Kazan Cathedral, Saint Petersburg facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kazan Cathedral Казанский кафедральный собор Kazanskiy kafyedral'nyy sobor
Kazan Cathedral
Religion
Affiliation	Russian Orthodox
Location
Location	Nevsky Prospect 25, Saint Petersburg
Architecture
Architect(s)	Andrey Voronikhin
Architectural style	Empire
Completed	1811
Specifications
Length	82.5 m (NS-WE interior) 90 m (exterior-stairs)
Width	86 m (exterior-stairs)
Interior area	4,000 m² (interior) 6,200 m² (exterior)
Height (max)	71.6 m (top cross)

The Kazan Cathedral (also known as Kazanskiy Kafedralniy Sobor) is a famous cathedral in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church. The cathedral is named after Our Lady of Kazan, which is one of the most important and respected icons in Russia. You can find this impressive building on Nevsky Prospekt, a main street in the city.

Building the Cathedral

Construction of the Kazan Cathedral began in 1801. It took ten years to build, finally finishing in 1811. The main architect for this project was Andrey Voronikhin. When it was completed, the new cathedral replaced an older church called the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos.

Inspired by Rome

Andrey Voronikhin designed the Kazan Cathedral to look like St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy. This was a bit unusual because the Russian Orthodox Church usually didn't approve of buildings that looked like Catholic churches. However, some important people in the government supported Voronikhin's design. The style of the building is called Empire Style, which was popular at the time.

A Memorial to Victory

The purpose of the Kazan Cathedral changed after Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812. The commander-in-chief, General Mikhail Kutuzov, prayed to Our Lady of Kazan for help during the war. After Russia won the Patriotic War, the cathedral became a special memorial to their victory over Napoleon.

Honoring Heroes

General Kutuzov himself was buried inside the cathedral in 1813. Later, in 1815, the Russian army brought back keys from seventeen cities and eight fortresses they had captured in Europe. These keys were placed in the cathedral's special room. In 1837, two bronze statues were added outside the cathedral. They show General Kutuzov and General Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly, two heroes of the war.

Kazan Cathedral in 1896

Changing Times

In 1876, the first political protest in Russia, known as the Kazan demonstration, happened in front of the church. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, the government closed the cathedral in January 1932.

From Church to Museum

In November 1932, the cathedral reopened as the "Museum of the History of Religion and Atheism." This museum showed things that were against religion. It was even called "Leningrad's largest antireligious museum" by some people.

Return to Faith

Church services started again in the cathedral in 1992. Four years later, in 1996, the building was given back to the Russian Orthodox Church. As of 2017, it serves as the main cathedral for the metropolis of St. Petersburg.

Inside the Cathedral

The inside of the Kazan Cathedral is very grand. It has many columns, which make it feel like a huge palace hall. The interior is 69 meters long and 62 meters high. You can see many beautiful sculptures and icons inside, all made by talented Russian artists. There is also a fancy wrought-iron grille that separates the cathedral from a small square behind it. Many people think this grille is one of the best ever made.

Famous Doors

The cathedral has huge bronze doors that are very special. They are one of four copies of the original doors from the Baptistery in Florence, Italy. The other copies are in San Francisco, United States, and Kansas City, United States. The original doors are still in Florence.

Influencing Other Buildings

The Kazan Cathedral's design also inspired other buildings. For example, it is considered the model for the neoclassical style of Helsinki Cathedral. This cathedral is one of the most famous landmarks in Helsinki, Finland.

See also

In Spanish: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Kazán (San Petersburgo) para niños

• List of tallest domes
• List of largest Orthodox cathedrals
• Our Lady of Kazan
• Kazan Cathedral, Moscow

Images for kids

• 

  Interior view

• 

  Interior view of the dome

• 

  Interior, people at the iconostasis