architecture of Sviyazhsk. It was built in the 19th century. The building is made in the style of classicism, but with some elements wooden architecture. The building was restored in 2010, and today it houses a hotel.

Rozhdestvenskaya Square is the architectural and historical center of Sviyazhsk. Around it are several the most interesting objects: fire barracks, city college, vocational school. The square offers a stunning view of the Volga, so guests who took part in an excursion to Sviyazhsk like to relax here. They take great photos, but even those cannot fully convey the beauty of these places.

Sviyazhsk in Tatarstan: attractions

This building is well deservedly considered calling card islands. The Assumption Monastery in Sviyazhsk was founded in 1555. This happened just three years after Kazan fell. The first rector of the monastery was Archimandrite Herman. Today he is considered the patron saint of the city. An interesting fact: when they wanted to desecrate his relics in 1922, such a strong thunderstorm began that the atheists, frightened, abandoned their dirty work.

The ensemble of the monastery is a unique historical and architectural landmark, which has no equal in the Middle Volga region.

John the Baptist Monastery

Until 1917, this monastery was for women, and after the revolution and to this day it is for men. It was founded in the 16th century and was named Rozhdestvensky. The first buildings were wooden, then stone and brick, but the most ancient buildings, unfortunately, have been lost due to frequent fires and rebuilding.

The monastery was actively expanded in 1796, when the bell tower and St. John the Baptist chapel of St. Sergius Church were built. Hard times came for the monastery with the advent of Soviet power: in 1919 it was closed. True, its entire territory was declared a museum-reserve of architecture and history. Even in 1959, the restoration of the central cathedral was carried out.

Temples of the ancient city: Assumption Cathedral

The temple was built in 1560 in the Pskov-Novgorod style. The construction work was supervised by Ivan Shiryaev and Postnik Yakovlev, the authors of the world-famous This is one of the two temples of Sviyazhsk and Russia, in which frescoes from the era of Tsar Ivan the Terrible have been preserved - their area inside the cathedral is one thousand and eighty square meters. The second temple was preserved in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery of Yaroslavl.

Quite a few frescoes of both earlier and later periods of the history of our country exist and have been perfectly preserved, and there are only a few frescoes of the 16th century. This is a unique monument and rarity of ancient Russian art of the 16th century. Of particular interest to specialists is the fresco of the holy warrior Christopher with a horse's head. In iconography at that time, images with a dog's head were accepted, later all animal-like images were destroyed.

No less interesting are the altar images of Tsar Ivan the Terrible himself, as well as Metropolitan Macarius of Moscow. In summer, the shrine with the relics of Herman is located in the premises of this cathedral.

Trinity Church

The history of the construction of this church is interesting: along with the materials for the Sviyazhsk fortress, logs for this temple were also brought in 1551. Amazingly, the church was assembled within a day, without a single nail. Researchers and historians consider Prince Nikita Serebryany to be the founder of the Trinity Church. Documents have been preserved that testify that here Ivan the Terrible himself prayed on the eve of

This is the oldest monastery church. It was cut down near Uglich along with other structures of the fortress. The interior of the temple changed several times, but the design of the iconostasis remained unchanged. The church was completed several times and sheathed with boards. Today appearance The temple has been completely restored. Today it is the only remaining of the first wooden buildings that can take pride of place in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Temple of Constantine and Helena

One of the surviving churches on the island, not part of the monastery complex. It was built in the second half of the 17th century on the site where there used to be an ancient wooden temple, erected in the memorable year 1551. In Soviet times, there was a museum within its walls, and since 1993, services have resumed there.

Church of Sergius of Radonezh

This church in Sviyazhsk in Tatarstan was built in 1551. It was originally wooden. During the reign of Boris Godunov, a stone temple was erected in its place from white limestone, and it was re-consecrated in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh the Wonderworker. This is confirmed by a wall inscription dated 1604. For the winter, the shrine with the relics of St. Herman is transferred to the premises of this temple.

Nikolsky temple

The oldest monastery church is Nikolskaya. It was built in 1956 from hewn stone. The work was carried out by the Pskov artel of Ivan Shiryaev. Much later, a bell tower (four-tiered), forty-three meters high, was added to it. This is the tallest building on the island. The cell of St. Herman has been preserved in this temple. Only the monks of the monastery are allowed to pray here.

Memorable places of the island

Many memorable places Tatarstan attract tourists. One of the main attractions of the republic is Sviyazhsk, in the history of which, unfortunately, gloomy events civil war in Russia and Stalin's repressions left their unhealed mark. This is eloquently told by the monuments of the island.

