Church of the Savior on Blood, Eastern Orthodox church building near Griboyedov Canal, Saint Petersburg, Russia
The Church of the Savior on Blood is an Orthodox cathedral standing on the embankment of the Griboyedov Canal in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Five domes covered in enamel decoration crown the brick structure that rises 81 meters (266 feet) above the waterway.
Emperor Alexander II died in an attack at this spot in 1881. His son Alexander III then commissioned this memorial structure, which was finished in 1907.
The name refers to the 1881 attack and the tradition of building memorial structures. Today people come from around the world to view the mosaic art and experience the place where history unfolded.
The entrance lies close to the canal and can be reached by flat pathways. Audio guides help visitors follow the route and learn about the interior spaces.
The interior walls hold 7,500 square meters (about 80,730 square feet) of mosaic work, among the largest collections of this art form in Europe. Twenty granite plates outside describe key events from the reign of Alexander II.
Location: Saint Petersburg
Location: Tsentralny District
Inception: 1907
Architects: Alfred Parland
Architectural style: Russian Revival architecture
Height: 81 m
Fee: Yes
Made from material: brick
Operator: Государственный музей-памятник "Исаакиевский собор"
Address: набережная канала Грибоедова
Opening Hours: October 01-April 30: Thursday-Tuesday 10:00-18:00; May 01-September 30: Thursday-Tuesday 10:00-22:30; Wednesday off
Website: http://cathedral.ru/spasa_na_krovi
GPS coordinates: 59.94000,30.32861
Latest update: December 4, 2025 19:00
This collection brings together notable domes and cupolas from all continents, signs of diverse architectural traditions extending from the Vatican to Australia, Russia to the United Arab Emirates. From the famous dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome to the colorful domes of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in Saint Petersburg, the Renaissance dome of Florence Cathedral, to the cast-iron dome of the US Capitol in Washington, each structure tells a particular story and reflects the ambitions of its era. These buildings span several centuries of architectural innovation and serve various functions: religious structures like the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque or the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Côte d'Ivoire, civil buildings such as Oxford's Radcliffe Camera or the Australian Exhibition Palace, and even thermal spas like Budapest’s Széchenyi Baths. Each dome illustrates construction techniques and aesthetic decisions specific to its culture, offering insight into skills that enabled the creation of these monumental coverings.
These orthodox churches and monasteries represent Russian religious architecture. The buildings display various architectural styles from medieval to modern times, with characteristic onion domes, mosaics and frescoes. The cathedrals in Moscow and Saint Petersburg are centers of orthodox faith.
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