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St Isaac’s Cathedral

Location

St. Petersburg

Russia

59° 56' 2.058" N, 30° 18' 23.346" E

See map: Google Maps

RU

General info:

Saint Isaac's Cathedral is the largest Orthodox cathedral in the world. This monumental building is dedicated to Saint Isaac of Dalmatia, a patron saint of Peter the Great, who had been born on the feast day of that saint. The cathedral took 40 years to construct from 1818 to 1858, under direction of French-born architect Auguste de Montferrand.

The style of cathedral resembles the Byzantine architecture, which was the main inspiration of many Orthodox churches around the Europe. However, the Saint Isaac's Cathedral differs from the rest with its massive neoclassical dome. The cathedral's main dome rises 101.5 metres (333 ft) and is plated with pure gold. The interior corresponds to the mighty appearance of the church from the outside with the iconostasis made of gold and bronze.

Getting there:

The St. Isaac’s Cathedral is located just a few hundred meters from the Hermitage, the Palace Square, and the Nevsky Prospect. The Admiralteyskaya subway station serves all of these sites.

Costs:

The St. Isaac’s Cathedral is an active place of worship and some religious rules and conditions must be honored. The entrance fee for tourists is 250rubles.

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