Peter and Paul Cathedral St. Petersburg, Russia

Overview

The Peter and Paul Cathedral is located inside the Peter and Paul Fortress along the Neva River in St. Petersburg. It is the oldest building in St. Petersburg and the second tallest after the television tower.

The needle-like spire rising from the bell tower of Peter and Paul reaches a height of 404 feet and provides a spectacular view of the city. The angel holding a cross at the top of the spire is one of the most important symbols of St. Petersburg.

Inside the cathedral are the extravagant tombs of almost all the Russian rulers since Peter the Great. People still leave fresh flowers on Peter's grave. The last to be buried here was Nicholas II and his family, who were re-interred here on July 17, 1998.

But the highlight of the interior is the fantastic iconostasis, constructed by more than 40 Moscow architects under Ivan Zarudny from 1722-1727.