Tour to the Savior-On-The-Blood Cathedral

Set against the pale northern sky, the bright colorful domes of Savior on the Blood Cathedral look unique in St Petersburg. Among the baroque and classical building this church stands out with its medieval Russian architecture and great abundance of multicolored décor.

Tours in the Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood in St Petersburg are very popular. No wonder: the building is famous for the tragic history and unrivalled ornaments. The church was built on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded by the terrorists.

The murdered Tsar was the most progressive out of the Romanovs and initiated many necessary reforms. They were all halted by his conservative son Alexander III. During the Soviet times the building was almost pulled down during the anti-religious campaigns. The restoration took 3 decades. Now we can enjoy fabulous mosaics, semi-precious stones, marbles, and enamels outside and inside the building.

The Savior on the Blood Cathedral has more than 7000 sq. meters of mosaics which is the biggest number in Russia. The artworks are all amazing, combining Orthodox tradition with the Art Nouveau aesthetics. The best Russian artists of the period did cartoons for the mosaics, and skilled local craftsmen did Byzantine-style mosaics. Today the structure is both active church and the museum.