St Petersburg, Russia
Highlights
We moored at a pier in the Neva River
about 45 minutes from the heart of the city. There was a subway nearby and we
were cautioned to be careful with our belongings when using it. Most of the
many trips we made we used a bus shuttle which besides being comfortable gave
us a chance to view the scenery along the way.
You may remember my post on the
Yusopov Palace months ago(You can locate it in the blog archives in July 2012).
St Petersburg is such a fabulous city.
St. Savior Church of Spilt Blood, also
known as the Church of Resurrection or Assumption Church, is a takeoff on St.
Basil’s. A local guide told us, “In 1881 Alexander II, age 63 and after a 26
year reign, was assassinated on the site of the church. After a parade,
Alexander was riding in an English built bulletproof carriage when a bomb was
thrown at the carriage. No damage was done to the carriage, but Alexander
stepped out of the carriage just in time to take a second bomb that blew off
both his legs causing him to bleed to death.
“The
church is very unusual architecture for St. Petersburg. His son, Alexander III,
refused numerous church designs as he wanted something truly Russian. This
Byzantine design church won his approval. Funds for the church were raised by
the people. It took 24 years, 1883-1907, to build.”
We had to walk down a street the bus
could not navigate to get to the church. Both the outside and inside are
covered with incredible mosaics, wall to wall and floor to ceiling. It really
is quite beautiful. The Church
contains over 7500 square meters of mosaic pictures. The intricate detailed main
pictures are biblical and each is surrounded with a finely patterned border,
setting it apart from the next one. The artistry and workmanship was mind
boggling.
The church was closed in 1930 and
remained closed for 30 years when churches were being destroyed in Russia. A
massive 27-year restoration project was completed in 1997. When in St.
Petersburg it is a must see.
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