Church of our Saviour on Spilled Blood

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Photo by flickr user isábéu

While the brightly coloured almost shimmering exterior may be photo familiar, the interior may surprise, it’s covered in mosaics carefully mimicking famous Russian art works. The blood in the churches name is that of Alexander II, following the tradition in the Russian Orthodox Church of building Spilled Blood Churches on places where Tzars have been murdered. The section of cobble stoned road on which Alexander II was mortally wounded by a grenade explosion is now included within the walls of the church, a striking contrast to the opulent designs and mosaics which surround it. Commissioned by Alexander III in 1883 as a memorial to his father the style was chosen to give the relatively new St. Petersburg a more traditional feel, based as it is on St. Basils in Moscow, many critics say it’s artificial and much more modern than traditional. During the revolution it was closed off then used to store potatoes during WWII, after 27 years of restoration it is now open as a mosaic museum but has never been reconsecrated as a church.

Written by  World Reviewer Staff.

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 roger - posted 14th October 2010