Kazan Cathedral
Казанский собор
An Orthodox cathedral on Nevsky Prospect whose colonnade echoes St Peter's Basilica in Rome, housing the Our Lady of Kazan icon and the tomb of Field Marshal Kutuzov.
Kazan Cathedral was built in 1801–1811 to designs by Andrei Voronikhin, an architect born a serf. Its semicircular colonnade of 96 Corinthian columns faces Nevsky Prospect, clearly modelled on St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The cathedral houses the Our Lady of Kazan icon, one of Russia's most revered, and Field Marshal Kutuzov, commander in the Patriotic War of 1812, is buried here. Captured French regimental standards hang on the walls. The cathedral is still an active place of worship and is free to enter. Women must cover their heads and avoid shorts and short skirts, and photography inside is generally not allowed. The square in front, with its fountains, is a favourite spot for locals to relax, and opposite stands the Singer House bookshop.
Opening hours
Approx. 07:00–20:00 (keep quiet during services)
Nearby sights
- Singer House (Dom Knigi)
- Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
- State Russian Museum
- Nevsky Prospekt
- Palace Square & Alexander Column
- State Hermitage Museum / Winter Palace
- St. Michael's Castle
- Summer Garden & Summer Palace