Fully restored nowadays inside and out, St.Isaac’s is one of the world’s largest and most ornate cathedrals. Built in 1818-1858 to design by Auguste de Montferrand, the cathedral was named in honor of St.Isaac of Dolmatia, on whose day (30 May) the founder of the city Peter the Great was born. It’s 101.5 metres high and accommodates up to 14 thousand people. On the outside the cathedral is decorated with 48 one-piece granite columns and with over 400 statues of the Apostles and the Evangelists. The cathedral’s interiors are adorned with 14 sorts of marble, precious stones (malachite, lazurite, porphyry and many others), gold trim, mosaics and paintings. Prior to October Revolution of 1917 St.Isaac’s was the city’s main cathedral. It was here that in 1901, owing to his sharp criticism at Russian Orthodox Church, Leo Tolstoy was excommunicated. In 1931 the cathedral was converted to  a museum. Badly damaged during the 1941-1944 siege of Leningrad (as St.Petersburg was called then)), St.Isaac’s was re-opened for visiting in 1958, though restoration was still in full swing at the time.

Open: 11:00 – 18:00, colonnade 11:00 - 17:00

Closed on Wednesdays

Address: Isaakievskaya ploschad 1

The nearest metro stations: Gostiny Dvor, Nevsky Prospect.

Phone: +7 (812) 315 97 32

www.cathedral.ru