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| The gilded dome of St Isaaks Cathedral |
St Isaaks Cathedral is one of the largest in Europe, and
the largest in St Petersburg. Built between 1818 and 1858 in a neo classical
style, it greets visitor with massive ionic granite columns – each chiselled
and carved from a single stone and weighing a few hundred tons. An immense
gilded dome reaches above the skyline of St Petersburg a forms a shining
beacon.
The gilding is the original coating, which was applied as a
mix of gold (a couple of hundred kilos) and mercury to copper sheet domed
roofing. A number of roofers died of mercury poisoning during the process – the
effects of mercury were not yet known. However, the mix has survived a couple
of wars – the dome was painted black to camouflage it from bombing attacks.
Shells did hit the outside columns, and their marks are still noticeable, as
solid granite cannot be patched up.
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| Solid Granite Columns |
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| Detail of Bronze Portals |
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| Detail on interior of Bronze Portals |
The interior is spectacular: every surface is covered with
marble, gilding, paintings and marble or wood carvings. Gigantic chandeliers
are suspended from the fresco covered ceilings. Being of orthodox faith, there
are no benches or chairs – the congregation stands during service.
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| Richly Decorated Interior |
After the Bolsheviks took over Russia in 1917, religion was
immediately declared illegal. The truly ‘iconic’ cathedral was ironically
changed into a Museum of Atheism, however after the break-up of the Soviet
Union it was returned to its original purpose, supplemented now with income
from tourist visits.
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Coat of Arms of St Petersburg,
Two crossed anchors, one a river anchor and the other a sea anchor, symbolizing St Petersburg location both on a river (Neva) and the Sea (Gulf of Finland of the Baltic) |
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| Only supported on two hind legs, but with a lead filled tail...equestrian statue of a Tsar |
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| Trust fund kid palace...at least the top layer of it |
Expansive squares surround the church, on one of them stands
another Imperial Palace, which was a wedding present from one of the Tsars to
his daughter. A statue of generous dad, mounted on horseback surrounded by
bronze depiction of his four lovely daughters dressed as goddesses stands
between the church and the palace. The equestrian statue is one of the very few
in the world with only two points of support for the unequally distributed
weight of bronze – that being the two hind legs of the rearing horse. The
sculptor filled the horse’s tail with lead to give sufficient counterweight to
balance the whole business.
The bronze horseman faces the Cathedral and his back is
turned to the Palace of the happy bride receiving it on her wedding day. She
was so upset, that she would see her dad’s back and not his face upon
awakening, refused to ever occupy it. Imperial whims….
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| One of St Isaak's Portals |
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| Many of the paintings are actually fine mosaics, as can be seen in this portrait |
