St Isaac's Cathedral in St Petersburg

St Isaac's Cathedral in St Petersburg

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.

We have to pay to take the photos inside the cathedral. My only regret looking back now is that I didn't take enough pictures. Guess my first time Russia has awed me with the paintings and the sculptures. It really took my breath away. Hence if you are in Russia, do spend time framing the pictures and take photos of them.

The cathedral's facades are decorated with sculptures and massive granite columns (made of single pieces of red granite), while the interior is adorned with incredibly detailed mosaic icons, paintings and columns made of malachite and lapis lazuli. A large, brightly colored stained glass window of the "Resurrected Christ" takes pride of place inside the main altar. The church, designed to accommodate 14,000 standing worshipers, was closed in the early 1930s and reopened as a museum. Today, church services are held here only on major ecclesiastical occasions

Interior of the Cathedral

The ceilings

Pat inside St Issac's Cathedral

The sanctuary seen through the holy doors. The holy gate of the main sanctuary

The Resurrection stained glass panel in the main sanctuary.