Page 31 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - St. Petersburg

St Isaac’s Cathedral ❮❮ 29

Red Granite
8 HUMAN SUFFERING
Columns
The 48 col um ns (left) The construction of
in the cathedral were St Isaac’s Cathedral over
spe cially imported from 40 years was accom -
Finland at tremendous panied by much suffering
cost and effort. and sacrifice of human
life. Hundreds of serfs lost
Iconostasis
9 their lives, crushed to
death by falling chunks
Three rows of
icons sur round the royal of marble. At least 60
doors, above which is people were killed by
inhaling the mercury
Pyotr Klodt’s gilded fumes used in the dome’s
“Christ in Majesty”. elaborate gilding process.
Angels with
0
Torch
The reverent angels
holding up the gas
torches that crown the
four cor ners of the
cathedral (below) were
created by Ivan Vitali,
who was responsible for
many of the other figures
that adorn the cathedral.

Traces of Nazi Bombardment
7
St Isaac’s was hit by artillery bombardment
during the World War II siege (see p38). Traces of
this can be found on the left-hand side of the
cathedral’s steps as a reminder of the war years.
NEED TO KNOW Colonnaded Walkway: during the winter, when
MAP K4 • Isaakievskaya May–Oct: 10am–10:30pm it dominates the snowy
daily (to 4:30am 1 Jun–20
ploshchad • 315 9732 skyline like some giant
• www.eng.cathedral.ru/ Aug); Nov–Apr: 10:30am– sentinel standing guard
6pm Thu–Tue. Closed Wed
isakievskii_sobor in the vastness of
Adm: adults ₽250; St Isaac’s Square.
Open May–Sep: 10am– children ₽50
10:30pm Thu–Tue; Oct– • A popular café, Idiot
Apr: 10:30am–6pm Thu–Tue. • St Isaac’s is most (see p76), is close by and
Closed third Wed of month im pressive around dusk does great set lunches.

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