St Petersburg Attractions
Dome inside St Isaac's Cathedral © Sanne Smit
St Isaac's Cathedral
The golden dome of St Isaac's Cathedral dominates the skyline of
St Petersburg, the colonnade around the cupola offering superb
panoramic views over the city. It was commissioned by Tsar
Alexander I to be a magnificent imperial cathedral, and the ensuing
masterpiece was of grandiose proportions that took over 40 years to
build and was decorated in the most extravagant manner. The Russian
Classic style exterior encloses a splendid interior adorned with
red granite columns, exquisite mosaics, painted ceilings,
sculptures, frescoes, and a beautiful stained glass window,
incorporating many different kinds of stone and marble work into
the massive structure. The cathedral can accommodate 14,000
worshippers, but today services are only held here on special
occasions. It is worth noting that no photgraphy or filming is
allowed in either the Cathedrak or the Colonnade.
Address: Isaakievskaya Ploshchad 1;
Telephone: (812) 315 9732;
Transport: Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor metro stops;
Opening time: Open daily except Wednesdays from 11am to 7pm. The colonnade is open until 6pm
