Description of the attraction
The largest Orthodox church in the northern capital of Russia, as St. Petersburg is often called, is St. Isaac's Cathedral. A more correct name for this cathedral is Isaakievsky (with a doubled second vowel), although the first spelling and pronunciation of this name is also widespread.
At the end of the 20s of the XX century, the temple received the status of a museum. At the same time, the cathedral is active, services are held in it every day.
The project of the building, built in accordance with the canons of classicism, was developed by the famous architect Henri Louis Auguste Ricard de Montferrand. The cathedral was erected in the middle of the 19th century.
During the construction work, technologies were used that were new for that time. This influenced the development of architecture not only in the second half of the 19th century, but also in the 20th century.
Temple predecessors
Although the temple was built in the middle of the 19th century, its history begins much earlier - in early years of the 18th century … It was then that for the workers of the shipyard was erected Isaac's church (not preserved to the present day). This temple was actually a rebuilt barn. The building was one-story and very simple. Its main decoration was a spire, for the construction of which an architect from Holland was invited.
But this temple did not last long: it soon became clear that it was too small and did not accommodate all the parishioners. The building was demolished. A new temple was built in 20s XVIII centurya. During the construction work, a serious problem arose: the vaults were cracked. The reason was an unsuccessful design decision. After that, the construction management was transferred to another architect. In the 30s of the 18th century (that is, after the temple was completed and consecrated), a fire broke out in the building: lightning struck the temple, the fire destroyed the thirty-meter bell tower. The burnt down part of the temple was quickly rebuilt, but two years later, lightning hit the building again. This time the temple suffered from the fire much more. Restoration work began, during which serious problems with the foundation were identified. It was decided to dismantle the temple and build a new one.
In the late 60s of the 18th century a new building was laid. For a number of reasons, construction work took a very long time: only at the beginning of the 19th century, the temple was completed and consecrated. The building looked rather strange: ordinary brick walls stood on a luxurious marble base. The reason was the lack of funds to complete the initial large-scale project. The temple aroused the ridicule of contemporaries. Soon it was decided to dismantle it and build a new one.
Telling the story of the three churches that became the predecessors of the modern St. Isaac's Cathedral, it should be noted that the first two of them were not located in the place where the current cathedral is (although not far away). However, where exactly the second temple was located is still unknown (there are various versions).
Cathedral construction
At the beginning of the 19th century, a competition was announced for the designs of the new building of the temple. However, it was not about the construction of a new cathedral, but about a radical restructuring of the old one. The contestants, obviously, did not understand what was required of them: all the authors of the projects proposed the construction of a new building. The winner was never chosen. Soon the competition was announced again - and again with the same result. After some time, the emperor, without announcing more competitions, entrusted the construction of the building to a young and not yet widely known architect - Henri Louis Auguste Ricard de Montferrand.
The rebuilding project of the cathedral, developed by the new architect, was heavily criticized by a member of the construction committee Anton Modui … He pointed out the numerous mistakes of the author of the project and demanded to immediately stop the construction work that had already begun. The critic strongly doubted the strength of the foundation, and also argued that the dome was designed incorrectly and therefore could collapse.
It was decided to make corrections to the draft. The competition was announced again. All projects submitted by the contestants were unsatisfactory, as a result of which the emperor realized the impracticability of the task set before the architects. After that, the assignment was partially changed (to make it easier for the architects to develop the project), and then the competition was announced again. The winner was Montferrand … Construction, suspended for a while, resumed.
One of the most difficult stages of construction work was the construction colonnades … In a quarry located next to Vyborg, excavation of huge granite monoliths was carried out. The work was difficult and progress was very slow. Transportation of granite blanks to the construction site was carried out using special flat-bottomed vessels. The installation of each column under the vault of the future temple took from forty to forty-five minutes. Before installation, the column was sheathed with a layer of felt and mats. As contemporaries testify, the installation mechanism was so perfect that it never made the slightest creak.
