Cathedral of Peter & Paul in St Petersburg

If you are in St Petersburg, visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress is a must. Inside the Fortress, the most important structure is the Sts Peter and Paul cathedral. 

View of the Cathedral

This is the oldest church in St Petersburg and was consecrated on June 29, 1733. The cathedral is closely linked to both the history of the city and to the Romanov dynasty and is home to the graves of nearly all the rulers of Russia since Peter the Great. It is located within the Peter & Paul Fortress on an island near the bank of the river Neva and  built under the direction of Tsar Peter I .

The Main Pulpit of the Church

T One of the Beautiful Chandeliers in the church 

 

View of the Cathedral from the front

Visited St Petersburg in August 2013

Moscow - Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow

This is one of the most imposing and controversial building in Russia. This enormous and very expensive cathedral was consecrated in 1883 after the defeat of Napoleon. However it was singled out by the Soviet government for destruction and in 1931 was completely destroyed to make way for the proposed Palace of Soviets which was however never built. The project was replaced to become an open-air swimming pool – the largest in the world and kept at constant temperature of 27 degrees .

The huge Copper domes of the Cathedral that dominate the Moscow skyline

It was only after the fall of the Soviet Union that a decision was taken to resurrect the cathedral in a $ 360 million reconstruction project. The new cathedral was completed in 2000.

 View of the Moskva River from the Pedestrian Bridge in the front of the Cathedral.

Visited and photographed in August 2013.

Moscow - St Basil's Cathedral

One Landmark in Moscow that stands out for its beauty and grandeur is St Basil's Cathedral, better known as the Cathedral of St Vasily.

St. Basils Cathedral

The building is shaped as a flame of a bonfire rising into the sky and contains 8 churches built around a central one. Also known as The Cathedral of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God upon the Moat, it was built in 1552 by Czar Ivan the Terrible. When built the cathedral was to epitomize the image of the Holy City of Jerusalem as a result of which, its nine churches which were consecrated in memory of major events of the Kazan campaign of Czar Ivan were built on a single foundation.

 

 

 The cathedral is now a museum though one service a year is held on the day of Intercession in October. The church has been a part of the Kremlin and Red Square UNESCO Heritage Site since 1990.

With Anita in front of St Basil's Cathedral on our vacation in August 2013.

Sergiev Posad - Golden Ring Town

Visitors to Moscow have to include a visit to The Golden Ring towns which are located in the Northeast of Moscow to get a feel of ancient Russia. These ancient towns ( eight in number ) played a significant role in the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church.  These towns are among the most picturesque in Russia and prominently feature the onion shaped domes in their churches and monastries.

75 kms to the north of Moscow lies the town of Sergiev Posad - one of the Golden Ring Towns. Located in the city is the Holy Trinity Lavra ( Monastery of the Holy Trinity).

Cathedral of the Holy Trinity

Inside the monastery is the Trinity Cathedral which is the most important church on the site and where the remains of St Sergius lie. This is a white building with golden domes and was constructed in 1422.

 

 

 

The Holy Trinity Cathedral in the Monastery

Shrine over the Spring

On the right of the cathedral is the 'Shrine over the Spring' which was built when a spring of water sprang in the 17th century during repairs of the cathedral. The water is believed to have the power to heal the sick.  The water comes out of a cross shaped fountain that is covered with a colourful canopy.

Shrine over the Spring

Cross from where the Holy Water Flows

The Gateway Church of the Nativity of St  John the Baptist 

The Church was constructed between 1693 – 1699 over one of  the gates.  It displays the characteristic features of "Stroganov buildings" in intricate details and free treatment of classical forms. The lower part is cut by a gate arch. On both sides of the arch are staircases leading to the upper part with the cube of the Church surrounded by a gallery.

Church of the Nativity of St John the Baptist

Fresco on the Gate

Unfortunately, we could not see and admire the Holy Trinity Larva in all its beauty as the monastery is undergoing renovations for the 700th anniversary of St Sergius which will be celebrated in 2014. Iconic structures like the Cathedral of the Assumption, the Bell Tower etc were wrapped under canopies for repair work.

 

An interesting Russian Orthodox Church near the town of Sergiev Posad

Domes of a Russian Orthodox Church

Getting there: 

There are a number of options to visit Sergiev Posad from Moscow. There are trains every half hour from Yaroslavi Station and take about an hour and a half to reach. Trains start from 5 AM from Moscow and the last return train is at midnight. Buses leave every 15 minutes and take about 2 hours. Another option is to take a guided tour which of course is much more expensive.