St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral in Saint Petersburg is a magnificent monument of the Baroque architectural style. The temple consists of two churches — the lower and upper. The lower Church was consecrated in the name of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the Wonderworker-the patron Saint of all travelers, including those who travel by sea. The upper Church was consecrated in the name of the Epiphany of the Lord. Therefore, the full name of the Church is St. Nicholas Epiphany Cathedral. Its construction was completed in 1762.
According to legend, Peter the Great, who visited Astrakhan, admired the temple of St. Nicholas and wished to see the same temple in the capital. But such a temple was not built during Peter’s lifetime.
By order of Catherine II, the temple was given 10 images in honor of the victories of the Russian fleet in the battles with the Swedes and Turks. Since then, many famous people have made gifts to the temple: the composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the poet Anna Akhmatova and others.
It has become a tradition to celebrate any event in the Russian Navy with a service in the Church.
Later, a garden is laid out near the Church, the project of which was also made by S. I. Chevakinsky. And later it was merged with the square built by the merchant Tupikov. So next to the temple there was a public square, where in 1908 a monument was erected to the officers and sailors who died at Tsushima on may 15, 1905 on the battleship “Emperor Alexander III”.
Bell tower of St. Nicholas Cathedral
In the side of the temple is a four-tiered bell tower. The three lower tiers of the bell tower are decorated with columns. The upper tier is crowned by a dome with a thin spire. Since the bell tower narrows up, and the walls of the two lower tiers are concave, the impression of its airiness is created. And the proximity to the water makes this place romantic. The bell tower is one of the most recognizable sights of St. Petersburg, which is often depicted by St. Petersburg artists.
Shrines of The Temple
In the lower Church is the Main Shrine of the Epiphany Cathedral-a Greek icon of St. Nicholas of the 17th century with a particle of his relics.
In the upper Church you can see a carved iconostasis (the work of the master I. Kanaev). It is decorated with icons made in the Byzantine tradition (the work of painters Kolokolnikov). The colonnade is decorated with carvings in the form of garlands of flowers and foliage (the work of master Carver Ignatius Kanaev).
St. Nicholas Epiphany Church is a symbol of the blessing of St. Petersburg as a city of Maritime glory.
Location : St.Petersburg
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