St. Isaac’s Cathedral

The stately monumental building of St. Isaac’s Cathedral was built in 1818-1858 by A. R. Montferrain. Those who try to give a description of this arrangement very often remember the statistics: the height – 101.5 meters, the area – over a hectare. The cathedral freely accommodates up to 14 thousand people. On the outer side the building is decorated with 112 monolithic columns made of red granite. Weight of the lower tier columns totals 114 tons, while the upper ones located on the drum at the height of 47 meters weigh 67 tons each. Thickness of the walls somewhere reaches 5 meters while total weight of the arrangement is 30 thousand tons. The construction of the cathedral was going on for 40 years. There are up to 600 pieces of painting, sculpture and mosaics on the front sides and in the interior of the cathedral.

Many kinds of precious stones were used for interior decoration: lapis lazuli, malachite, porphyry and marble of various shades. On the pediment of the western portico in the left corner architect A. Montferrain is depicted holding a model of St. Isaac’s Cathedral in his palms. Following the twisted winding stairs, which consists of 562 footsteps, visitors of the cathedral can climb the observation site from which a wonderful panoramic view of the city opens before one’s eyes.

The Church on the Spilt Blood

The Church of Resurrection of Christ dedicated to the glory and memory of Alexander II is seen in the prospect of the Griboyedov Channel. The one-altar church with 9 cupolas, which accommodates 1600 people, was founded on October 6, 1883 even prior to final approval of the project. During the first three years ground reinforcement and foundation arrangement activities were carried out In the year of 1888 the granite pedestal and walls faced with ten shades of Sighersdorf bricks were commenced.

Main events and orders of Alexander II were engraved on twenty dark red boards secured on the pedestal. In 1894 erection of the vaulting and wings was completed and the next year structures of the cupolas were manufactured by the metropolitan metalworks.  The five cupolas were coated with special multicolored enamel.

On July 6, 1897 a cross was erected on the main marquee of the church. The height of the marquee reaches 81 meters. In the year of 1895 well-known Frolov’s workshop started  to create mosaic decoration of the temple first on the exterior and then in the interior. Doors upholstered with red copper lead inside the temple; they were decorated with silver images of the saints of the reigning family.

The mosaic covers the interior of the temple almost completely which makes it the only example of such art in the world. The mosaic laying delayed consecration for whole ten years, so it took place in August10, 1907. A special medal was stamped in honour of this event in the Mint.