ST ISAAC'S CATHEDRAL

            St. Petersberg's Glorious Church

            The present St. Isaac’s Cathedral, austerely regal by day and ominously imposing by night is the fourth largest domed cathedral in the world. The dome of the largest church in St. Petersberg, covered with 100 kg of pure gold, dominates the city’s skyline. A Frenchman spent his entire life, 40 years (1818-1858),on the project and  died one month after its completion. Finnish granite pillars, a 30,000-ton edifice, gray marble exterior, red granite colonnades, gold covered domes, and bronze statues make for a stunning structure that can accommodate 14,000 people. The cost to build the cathedral was ten times that of the winter palace.

            The first wooden church burned. The second church, also wooden, was built at the present site of the Peter the Great statue. Water undermined that church and it fell to ruins. Catherine the great commissioned the third and present church to be built on its present site. However, she died when the church was only half finished, and her son, in revenge, never finished the church. A total of 24.000 pillars support the church.

            The church was an active one until 1932 when it became a museum. In contradiction to Russian Orthodoxy St Isaac’s contains 600 golden sculptures. Built with three aisles, the golden chandeliers hold many, probably hundreds, candle lights. The large main columns are joined with an arch. The icons on the iconostasis are actually mosaics as weather destroyed the painted icons before they were even completed.

            The marble columns are not covered with frescoes, as seen in some churches. A large mosaic is in the center of the marble floor while the rest of the floor is done in marble stripes. Immediately on each side of the iconostasis alter door is a lapis column, then three large malachite columns extend out on each side of the lapis ones.

            Acoustics are perfect in the church. All outside doors are large and heavy with the heavily carved relief door weighing ten ton. The church is so named because Peter the Great was born on May 30 which is the day of St. Isaac. The interior with its 14 varieties of marble, generous touches of jasper, malachite, gilded stucco and many frescoes and murals is the main attraction. The lovely stain glass windows and carved white marble iconostasis are also worthy of special note.

            One can almost say that if you’ve seen one Russian Orthodox Church you’ve seen them all as they follow a definite décor theme. St Isaac’s is an exception and was truly mind boggling and exceptionally beautiful---a definite must-see for any visitor to this fascinating city.