The cathedral’s spire was struck by lightning several times, notably in 1756, which caused a fire that destroyed the original wooden spire.
The golden angel atop the spire serves as a wind vane and is a symbol of the city.
The 1998 interment of the last Tsar, Nicholas II, was attended by Russian President Boris Yeltsin.
The interior walls are lined with captured military banners and keys to conquered fortresses from various Russian wars.
The original bells were replaced in the early 21st century by a new carillon donated by the government of Flanders.
The cathedral was never consecrated as a parish church; it served exclusively as a state funerary institution for the Romanovs.
The interior contains no traditional murals, favoring marble pilasters and painted architectural illusions instead.
The Peter and Paul Cathedral serves as the primary burial site for the Romanov dynasty, housing the remains of almost all Russian emperors and empresses from Peter the Great to Nicholas II. Located within the Peter and Paul Fortress, the cathedral is a prominent example of Petrine Baroque architecture. Its golden spire, topped by an angel with a cross, remains one of the tallest structures in St. Petersburg at 122.5 meters. The interior features a distinctive iconostasis designed in the shape of a triumphal arch, executed by craftsmen in Moscow. The graves of the Romanovs are marked by identical white marble sarcophagi, with the notable exception of Alexander II and his wife, whose tombs are carved from green and violet jasper. In 1998, the remains of Nicholas II and his family were interred in the cathedral's St. Catherine Chapel. The structure is part of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg complex. It stands on Zayachy Island, the founding site of the city.
From the Neva River bank looking toward the fortress walls to capture the spire height.
Purchase a combination ticket that includes entry to the cathedral and the Trubetskoy Bastion prison located within the fortress walls.
Visit on a sunny day to see the gold spire reflect against the Neva River.
Keep a light jacket even in summer, as the stone interior maintains a cool temperature.
Do not mistake the Cathedral for the nearby Mint building or the various museum exhibition halls within the fortress.
Closed on Wednesdays.
Remove hats and maintain a quiet, respectful demeanor suitable for a burial site.
