The history of the city's creation is closely linked to the development of this region by the Russians, specifically with the conquest and annexation of the Kazan Khanate to the Russian state.

On February 12, 1550, Moscow Tsar Ivan IV besieged Kazan. The siege lasted eleven days and was accompanied by heavy losses on both sides. On February 25, the tsar retreated. On the way back, the Russian troops stopped on the right bank of the Sviyaga River. Here, Ivan IV took a liking to the island "Round Mountain," covered with forest and rising above the Volga, which allowed control over river routes, roads, and Kazan itself. The tsar decided to build a fortress here to help him capture the capital of the Kazan Khanate.

An ingenious plan was developed: to build a city on "Russian land" in the upper reaches of the Volga, and then float marked logs down the water and assemble them on site, saving time and effort. That is exactly what they did. During the winter of 1550-51, walls, towers, huts, and even churches were cut down in the Uglets forests. In spring, after the rivers thawed, logs for the future fortress began to be floated down the Volga and Sviyaga.

The city was founded on May 24, 1551. The summit of the mountain was quickly cleared of forest, but it turned out that the delivered materials would only be enough for half the city, and the rest had to be cut from local wood. In four weeks, on Round Mountain, surrounded by the Sviyaga and Shchuka rivers, a whole wooden fortress-city grew with powerful oak walls, golden-domed churches, painted huts, tall towers, and bell towers. The city was named after its founder Ivan-city, later it became known as "New City of Sviyazhsk," and soon the short name Sviyazhsk, derived from the Sviyaga River, became established.

Today, it is the only island city on the Volga. More precisely, Sviyazhsk is now a village with a population of about 250 people, but it is a "historical city."

The modern appearance of the city consists of wooden houses, two monasteries, and churches. All distances here are small; in 2-3 hours, you can leisurely walk around everything. Many buildings are in perfect condition thanks to the recent reconstruction of the island.

Sviyazhsk, the city of monasteries. There are two on the small island. The John the Baptist Monastery was founded in 1551 simultaneously with the city.

The second monastery, the Assumption Monastery, is historically the cradle of Christianity in this region and has recently become a UNESCO site.

The oldest structure of the monastery, the wooden Trinity Church, is the only building that has survived to this day. The history of this church spans almost five centuries and has witnessed many events in Sviyazhsk.

Here, you can admire the majestic Cathedral of the Mother of God in Neo-Byzantine style and the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, the patron saint of the island. In the ethnographic complexes, the Horse Yard, and the Lazy Marketplace, you will find craft workshops, souvenir shops, and stables with a medieval atmosphere. In Christmas Square, you can see the old buildings of barracks, schools, and colleges. And from the observation deck, there is a beautiful view of the Sviyazhsk Bay, the temple complexes of the Makaryev Desert Monastery, and the Church of Constantine and Helena.