Churches of St. P: Nikolo-Bogoyavlenskiy Morskoy Sobor

The cathedral was designed between 1753 and 1762 by Savva Chevakinsky, a prominent Admiralty architect and student of Bartolomeo Rastrelli (the architect behind the Winter Palace). Its distinctive pastel blue facade, white Corinthian columns, and five gilded domes are classic signatures of Russian Baroque design.

Because the cathedral is surrounded by four major waterways (the Fontanka and Moika Rivers, and the Kryukov and Griboedov Canals), the ground was intentionally raised by about two meters prior to construction to protect the structure from frequent Petersburg floods.

Unlike many major churches in Russia that were demolished, converted into museums, or used for secular purposes during the Soviet period, St. Nicholas Cathedral remained active throughout the 20th century. During the Siege of Leningrad in World War II and up to 1999 it served as the main cathedral of the city, holding regular services despite constant artillery shelling.

The mass I had a chance to attend was truly beautiful, what a blessing.