Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan (Kazansky Sobor)

Completed in 1811 and standing at an impressive 203 feet tall (62 meters), St Petersburg's Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan exhibits Russian classical architecture, having replaced a wooden church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The cathedral took 10 years to construct and today encircles a small square with a double row of beautiful columns, while the interior is adorned with the works of some of the country's greatest artists and sculptors, such as I.P. Prokofyev and F.G. Gordeev, with reliefs on the facade by I.P. Martos, S.S. Pimenov and I.P. Martos.
Among some of the cathedral's other beauties are the Tsar's silver-casted gates and a golden frame decorated with precious stones, made specifically for the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan. The site has served as the setting for many of Russia’s historical events, including Tsesarevish Pavel Petrovich’s marriage and the celebration of many Russian military victories. Kazan Cathedral was originally intended to be the main church of the country and the Russian answer to the Basilica of St Peter's in Rome.

Practical Info

Located right on Kazanskaya Square, Kazan Cathedral is easily accessible by trolleybus 1, 5, 7, 10 and 22. Buses 3, 7, 22 and 27 also run nearby, as does the subway, which stops in front of the cathedral at the Metro Nevksky Prospekt stop.