David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

St. Petersburg, Russia 2008 – Cathedral of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood

In 2008 I took a cruise of the Baltic Sea, and one of the ports of call was St. Petersburg, Russia. Our tour group visited the Cathedral of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood, a church that deliberately was built to resemble St. Basil’s in Moscow. The church contains more than 7500 square meters of mosaics — reputedly more than any other church in the World. Its construction involves a number of “onion” domes – a characteristic of the 17th-century Yaroslavl churches. It was constructed between 1883 and 1907, on the site where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated, and the name of the church refers to that event. It was originally a Russian Orthodox church, but in 1970 its management was given to Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, and it began 27 years of restoration, during which time it was closed. It was reopened in 1997 as a museum, and is one of the primary tourist attractions in the city.

Exterior views

Baltic2008_954 by David Casteel, on Flickr


Baltic2008_957 by David Casteel, on Flickr (detail of the entrance)

Interior views

Baltic2008_958 by David Casteel, on Flickr


Baltic2008_959 by David Casteel, on Flickr (the Altar)


Baltic2008_970 by David Casteel, on Flickr (closer view of the Altar)


Baltic2008_971 by David Casteel, on Flickr (detail of the Altar mosaic)


Baltic2008_976 by David Casteel, on Flickr (shrine marking location of the assassination)


Baltic2008_963 by David Casteel, on Flickr


Baltic2008_964 by David Casteel, on Flickr


Baltic2008_973 by David Casteel, on Flickr (mosaic in one of the domes)


Baltic2008_967 by David Casteel, on Flickr (mosaic in the big dome)


Baltic2008_974 by David Casteel, on Flickr


Baltic2008_977 by David Casteel, on Flickr


Baltic2008_975 by David Casteel, on Flickr


Baltic2008_962 by David Casteel, on Flickr (one of the column mosaics)

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

David, Thank you for taking me to the Cathedral of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood though your excellent images and verbiage. Greatly appreciated. Thanks for sharing.Stan

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

You're welcome, Stan, I enjoy sharing. Thanks for the very nice compliment.

Ourspolair

Beautiful captures and renderings as usual, David. Thanks for the interesting narrative. Please stay safe and keep on sharing.

torchman310 Loc: Santa Clarita, Ca.

Fantastic Art Work, both inside and out. This could rival The Vatican's artwork.

NMGal Loc: NE NM

No wonder it took so long to restore. Beautiful job, David.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Awesome!

Signed up this weekend for a cruise there in June (vaccine willing). More excited now!

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

Ourspolair, thanks for your nice comment. You're welcome.

Hi, torchman -- thanks for coming. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

NMGal, thank you very much.

IDGuy, my 2008 cruise stopped at 8 ports. What is yours like? I'm happy to have stimulated a desire.

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Very nice David, I saw it in 2018, but unfortunately only from the outside, for some reason we couldn't enter. - My loss.

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

Gorgeous images David

frjack Loc: Boston, MA

Gorgeous work. Thanks for posting. My chances of ever getting to St. Petersburg are vanishingly small.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

Fabulous set, David. Would love to see it in person.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Terrific photos!

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Excellent, David--enjoyed.

blacks2 Loc: SF. Bay area

What an amazing beauty, not seen anywhere. I love it David.