The heart of the island-city of Sviyazhsk is considered an Orthodox monastery, which was founded in the middle of the 16th century. It stands at the southwestern tip of the island, next to a dam that connects a secluded spot with the Volga bank. Ancient temples and gilded crosses greet everyone who comes to Sviyazhsk by land.
The history of the monastery
The history of the Orthodox faith in Kazan and the Volga region began from the ancient monastery. The Christian monastery was founded three years after the capture of the capital of the Kazan Khanate - in 1555. At the same time, the Kazan diocese was created on the reclaimed lands, so the island monastery became the main missionary center of the region.
Bird's-eye view of the Sviyazhsky Dormition Monastery
The first printing house in Sviyazhsk appeared under Archbishop German in the late 1550s. The machines were installed so that the monks could print and distribute the Bible and other liturgical books throughout the diocese. It is noteworthy that the Printing House of the famous Russian pioneer printer Ivan Fedorov in Moscow was created a few years later, in 1563.
For three centuries the Sviyazhsky monastery was one of the most famous and richest in Russia, and its abbot had the wounds of the country's seventh most important priest. Before the church reform, which was carried out by Empress Catherine II, more than 100 monks and novices lived in the island monastery. The ancient monastery was owned by 7.2 thousand serfs. All other monasteries of the diocese combined had exactly the same number.
After the reform of the church, the monastery received the highest I class and until the beginning of the 19th century was the only first-class monastery in the Kazan lands. However, due to the decline of Sviyazhsk and the seizure of church lands by the state, the monastery rapidly grew poorer year after year. At the beginning of the last century, his brothers numbered barely two dozen people, and incomes became very small.
In March 1917, Ambrose (Gudko) was appointed abbot of the monastery. He discovered that the household affairs of the monastery were badly neglected, services were conducted from time to time, and some monks were leading an inappropriate lifestyle. The new abbot eagerly undertook to restore order, and part of the brethren came into conflict with him.
A year later, Ambrose was arrested and charged with counter-revolutionary actions. The former hierodeacon Theodosius, who was at enmity with the abbot and by that time was working in the local militia, acted as a witness to the "unlawful acts". Local residents came out in defense of Ambrose, so the revolutionary military tribunal acquitted him.
The abbot returned to the monastery, took up his duties, but in the summer of 1918 the Red Army soldiers came to the monastery to requisition grain supplies. They tortured and shot the priest. Many years later, in 1999, Ambrose was canonized as a saint.
In the 1930s, the state actively fought against religion, so the Sviyazhsky monastery was liquidated, completely looted, and some of the buildings were dismantled into bricks. Cancer, where the relics of the founder of the monastery, Saint German, lay, was opened with bayonets. The believers miraculously managed to save the remains of the saint and hide them under the floor of the old cemetery church of the Yaroslavl Miracle Workers in Kazan.
Church of the Ascension of the Lord over the Holy Gates
The territory and stone buildings were given over to a psychiatric hospital. The medical institution was removed from the former monastery only in 1994. Three years later, the monastery was officially restored, and a long period of restoration of the desecrated shrine began.
Since the monastery buildings were in desolation for a long time, the builders had to thoroughly strengthen the foundations, restore the walls, vaults, podzakomarny coverings and roofs of temples. Large-scale restoration lasted until 2019.
Architectural monuments
Bird's-eye view of the Church of the Sviyazhsky Assumption Monastery
The monastery territory is located between Uspenskaya Street and the coastal part of the island. Thanks to the old stone fence 1 km long, the Mother of God Monastery looks like a Kremlin and looks very solid. The picturesque architectural complex is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is protected by the state.
The central part is occupied by a necropolis. The old Assumption Cathedral is located next to it. The main temple of the monastery was so badly damaged that it took a long time to restore it. In August 2019, after the completion of all work, the church was consecrated by the Metropolitan of the Kazan diocese.
View of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (left) and the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (right)
The forms of the cathedral resemble the best temples of Pskov and Novgorod, therefore it is assumed that it was built by masters from Northern Russia. In the 18th century, the dilapidated dome was replaced with a new one - in the tradition of the Ukrainian Baroque. In addition, the builders added 12 patterned kokoshniks to the main volume.
On the walls of the cathedral there are unique frescoes painted during the reign of Ivan IV the Terrible. Picturesque paintings and fragments cover an area of over 1000 square meters. m. Old fresco painting has survived in few places, so the images in the monastery cathedral are of great value for lovers of Old Russian art.
Cathedral of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Sviyazhsky Dormition Monastery
The plots of the Sviyazh paintings are unique and are considered a real rarity. Only here you can see the figure of the crucified Christ on the chest of Sabaoth and the image of St. Christopher with a human body and a horse's head.
Near the Assumption Cathedral stands one of the pearls of the monastery ensemble - the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The snow-white temple was founded simultaneously with the construction of the first prison - in 1556. Its slender four-tiered bell tower is 43 m high. Now it is the tallest building in Sviyazhsk.
Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of the Sviyazhsky Dormition Monastery
Another architectural monument of the monastery dates back to a later time - a temple in honor of Herman of Kazan and Mitrofan of Voronezh. The church was built at the end of the 18th century. Tourists and pilgrims come to this temple to admire the beautiful twisted platbands.
The monastery has preserved architectural buildings of the 17th-18th centuries - the monastery school and buildings for the brethren. Special attention should be paid to the picturesque archimandrite building of two floors, which was built in the terem style, traditional for pre-Petrine Russia.
Church of Herman of Kazan and Mitrofan of the Voronezh Sviyazhsky Mother of God-Assumption Monastery
The life of the monastery today
The ancient monastery in Sviyazhsk is one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the Volga region and a notable landmark of the Republic of Tatarstan. Pilgrims and tourists willingly come here.
The monastery is active, a fraternal community lives in it, and church services are held daily. Guests are asked to respect the monastery charter, observe silence, do not take photographs of monks and novices without their permission, and do not take pictures inside temples. For a visit to the monastery, you need to take care of closed clothing. Women are asked to come in long skirts and with their heads covered.
Bird's eye view of the buildings of the Sviyazhsky Assumption Monastery
Since 2019, everyone can visit the restored cell, which belonged to the first abbot of the monastery - Archbishop Herman. The historic building is located at the bottom of the Nikolskaya Church. Before the revolution, the cell was very popular with pilgrims who came to Kazan, and in 1913 the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna visited here.
Unfortunately, the personal belongings of St. Herman are almost gone.The only rarity is the bishop's miter, which is exhibited in one of the museums of Kazan. The stonework has been partially restored in a small cell, but in the future the monastery's management plans to recreate the interior of the 16th century monastic dwelling.
View of the Fraternal Corps of the Sviyazhsky Dormition Monastery
In the Bogoroditsko-Uspenskaya monastery, you can see a beautiful monument to Sergius of Radonezh, who is considered one of the patrons of Sviyazhsk. A stone monument depicting the saint was erected on the monastery grounds in the late 1990s.
How to get there
The monastery is located 1-1.5 hours drive from Kazan. The most convenient way to get to Sviyazhsk is by private car or taxi. A bus from the capital of Tatarstan runs on weekends once a day - at 8:40.
View of the Bishops' building of the Sviyazhsky Assumption Monastery
Trains from the Kazan-Passenger railway station leave every day, with an interval of 1-2 hours. However, from the railway station "Sviyazhsk" to the monastery - 15 km, so you have to take a taxi. In summer, from the river port of Kazan to the miracle island in 2 hours you can sail on a motor ship.
Attraction rating:
