Raifa Bogoroditsky Monastery + the town-island of Sviyazhsk

Choose a day to fully embrace the orthodox culture in a one day visit to both the town-island of Sviyazhsk and the Raifa Monastery. The excursion includes visiting of three monasteries of 16-17 centuries. You can see there unique natural monuments and landscapes: The Volzhsko-Kamsky reserve (where Raifa Monastery is located) and a place of merge of two Volga and Sviyaga Rivers (a place where there is an island Sviyazhsk). Raifa Bogoroditsky Monastery has 6 functioning churches, the monastery's holy relic is a miraculous copy of the Georgian image of the Most Holy Theotokos of the late 17th century. Until now, pilgrims from all over the world come to this icon and ask for help. She is located in the cathedral, named in her honor. In addition, on the territory of the architectural ensemble there is one of the smallest churches in Europe – St. Sophia Church. The main temple of the monastery is considered to be the Cathedral in the name of the Holy and Life-Giving Trinity, and the oldest is the Church in the name of the Venerable Fathers, in Raif and Sinai beaten. The Raifa Theotokos Monastery is active and services are held here every day. Also, there is a holy spring in the monastery complex. Pushkin’s fairy tales come to life on the Sviyazhsk river island only 60 km from Kazan. Initially a fortress built by Ivan the Terrible to seize Kazan in 16th century, Sviyazhsk has grown through the ages into a quintessential place of Russian culture. The town-island of Sviyazhsk with less than 300 residents has 37 cultural sights, two of them are currently being considered for UNESCO World Heritage status. Sviyazhsk hosts the oldest Christian church on the Volga, the wooden Trinity Church which was built in 1551 during a single day. Among the beautiful murals of the Uspensky Cathedral rare images of Ivan the Terrible himself can be spotted