Sviyazhsk Island located in the waters of a large Volga thirty kilometers from the city of Kazan. The island is famous for the fact that in the 16th century it was built a strategic fortress, which became a powerful support base for the troops of Ivan the Terrible in the capture of the capital of the Kazan Khanate.

In the autumn of 1550 the Russian army camped on the banks of a tributary of the Volga River Sviyaga. The king and his magistrates drew attention to the circular mountain. It was decided to establish and urban fortress. This was the territory of the Kazan Khanate. Ivan the Terrible ordered, and construction of the walled city began. The construction was under the auspices of the Moscow Region Trinity Sergius Monastery. He contributed money and spiritual influence. Design drawings of the future fortress was entrusted to the master of building cases Vyrodkovu deacon. It was decided to build a fortress of wood, as this material could be built quickly.

Erection secretly on foreign territory of the fortress was not an easy task. I had to use a trick. Construction was divided into two parts: procurement and assembly. In winter, on the estate of the boyars tub in Uglich district, hundreds of kilometers from Kazan, chopped wood and built the city with towers, walls and churches. After assembling all the logs were marked. It was dismantled and loaded onto ships. In the spring of 1551 a caravan of ships sailed to the construction site. He conducted caravan former Kazan Khan Shah-Ali, who counted with the help of the Russian tsar to receive the throne. At the same time the troops moved to Kazan - princely armies of Prince Silver Prince Khilkov and Bakhtiar Zyuzin. They surrounded Kazan and took all under the supervision of the crossing of the River Kama and Volga. In Kazan it was dealt a blow diversionary troops Duke Silver.

Court and army came to the mouth of Sviyaga May 24, 1551. Round Mountain, which were going to build a fortress, was covered with dense forest. The army cut down the forest, clearing the mountain. The building was rapidly. Going construction of the numbered logs. Due to the difficult terrain had to make changes to the original plan. The missing parts were built from local wood. The fortified town was built in four weeks. It was called "New Town Sviazhsky." Later he was called by name Sviyazhsky Sviyagi. The city was pulled military forces, and warehouses in the city were filled with everything necessary to ensure the army.

In the summer of 1552 the 150,000th Russian army moved to Kazan. In October, after a long siege, the city was taken.

Like all walled city Svijazhsk consisted of fortresses and tenements. The fortress housed six churches and two monasteries. On the square at the gate of Christmas was ENTERING Svetlitsa Tsar Ivan the Terrible.

The most valuable thing in Sviyazhsk retained to the present day - two 16th century monastery - the Assumption and St. John the Baptist.