Visit to The St.Isaac’s Cathedral

St. Isaac’s Cathedral was once the main church of St. Petersburg and the Russian Empire’s largest church. It was built in 1818-1858 by French-born architect Auguste Montferrand. One hundred and eighty years later the gilded dome of St. Isaac’s still dominates the skyline of St. Petersburg. The majestic sculptural groups of the cathedral fronts and 24 monumental bronze figures of angels over the colonnade of the main tower make up a rich sculptural ensemble. The facades are decorated 112 massive granite columns (made of single pieces of red Karelian granite), while the interiors dazzle the eye with mosaic icons, paintings and columns made of malachite and lapis lazuli. A large stained glass of the resurrected Christ, located inside the main altar, is truly fascinating. The church, designed to accommodate 14,000 standing worshipers, was closed in the early 1930s and reopened as a museum. Nowadays, church services are held hero only on major occasions.