St Isaac´s Cathedral

The dome of this cathedral dominates the skyline of St. Petersburg.

On a clear sunny day one can see the gilded cupola of St Isaac's from

miles away from its downtown site. You can climb up the stairs to the

observation point at the dome and get a breathtaking view of the

fascinating St Petersburg.(There were no elevators in the mid-19th

century, so you will have to climb 300 stairs).

The church itself is a real marvel. Built by the French-born

architect Auguste Montferrand to be the main church of the Russian

Empire, the cathedral was under construction for 40 years (1818-

1858), and was decorated in the most elaborate way. When you enter

the cathedral you pass through one of the porticos - note that the

columns are made of single pieces of red granite and weight 80 tons

(about 177,770 pounds) each. Inside the church many of the icons are

the most exquisite mosaics. The iconostasis (the icon wall that

separates the altar from the rest of the church) is decorated with 8

malachite and 2 lapis lazuli columns. The cathedral, which can

accommodate 14 thousand worshipers, now serves as a museum and

services are held only on major occasions.

A well crafted architectural image with excellent lighting, composition and color. And thanks for the historical notes. If I ever get to St. Petersburg... --jim

Ya les gistaria tener esta catedral a los de San Petesburgo (Florida) :))

Bonito azul. Azul añil con el que se blanqueaba la colada en posguerra.