Review
Rating: *****/5
Tour: Peter and Paul Cathedral
How to get there: by Walking tour
Route: from Gorkovskaya Subway Station
The interior of the Peter and Paul Cathedral differs a lot from that of the Russian churches.
DetailsConforming with the Russian Orthodox tradition churches were usually cross-shaped while this cathedral is a Basilica (200 feet long) and it has a steeple instead of a cupola. It has a marble imitation on the walls and pilasters while ancient churches used to be decorated with frescoes. Imitation of one material by means of another is of the the features of the Baroque style. Finally there are 5 crystal chandeliers and the windows are some 20 feet high so the cathedral is flooded with light. Russian 16-17th century churches were smaller and darker and created a much more intimate atmosphere. You can see 18 canvases above the cornice painted by the best 18th century painters Andrey Matveev, George Gzell, Ignatiev and Belsky. Seven of them are of special value because only they are original and were saved from the fire if 1756. The painters have depicted New testament characters in a more human and realistic way. Therefore these canvases are the first examples of Russian realistic art. Secular realistic art was for centuries proceeded by by icon painting. So the cathedral appears to be very secular in design. It was conceived to glorify Russian victory in the Northern War and used to accommodate war trophies. By 1905 there were over a thousand banners gathered here. They were taken to museums. Now you can see 50 replicas of banners of Peter's time.
Iconostasis or "the wall of icons" serves to separate the altar from the congregation. It is sort of a borderline between two worlds. It illustrates the Holy Scripture with its icons. Designed by Tresini and a Moscow architect Ivan Zarudniy as a three-spanned triumphal arch (20 meters high), it was installed in 1729. It consists of five large icon-cases. There are 5 large and 36 smaller icons. The arrangement of the themes of them is different from the traditional. The Southern wall represents holy men, the Northern - Holy women.They are mainly name saints of the Ruric family that ruled the Ancient Russ and members of Romanovs family. To the right from the central gate there's an icon depicting Christ with attributes of emperor's power - a globe and a sceptre in his hands. These images give the idea of divine origin of tsar's power that was introduced in Russia. These icons were painted in Petersburg by a group of Moscow artists headed by Merkuriev, mainly in the 18th century. This iconstand is a unique sample of Russian folk craftsmanship. It is completely man-made. Over 50 skillful woodcarvers, sculptors and gilders worked on it in 1722-27. It could be dismantled and thus it was saved from the fire of 1756. It is made of lime-tree and oak and such a fine wood-carving can hardly be found anywhere else. The only metal part is the Holy Doors or the Tsars' Gate. It's 33 feet wide and twice as high. The altar canopy was designed by Tresini inspired by St. Peter's in Rome.
Opposite the iconostasis is the pulpit beautifully decorated with four carved busts of Evangelists and gilded wooden sculptures of Apostles Peter and Paul. This cathedral was the main in Russia so it was often visited by the tsar and members of the royal family. During the office the tsar would stand on a special elevated place by the icon-stand upholstered with red velvet and decorated with carved symbols of autocracy - a globe, a sceptre and a double-headed eagle.
The Peter and Paul cathedral is a burial place of the Romanovs. Peter the great started this tradition. All of the tsars starting from him and other members of royal family were buried here. Conforming with the burial tradition that was borrowed from the German lands in the times of Peter I their bodies were entombed below the floor level. The burial places were marked with Carrara marble tombs only in 1860's. There are 32 of them here. Those marked with 4 gilded bronze double-headed eagles are the tombs of those who reigned the country. Others have Orthodox crosses. By late 19th century there wasn't enough space here and the Grand Dukal Vault was built to accommodate more 60 tombs marked with stone slabs.
Peter I is buried by the Southern wall. He died in 1725 in his Winter palace (it was on the spot where hermitage Theatre stands now). His coffin was taken here across the Neva and kept in a specially erected wooden church. Everyone could bid farewell to the great emperor. His tomb is marked with the authentic sculpture by Zarzoni. It was commissioned by Peter's wife Catherine I who died 2 years later and is buried next to him. There always are flowers by his tomb to honour Peter as the founder of the city and a tsar who introduced great progressive reforms in every area of Russian life. He made Russia oriented to the West by regaining access to the Baltic Sea and brought the progressive European customs and traditions here. It was he who started industry and public education in Russia, founded the Russian fleet, which would score many important victories.
To the left is the tomb of their daughter Elizabeth I, Ann I (Peter's niece), Peter III (his grandson) and Catherine II (wife of Peter III).
Among the others the tombs of emperor Alexander II and his wife Maria Alexandrovna are singled out. Alexander II is known as the liberator for abolishing serfdom in 1861. His life was attempted many times by the members of a terrorist organisation "Peoples will". Finally they succeeded on March 1, 1881. The Saviour on Blood Cathedral was later built on the site where he was assassinated. These are two monolithic stones of Ural jasper and rodonite (a sort of marble). It took masters at Peterhof lapidary works 17 years to polish these fragile semiprecious stones. The tombs were commissioned by his son Alexander III and placed here in 1906 to the 25th anniversary of the assassination. Alexander III himself is buried right next to his parents. His reign is notable for very rapid economical development of Russia. His wife the Danish princess Dagmara, who arrived in Petersburg in 1866 and accepted Orthodoxy under the name of Maria Fiodorovna is was reintered here. When the Bolshevik revolution started she left the country and it saved her life.
Their son Nickolas II and his family were reintered here in 1998 to the anniversary of their brutal murder an the night of July 16th, 1918. Nickolas II, his wife Alex and their 5 children were canonised.
Peter and Paul Cathedral intorduction
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«Peter and Paul Cathedral » is close to Gor'kovskaya station
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Some bed&breakfasts, cafes and sights we found close to Gorkovskaya Subway Station:
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