St. Petersburg's Orthodox Cathedrals include some of the most magnificent churches in Russia. Built at the height of the Russian Empire's wealth and power, when the capital's churches were as important as palaces to show the eminence and prestige of Russia's rulers, these impressive buildings were designed by the city's greatest architects, and no expense was spared in their construction or decoration.
St. Isaac’s Cathedral
St. Isaac's Cathedral was originally the city's main church and the largest cathedral in Russia. It was built between 1818 and 1858, by the French-born architect Auguste Montferrand, to be one of the most impressive landmarks of the Russian Imperial capital. One hundred and eighty years later the gilded dome of St. Isaac's still dominates the skyline of St. Petersburg. Although the cathedral is considerably smaller than the newly rebuilt Church of Christ the Savior in Moscow, it boasts much more impressive fades and interiors.
Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is known to Petersburgers as the Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood - or even just the Church on the Blood - as it marks the spot where Alexander II was fatally wounded in an assassination attempt on March 1, 1881. Designed by Alfred Parland in the style of 16th and 17th-century Russian churches, the Church of the Resurrection provides a stark (some would say jarring) contrast to its surroundings of Baroque, Classical and Modernist architecture.
Smolny Cathedral
Once part of the Smolny Convent, this is one of the most beautiful churches in St. Petersburg, and its dazzling cupolas and blue-and-white Baroque spires rise majestically above the banks of the Neva River. Smolny Cathedral was designed by Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who came to Russia as a boy with his father, who was invited to the country by Peter the Great and who constructed the Winter Palace and the palace at Tsarskoe Selo. Smolny Cathedral was one of Rastrelli Jr.'s last projects, and one that the great architect left unfinished.
Kazan Cathedral
This cathedral is dedicated to Our Lady of Kazan, the most sacred icon in Russia. It was modeled on St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. However, the Russian Orthodox Church disapproved of the plans to replicate a Catholic basilica in Russia, because of difference in religious opinion. Nevertheless, the design of architect Voronikhin found support among the royal family and courtiers. The interior of the Kazan Cathedral is ample, featuring various sculptures and icons produced by the best Russian artists of the period. The attention-grabbing massive bronze doors to the cathedral are a copy of the original doors of the Baptistery in Florence, Italy. The cathedral was built in an imperial style, reminiscent of the temples of the Roman Empire. Kazan Cathedral became the first religious sight in Russia to be built in an decisively European style. Its architecture and interior decorations, including sculptures and paintings, are united in a unique harmony and elegance. Kazan Cathedral presented Russia as a unified country, which sought to level the country with Europe in terms of knowledge and perception of beauty.
The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul
One of St. Petersburg's most famous landmarks, the spire of this beautiful baroque cathedral is the center of the Peter and Paul Fortress, the historical heart of the city. Inside, the cathedral contains the tombs of most of the Romanov Tsars. The Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul is the oldest church in St. Petersburg, and also the second-tallest building in the city (after the television tower). It is intimately linked to both the history of the city and to the Romanov dynasty, as it is home to the graves of nearly all the rulers of Russia since Peter the Great.
Prince Vladimir Cathedral
Standing at the Eastern edge of the Petrograd Side, in an area that saw some of the earliest settlement in St. Petersburg, the Prince Vladimir Cathedral is one of the city's oldest churches, and also, thanks to the fact that it was closed for only one year in the Soviet period, one of its best preserved. An attractive, gleaming white, five-domed church, the design of which bridges the gap between late baroque and neoclassicism, the Prince Vladimir Cathedral took over forty years to build, and was eventually consecrated in 1789.
Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called
The Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called was erected in 1764 to replace a wooden church on Vasilievsky Island. It is dedicated to Apostle Andrew, whom Peter the Great considered as his patron. The exterior of the site has been completed in creamy pink and white colors, with soft decorations and fragile tall towers. The interior of the church is much richer, with vestments in the main altar made of pure silver and weighing 115kg, the gospels in a silver frame, weighing in at 14.5kg, and an altarpiece of the Lord of Hosts, a beautiful artwork by an unknown artist. It is a lesser known church, not often visited by tourists, because of its remoteness from the city center and the slight difficulty in finding it. It is, however, well worth a visit.
Kronstadt Naval Cathedral
The most interesting landmark of Kronstadt – the Naval Cathedral is located on the Anchor square. The Naval cathedral of Saint Nicholas in Kronstadt is a Russian Orthodox cathedral built in 1903–1913 as the main church of the Russian Navy. This cathedral was founded like a memorial for all military sailors who died in combat and opened in 1917 – just 4 years before the revolution. It’s unusual trait is a wide usage of mosaic and metal parts in icons: this is not a traditional orthodox style. Even it’s round windows resemple the ships portholes. Well, if you somehow get there – be sure to be greatly impressed, just take the look at those pictures.