Description of the attraction
One of the most famous temples of the cultural capital of Russia is the Smolny Cathedral (its other name is Voskresensky). It is part of the monastery of the same name, located on the Nevsky bank.
The temple was founded in the 40s of the 18th century, its construction lasted for many years and was completed only in the 30s of the 19th century. The building is almost ninety-four meters high. The author of the project is the famous Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli, who did a lot to create the unique look of the northern Russian capital.
Temple construction
Once on the site of the aforementioned monastery there was the so-called Smolny House (also known as Smolyana) - the palace in which Elizaveta Petrovna spent her childhood. Already being an empress, she decided to build a monastery on the site of this house, where she could quietly and peacefully spend her old age. The main buildings of the monastery were supposed to be a temple and a higher educational institution intended for girls from noble families.
In the late 40s of the 18th century, the foundation stone of the temple took place. By the beginning of the 50s, the preparatory work was completed, the construction of the foundations was completed, and the construction of the monastery walls began.
The scale of construction was quite impressive. The Empress did not spare money for the construction of a new monastery. About two thousand soldiers and one and a half thousand artisans were engaged in construction work every day. The latter received payment for their work: they were paid three kopecks daily.
The monastery walls grew very quickly. Various interior details were already prepared, projects of iconostases were developed, several bells were cast … But the Seven Years' War began. Funding for construction has dropped dramatically. Construction work was now proceeding much more slowly than before the war.
After the death of the empress, construction continued for some time. The author of the project of the cathedral left Russia. During the life of the customer, a fairly large part of the work was done, but still the cathedral needed finishing. It was decided to appoint Yuri Felten as the new chief architect (instead of the one who had left).
The pace of construction work was extremely negatively affected by insufficient funding. The builders had to deviate from the original project. For example, they had to abandon the construction of the bell tower (although the foundation for it was ready long ago). However, the facade of the temple was plastered, and sculptural decorations were also installed. But the construction of the temple was still not completed. At about the end of the 1860s, it finally stopped.
The building stood unfinished for almost seven decades. His condition was getting worse. Water accumulated in the high basements, and cracks crept along the vaults. It seemed a little more - and the building would simply collapse. In the 20s of the XIX century, an imperial decree was issued on the continuation of the construction of the temple. A competition was announced for the best design for the design of the building. The Emperor opted for a project authored by Vasily Stasov. Construction work resumed. Cracked walls, arches and vaults were repaired. Damaged bricks were replaced with new ones. The basements, where water and debris had accumulated for decades, have been cleaned up.
Galvanized iron was used to cover the domes and chapters. The facade of the building was painted with yellow paint. The domes became azure, they were decorated with golden stars (this was the desire of the emperor). Twelve new bells appeared (in addition to the eight that were cast in the 18th century).
One of the most difficult tasks for the builders was the installation of chimneys: they were not provided for in the initial design of the building, since, according to the first architect, the temple was summer (cold).
The floor was paved with Revel marble, and larch was used to make doors and window frames. The interior walls were painted with white paint, and artificial marble was chosen for the facing of the columns.
Construction work lasted about three years and was completed in the mid-30s of the 19th century.
Revolution and beyond
Soon after the completion of construction work, the building was consecrated. It received the status of a temple of all St. Petersburg educational institutions. On one of the walls of the cathedral, a fairly long list was posted, which included city institutes and schools. Their names were written in gold. Students often came to church services.
It should be noted that services in the famous cathedral were held regularly for almost ninety years. Sometimes they were attended by members of the imperial family.
Not far from the temple, on the territory of the monastery, a higher educational institution was opened for girls-noblewomen. Its opening marked the beginning of women's education in the country (previously there were no such institutions on the territory of Russia). Moreover, it became the first public institution of higher education for girls in Europe.
In the early 20s of the XX century, despite numerous requests from believers, the temple was closed. All valuables were removed from it (this happened a year before the closure). For a long time, the building was used as a warehouse. Theatrical scenery was kept here. The high cellars of the temple were turned into a bunker. Later, anti-nuclear protection was installed in them.
In the 1940s, the building still housed an iconostasis, although it was dilapidated. Remains of the department have been preserved. In the second half of the 60s of the XX century, the building was reconstructed. The former temple, which has now become a museum, housed exhibitions dedicated to the history of the city. Dismantling of the iconostasis was carried out only in the early 70s.
Oddly enough, in the 90s, when many temples in the country were reopened to the faithful, the cathedral was used as a concert hall. Various exhibitions were also held there.
The 21st century began for the temple with destruction: during a terrible thunderstorm with a hurricane wind, a gilded cross that crowned the central dome collapsed; the fallen cross, the height of which is six meters, damaged the roof (stuck into it). The reason was not only a hurricane wind: lightning struck the cross, as a result of which it broke at the very base.
Restoration work was carried out, three years later the cross returned to its original place. An organ was installed in the temple. Choral music sounded within the walls of the cathedral. Visitors to the temple could climb to the observation deck, which offered a magnificent view of the city.
In 2009, a divine service was held in the building - the first in many decades. It took place at the end of May. The next year, services here became regular, but for a number of reasons, the final transfer of the building to the ROC took place only six years later.
Architectural features of the building
The building of the temple with its bow gables and lucarnes is one of the brightest examples of Elizabethan Baroque. As you explore the temple, pay attention to the following architectural features.
- Like many Orthodox churches, the cathedral is five-domed, but there is one significant difference from most Russian churches. The fact is that the architect was going to erect a one-dome building (according to European models), but at the last moment the empress insisted on changing the project. Therefore, the four small domes surrounding the large (fifth), in fact - the domes of the bell towers; only the fifth dome crowns the temple building itself. This architectural solution is not typical for Russian cathedrals. The bell towers are two-tiered, with bulbous domes rising above them. The shape of the fifth, central dome is different: it resembles a helmet topped with a bulbous cupola.
- It is interesting that the lower part of the building evokes associations with palace architecture: it is "heavier" than the upper part, more "mundane". This is done so that the temple organically fits into the architectural ensemble of the monastery, in harmony with other buildings.
- Pay attention to a kind of optical illusion: from a distance the cathedral seems taller than up close. But despite the fact that when approaching the building it seems to decrease, the temple still makes the same strong impression.
Let's say a few words about the territory of the monastery. Its shape resembles the outlines of a Greek cross, in the center of which is the cathedral. There are four small churches in the corners.
Lack of a bell tower
The project of the cathedral bell tower (which was never built) has been preserved. The height of this building was supposed to be one hundred and forty meters. In the 18th century (when the construction of the temple began) it would have been one of the tallest buildings in Europe. The bell tower was supposed to consist of five tiers, three of which were the belfries themselves. The second tier was to be occupied by a gate church, and the first was a high arch.
There is a version that the construction of the bell tower was abandoned not at all because of a lack of funds, but at the direction of the chief architect, who decided that the tall building would dominate and divert attention from the cathedral.
On a note
- Location: Rastrelli square, building 1; phones: +7 (812) 900-70-15, +7 (981) 187-00-51.
- The nearest metro stations: "Chernyshevskaya", "Ploshchad Vosstaniya". It should be noted that the building is located at a fairly large distance from metro stations (about half an hour's walk). To get to the temple faster, you can use ground public transportation.
- Official website:
- Working hours: From 7:00 to 20:00 (seven days a week). If you are interested in excursions, they are held at the temple on weekends. Tours start at 13:00, 14:30 and 16:00. Excursion services for visitors are also provided upon prior request.
