Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Kazan Cathedral St. Petersburg

Kazan Cathedral St. Petersburg. Photo By Wolfgang Moroder –Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Kazan Cathedral St. Petersburg

The Kazan Cathedral also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan is found in St. Petersburg, the second largest city in Russia. It was built in 1801 under the orders of Emperor Paul 1. It is part of the Roman Orthodox Church (ROC) and serves as the mother cathedral of St. Petersburg.

The cathedral is home to the Our Lady of Kazan icon, the palladium of all of Russia. Though its height is equivalent to the height of a 25-story residential building, it is still barely half the length of the tallest cathedral in the world.

In December 1931, the authorities ordered the closure of the cathedral and its transfer to the Academy of Science. Approximately a year later, it was reopened as the Museum of History of Religion and Atheism. It was consecrated in March 1998 and the museum officially vacated the cathedral premises in 2001.

The congregation at Kazan Cathedral has a charitable society. They are active in community work and are responsible for the maintenance of an orphanage and a school.

1. The Kazan Cathedral Is Dedicated To The Most Venerated Icon In Russia

Pre-revolutionary silver salary of the stolen Kazan Icon of the Mother of God which is now at the Kazan Cathedral. Photo By Vyacheslav Kirillin – Wikimedia Commons

The Our Lady of Kazan holy icon is of the highest stature within the Russian Orthodox. It is a representation of Mary, the mother of God, and is a symbol of protection hence its name, Holy Protectress of Russia.

It was believed that it was the source of the Russian victory during the Polish Invasion (1612), Swedish Invasion (1709), and Napoleon’s invasion (1812). The icon, which is ornamented with many valuable jewels, was officially returned as the main iconostasis at Kazan Cathedral in July 2002.

2. Kazan Cathedral was Constructed For 10 years

The 19th-century cathedral began its construction in 1801. It was the main creation and design of the architect and painter Andrey Voronikhin. The construction of the cathedral was overseen by Alexander Sergeyevich.

The cathedral was completed a decade later by Alexander 1, the son of Emperor Paul I. Kazanskaya street and Kazansky bridge was named in its honour. Kazan Island, which is on River Neva, also got its name from the cathedral.

3. It Was Used As A Key Storage For Over 20 Cities And Fortresses

By 1815, Russia had successfully claimed victory over the war with Napoleon. It had formed alliances that aided in the conquest of Europe.

The cathedral became a safe holding place for the keys to 17 cities and 8 Fortresses. Amsterdam, Paris, Bessarabia, and Grand Duchy of Finland were amongst the cities that had been acquired by Russia.

4. The Colonnades At Kazan Cathedral Stretch Over 100 Metres

The Kazan Cathedral colonnades surrounding the ornate garden. Photo By Jorge Láscar – Wikimedia Commons

The Kazan Cathedral has a total of 150 columns, 96 being outside while the other 54 support the structure from inside. The colonnades stretch over 111m with stone pedestals on their edges and porticoes on the side. They surround a well-manicured garden that has a fountain just before the entrance.

5. The Statues Of The Most Influential Tsar Are Found In Kazan Cathedral

Statue of General Milkav at Kazan Cathedral . Photo By Anna Ustinova – Wikimedia Commons

The existing statues of Field Marshal General M.B Barclay de Tolly and General Mikhail Kutuzov were behests by Emperor Nicholas 1 in 1837. The two served as Russian military commanders in the 19^th century and are symbolically honoured with monuments at the cathedral.

They led Russia into battle when Napoleon invaded their territory in 1812. It is believed that Kutuzov had asked Our Lady of Kazan for her protection during the Patriotic War.

The cathedral then primarily served as a memorial ground for the Russians after their successful victory in the war. Kutuzov was buried in the cathedral and his monument was erected in the same place.

6. It Hosted The First Political Demonstration in Kazan

In December 1876, a protest led by members of the Land and Liberty Workers’ Association took place in front of the cathedral. It was the first ever political demonstration to be held in Russia. The 400 Russians were revolting against the domineering rule and the then accepted aspects of human rights

7. The Last Empress of Russia Converted To An Orthodox Christian In This Cathedral

Catherine II by F.Rokotov after Roslin (1780s, Hermitage). Photo By Alexander Roslin – Wikimedia Commons

Catherine the Great was the last empress of Russia. She was of German descent but married Emperor Peter III as a way to strengthen the Russian – Prussia friendship.

Catherine became a member of ROC in 1744 despite her father opposing her conversion to Eastern Orthodoxy. After joining the new church, she altered her name from Sophie to Ekaterina (Catherine). The dynastic marriage took place in August 1745 in St. Petersburg.

8. The Kazan Cathedral Has One Of The Finest Iron Works Ever Constructed

Russia’s leading sculptors and artists had a major hand in designing the 1801 cathedral. It was solely built from Russian materials. For the first time in architecture, the domes put up during the initial construction were made out of metal structures.

Architect Andrey Voronikhin was the creator of the cathedral fence. The effortless combination of granite pillars and wall cast iron lattices is said to be a masterpiece of decorative art. Between the fence pillars lie floral diamond shapes that closely resemble patterns of the finest lace cloth.

9. Kazan’s Entry Way Is A Replica of The Iconic Bronze Paradise Gate in The Florence Baptistery 

Main gates of kazan cathedral. Photo By Shakko – Wikimedia Media

The Kazan Cathedral’s  bronze door is located at the northern portico. The reliefs casted on the door are inspired by the plaster casts from St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. It also has 2 angelic icons above it and is detailed with historical carvings. 

The doors of the Florence Baptistery were created by Andrea Pisano and Lorwenzo Ghiberti. The bronze gilded masterpieces were a symbol of biblical stories of the Old Testament, John the Baptist, and Jesus. The gates took approximately 21 years to complete!

10. Kazan Cathedral Is A Resemblance Of The Most Icon Landmark In Helsinki

Helsinki Cathedral. Photo By Suicasmo – Wikimedia Commons

The Kazan Cathedral is a symbol of the architecture in Saint Petersburg. Its design was based on the Helsinki Cathedral and St. Peter’s cathedral in Rome. The Helsinki Cathedral is a major landmark and representation of neoclassical architecture in Finland.

The façade of Kazan and Helsinki cathedrals have a similar concept of colonnades and porticoes i.e columns acting as support for the front porch of the cathedral. Both buildings are asymmetrical and have dome-shaped rooftops.