For travelers who have visited Saint Petersburg, they would be quick to suggest that if there is but one church that you should see in the city, it should be the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in Saint Petersburg – Russia.
Location
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in Saint Petersburg – Russia is situated along the embankment of the Griboedov Canal, standing in the middle of the River Neva and Nevsky Prospekt.
Getting There
There are three ways to reach the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in Saint Petersburg – Russia: via the Metro, bus or trolley bus.
For the Metro, take those going towards Nevsky Prospekt, Griboedov Canal or Gostiny Dvor. From the stations, it is only a short walk up to the cathedral.
If you will be taking the bus, you can take bus numbers 3, 7, 22 or 27; and trolley bus numbers 1, 5, 7, 10 up to 12. From the stations, it is likewise a short walk to the cathedral.
What to See and Do
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in Saint Petersburg – Russia has an architectural style that is quite different from the other churches and cathedrals in the city.
While most of the churches here depict Neo-Classical styles, this particular church depicts medieval architecture, taking on the inspiration of “romantic nationalism.”
It was designed after Moscow’s Saint Basil’s Cathedral.
The most amazing feature of this church is the mosaic covering the church. It has about seven thousand and five hundred square meters of various mosaics arguably the most number of mosaics in a church all over the world.
The mosaics depict about sixty-eight Biblical scenes and also cover around two hundred and seventy-seven various images of the Christian faith.
Brief History
The site where the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in Saint Petersburg – Russia stands was the same one where Alexander II was assassinated by anarchists.
It was under the orders of Alexander III that the church was to be constructed on the same site where his father was assassinated as a tribute to his father.
Work on the church started some time in the year 1883 and was completed in the year 1907, under Nicholas II, Russia’s last Emperor.
Chief architect of the project was Alfred Alexandrovich Parland and he worked closely with some of the country’s most prominent artists: Mikhail Vrubel, Viktor Vasnetsov and Mikhail Nesterov.
The estimated cost of the project was 3.6 million rubles but the completed project was estimated to have cost a total of 4.6 million rubles.
The church was closed some time in the year 1927 following the Russian Revolution during which the church was heavily damaged. It was later re-opened in the year 1997 after thirty years of working on its restoration.
The church however no longer functions as a place of worship and is instead used as a museum.
Cost
The cost to visit the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in Saint Petersburg – Russia is 250 rubles for adults and 50 rubles for children between 7 and 18 years of age.
Audio guides are available for 100 rubles each. For private excursions of up to 5 persons, group cost is 300 rubles.
Other Information
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in Saint Petersburg – Russia is open everyday excluding Wednesdays.
From September 16 up to April 30, the church is open from 11 in the morning up to 7 in the evening. From May 1 to September 15, it is open from 10 in the morning up to 7 in the evening.
Night tours are available from May 1 to September 30, from 6:15 in the evening up to 11 in the evening.
