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St. Isaac's Cathedral was originally the main church of the city and the largest cathedral in Russia. It was built between 1818 and 1858, created by the French architect Auguste Montferrand, one of the most impressive landmarks of the Russian imperial capital. One hundred and eighty years later, the gilt dome of St. Isaacs still dominates the horizon of St. Petersburg. Although the cathedral is much smaller than the newly built church of Christ the Savior in Moscow, it boasts much more impressive fading and interiors.
The facades of the cathedral are decorated with sculptures and massive granite columns (of individual red granites), and the interior is decorated with incredibly detailed mosaic icons, paintings and columns of malachite and lapis lazuli. A large, brightly colored stained glass window of the "Risen Christ" takes pride of place in the main altar. The church, designed to accommodate 14,000 permanent fans, was closed in the early 1930s and reopened as a museum. Today, church services are held here only in large church cases.
Foreign visitors must buy entrance tickets directly to the right door on the southern facade (not at the ticket office on the street level). We also recommend that you climb 300 steps to the colonnade of the cathedral and enjoy a magnificent view of the city.
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