Location: Smolny
Top Things to do in Smolny
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Things to do in St. Petersburg, Northwestern District: The Best Architectural Buildings
The second largest city in Russia, St. Petersburg is the country’s cultural heart. View splendid architectural gems like the Winter Palace and the Kazan Cathedral, and give yourself plenty of time to browse the world-renowned art collection of the Hermitage. Sprawling across the Neva River delta, St. Petersburg offers enough art, nightlife, fine dining and cultural destinations for many repeat visits.
Restaurants in St. Petersburg
1. Chevalier Guard Regiment Arena
2. Revenue House of A.S. Khrenova
3. Smolny Monastery
4. Smolny Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 592 reviews
This dazzling blue and white Baroque-style cathedral, never fully completed by Winter Palace architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, is now used for concerts and exhibits.
Reviewed By drogilmour - Guatemala City, Guatemala
This baroque complex by Giacomo Quarenghi was finished in 1835, known back then as the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, served as the temple of all educational institutions of the city. In the interior you can see some billboards in Russian and English explaining about the education on home chores for young girls at the institution established in the quarters known as Educational Society of Noble Maidens. After the revolution, the Smolny Cathedral was closed by the Soviet authorities. A warehouse was set up on the marble steps, and all the historic icons and religious property was transferred to museum warehouses until they figured out what to do with it. What we appreciate now is a fully restored and operating cathedral, all the icons date back to the last decade of the 20th century, they are practically new and that is noteworthy since some are truly a master piece. Worth admiring the huge bell before the entrance. If you are into elevated city sights, visit the belfry with one of the most bewitching views of the city.
