For a city only 300 years old, it is extraordinary that St. Petersburg should have such a wealth and diversity of religious buildings. From famous monuments like St. Isaac’s Cathedral to smaller local churches with faithful congregations, from the ornate charms of Petrine Baroque to the pomp and magnificence of Russian Revival, St. Petersburg’s churches are extraordinarily varied and often spectacularly beautiful. And it is not just Russian Orthodox churches that decorate the Northern Capital, St. Petersburg’s foreign communities have added a number of equally fascinating places of worship to the city, including a number of major churches in the heart of the city, and the St. Petersburg’s truly original Central Mosque and Buddhist Datsan.

Before the October Revolution of 1917, there were over 100 orthodox cathedrals and churches in St. Petersburg. After the Revolution, the number of those became few and few for various reasons: some were blown up and destroyed, other used as cargo houses of enterprises.

Some churches, luckier ones, were turned into museums. For example, the Kazan Cathedral used to be an Atheism and Religion Museum, the St. Isaac Cathedral — one of city museums.
There were only few active churches in St. Petersburg (then Leningrad) by the end of 80s. After the beginning of Perestroika, the process of churches revival had started: they were returned to Petersburg Diocese and renovations and reconstructions begun. Right now there are about 40 active churches.

During the bus tour you will see the most famous cathedrals such as the Kazan Cathedral, Smolny Cathedral, Alexander Nevsky Laura, Prince Vladimir Cathedral, Naval Cathedral of St. Nicholas, Trinity Cathedral, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and some other famous cathedrals.