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)

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)