The Volga-Baltic Waterway named after Lenin was one of the most significant and complex hydraulic structures of the Soviet Union. Its creation was based on the Mariinsky Water System, which was established under Paul I in the late 18th century. The route was named in honor of the emperor's wife, Maria Feodorovna. The first ship passed through the new canal connecting the Kovzha and Vitegra rivers in 1808.

Over the next fifty years, all the water cities from St. Petersburg to Rybinsk gradually united into a single system: navigable locks were built, their sizes increased, and river bends were straightened. Along the entire length of the Mariinsky system, there were 20 dams and 5 drawbridges, including the city bridge in Vitegra, Volokov, Annen, Filippov, and Pavlov bridges. As a result, the Mariinsky Waterway became a technically advanced river canal that was constantly maintained and regularly repaired.

The new river system contributed significantly to the development of the economy of the Russian Empire: the cities along its route gained industrial potential, and navigation reached a new level.

During the years of the First and Second World Wars, the Mariinsky system was an important strategic object. It transported tons of cargo necessary for the front and rear, connecting the Volga and the Baltic.