Visit to Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg

Built by the French-born architect Auguste Montferrand to be the main church of the Russian Empire, the cathedral was under construction for 40 years (1818-1858), and was decorated in the most elaborate way. When you enter the cathedral you pass through one of the porticos – note that the columns are made of single pieces of red granite and weigh 80 tons (about 177,770 pounds) each. Inside the church many of the icons are the most exquisite mosaics. The iconostasis (the icon wall that separates the altar from the rest of the church) is decorated with 8 malachite and 2 lapis lazuli columns. The cathedral, which can accommodate 14 thousand worshipers, now serves as a museum and services are held only on major occasions.

The dome of this cathedral dominates the skyline of St. Petersburg. On a clear sunny day one can see the gilded cupola of St Isaac’s from miles away from its downtown site. You can climb up the stairs to the observation point at the dome and get a breathtaking view of the fascinating St Petersburg. (There were no elevators in the mid-19th century, so you will have to climb 300 stair-steps).