It is necessary to say a few words about the gilding of domes. The method used was the so-called fire gilding … This method is dangerous for the life of gilders (masters, gilding domes): during the construction of the cathedral, it took the lives of one hundred and twenty people. Sixty of them died during the gilding of the domes, and the rest - in the process of gilding various interior details.
XX and XXI centuries
In the post-revolutionary years, the building was nationalized … However, it was soon handed over to the parishioners (the corresponding agreement was signed by more than thirty people).
In the 1920s, forty-eight kilograms of gold and more than two tons of silver were seized from the cathedral. Around the same time, the rector of the cathedral was arrested. A year later, the building was transferred to the Renovationists (as representatives of one of the trends in Russian Orthodoxy were called). In the late 1920s, the contract with them was terminated; in the early 30s of the XX century, the temple turned into anti-religious museum.
In the 40s, the building was badly damaged by bombing and shelling. During wartime, exhibits from some of the country's other famous museums were kept in it.
In the middle of the 20th century, the temple was restored. It was then that on his dome appeared observation deck … In the 90s of the XX century, divine services were resumed in the cathedral. Currently, the society is discussing the need to transfer the cathedral under the control of the Russian Orthodox Church. Both positive and negative solutions to this issue have many supporters. The building is the property of the city.
What to look for
Every corner of the temple, every detail of its interior, every facade, certainly deserves the closest attention. In particular, it is worth carefully examining the three and a half hundred sculptures that adorn the outside of the temple. We will list some of them here:
- North facade decorated with a composition on the theme of the resurrection of Christ. The central figure of this composition is Christ risen from the grave. Around him are frightened guards and astonished women.
- The theme of the sculptural group decorating west facade, is the unity of spiritual and secular authorities. The author of the sculptures - Giovanni Vitali … There you can also see a sculpture depicting Montferrand, the famous architect of the cathedral, holding in his hands a greatly reduced model of the building.
- On the southern facade - a bas-relief, the theme of which is the adoration of the Magi to the Christ Child. The author of this work is Giovanni Vitali.
- On the east facade your attention will be drawn to a masterfully executed scene from the life of the saint, in whose honor the cathedral was consecrated.
We also emphasize that in the temple there is a unique collection of panels and paintings of the 19th century.
Interesting fact
As the construction of the cathedral took an unusually long time (several decades), a strange rumor began to spread throughout the city. It was said that some fortuneteller predicted death to Montferrand immediately after the completion of construction work. It was believed that this is the reason for such a long construction: they say, by extending it, the architect is trying to extend his life.
Historians do not know whether this is true or not, but the architect really died a month after the cathedral was completed and consecrated.
On a note
- Location: St. Petersburg, St. Isaac's Square, 4. Phones: (812) 314-40-96, (812) 315-97-32, (812) 595-44-37.
- The nearest metro stations are Admiralteyskaya.
- Official website:
- Opening hours: from October to the end of April - from 10:30 to 18:00, from the end of April to the end of September - from 10:30 to 22:30 (the exception is the Museum of Stone, which does not change during the warm season). The ticket offices of all museum objects close half an hour before the end of the working day. Day off - Wednesday. The Stone Museum is open from May to September (inclusive) seven days a week, the rest of the time, every second Wednesday of the month is a day off. The colonnade of the cathedral, which is a separate museum object, also has no days off during the warm season, and from November to April (inclusive), every third Wednesday of the month is a day off. Before visiting, it is better to check the opening hours on the official website of the museum, as sometimes it can change (for technical reasons).
- Tickets: 350 rubles (except for the Museum of the Stone, the entrance to which costs 100 rubles). Young people (persons from seven to eighteen years old), as well as pensioners, are given a discount: for them the cost of one ticket is 100 rubles. An exception is again the Museum of Stone, where young people can enter free of charge, and for pensioners the entrance costs 50 rubles. Also, discounts for visiting all museum objects are provided to students, cadets, residents, adjuncts, assistant trainees of educational organizations. All named discounts are valid only for citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. Holders of international ISIC cards can also buy tickets to the museum at a reduced cost.