Now, probably, few people know how many people were killed on the island in custody. This is due to the secrecy and inaccessibility of the archives. After the victory over Nazi Germany, Sviyazhsk turned not only into a prison, but also into a kind of "isolation" for the disabled, crippled at the front and in the camps. Stalin did not want invalids to fall into the eyes and evoke sad feelings among the people. In those years, in the country that defeated fascism, many monasteries turned into the last refuges for mutilated people.

Many members of the intelligentsia died in captivity on the island. Among them is the talented Tatar poet Hassan Tufan. He spent ten years in the Sviyazhsky camp, and after that another seven years in Siberia. All this time he was creating: he wrote poems that were dedicated to his wife.

The place in Sviyazhsk was not chosen by chance. When restoration and restoration work was carried out in ancient structures, a mass grave was discovered, which dates back to the forties of the last century. The remains of the unfortunate did not disturb, and a memorial was created at the burial site.

The sculpture depicting an intelligent prisoner who releases a dove through the bars has become a symbol of all the victims of the regime innocently imprisoned in the local prisons. The author of the monument was a sculptor from Tatarstan Mahmud Gasimov.

Wall of the Communards and stone obelisk

The post-revolutionary period also left its mark on the history of the island. Near the central square is the "Wall of the Communards", as well as a small and rather modest obelisk.

This is the place where the Red Guards were executed in 1918. Every tenth soldier of the military unit, which was stationed on the island, was killed on the orders of Trotsky after an unsuccessful attempt to dislodge white troops from Kazan.

Secular buildings of the island

Sviyazhsk in Tatarstan was a county town and had a characteristic architecture of its time. The buildings of the nineteenth century were practically not rebuilt, and therefore they are perfectly preserved. Here, tourists can see residential Uspenskaya and Nikolskaya streets, state-owned houses and barracks of the engineering regiment on Uspenskaya street, the building of a craft school, a city school on the central square of the island and other buildings.

Museums and entertainment

Sviyazhsk in Tatarstan has a small museum where you can visit exhibitions that tell about the history of the island. Its employees organize walking tours, offer guests an interactive program "Streltsi fun". Today, the most interesting complex of the Horse Yard has been restored, blacksmithing and pottery are being revived.

The museum complex includes workshops, a working stable, a restaurant, a guest house and a souvenir shop. Many poets, writers and artists sing wonderful island in your creativity. “Enchanted by the Island” is a whole complex of structures that keep the ancient history of the settlement from the moment of its foundation.

If you happen to visit Sviyazhsk, do not miss the opportunity to drive around the island in a carriage. At the Horse Yard, as in the distant past, beautiful and well-groomed horses live. They can be fed and stroked. And all lovers of equestrian sports will be offered to ride them around the island. Here, on the territory of the Horse Yard, there is a craft settlement.

Tourists not only visit the workshops, but also have the opportunity to take part in the creation of souvenirs using ancient technologies. Everyone is invited to try their hand at leather, pottery, blacksmithing, learn how to weave real bast shoes from a vine, and learn the basics of woodcarving. Tourists who come to the island for three days, from Friday to Sunday, can take part in the craft program.

Another interesting place on the island is Lazy Torzhok. It is located very close to the central Christmas Square. Here guests will be offered to put on armor and feel like real ancient warriors - the defenders of the fortress - and will be allowed to shoot from medieval weapons.

How to get to the island?

Probably, many readers, after reading the article, will think about visiting Svyazhsk. How to get to the amazing island? Not as difficult as it might seem. Since the island-grad is located very close to the capital of Tatarstan, we will present you with several options on how to get to the island from Kazan.

By bus

From the "Southern" bus station of Kazan every day at 8.40 departs for Sviyazhsk scheduled bus. On weekends, additional buses run from the Central Bus Station. The journey takes an hour and a half.

Motor ship

From Kazan you can get to Sviyazhsk by boat. True, this option can only be considered from the first of May to the end of September.

By boat

Every day from 8.20 a passenger boat departs. Travel time is over two hours. But this longer option guarantees you the opportunity to admire the magnificent Volga landscapes, as well as see the interesting places of Tatarstan from the river.

bus-boat

Combined option that allows you to combine bus route and river walk. In this case, you should take a bus to Vasilyevo, and then transfer to a boat.

By car

We recommend motorists to move from Moscow to Kazan along the M7 highway. After passing the village of Isakovo, turn right at the junction. An old wooden mill can serve as a guide for you. Then move to the sign "turn to Sviyazhskoye" and turn right.

Motorists should be aware that entering the city by car is prohibited. The car should be left in paid parking.