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Russia
Northwestern District
St. Petersburg
Things to Do in St. Petersburg
The State Museum St. Isaac’s Cathedral

The State Museum St. Isaac’s Cathedral, St. Petersburg

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The State Museum St. Isaac’s Cathedral

See all things to do
See all things to do
The State Museum St. Isaac’s Cathedral
4.5
10,314
#6 of 2,899 things to do in St. Petersburg
Speciality Museums • Churches & Cathedrals
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10:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:30 AM - 6:00 PM
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About
This gold-domed, ornate, 19th-century cathedral is the third largest domed cathedral in the world, and offers visitors a 300-step climb to a spectacular view of the city.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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Full view
The area
Address
Neighborhood: Admiralteisky
How to get there
  • Admiralteyskaya • 7 min walk
Best nearby
Restaurants
6,203 within 3 miles
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Attractions
2,051 within 6 miles
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
10,314 reviews
Excellent
8,003
Very good
1,919
Average
330
Poor
45
Terrible
17
B1714D
Belgrade, Serbia13,456 contributions
WOW in many aspects
Apr 2021
St. Isaac's is still the world's largest Orthodox Shrine (the bigger future one in Bucharest is not yet finished) and the fourth largest Cathedral in the world.
It was built in 1858 by aristocracy funding in honor of Isaac the Dalmatian who was a patron saint of city founder Peter the Great. They didn't spare which is visible from outside and specially inside.
The exterior is adorned with a huge golden dome (which later inspired the US Capitol) and a total of 112 single hewn pink granite columns (you can see a movie and a model of building inside).
The interior is simply amazing, so lavish and rich it's hard to say what's more beautiful.
As all others in Russia it was banned for religion during the Communist regime and converted into a museum. Interesting fact is that St. Pet citizens refused being a Church again on a referendum, so it's still a museum (an outstanding one) with only occasional Church services.
As in any museum there's an entry fee, with a separate fee if you want to climb the dome, which I strongly suggest for great views.
Written May 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
milespointstravelkom
Redlands, CA1,252 contributions
Must do when in St. Petersburg. Beautiful artwork inside
May 2019
The line in front of the St. Isaac’s cathedral was about 20 minutes long as the tour buses had started to arrive by now. Tickets were 350 Rubles/person. The interior of the St. Isaac’s Cathedral is very impressive and not to be missed. There are a lot of amazing mosaic artwork pieces inside as well as very beautiful paintings.
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Srishti Misra
Dubai, United Arab Emirates56 contributions
Absolutely stunning
Dec 2019 • Solo
If ever in SPB, please visit this museum especially those who dig for beautiful art. I would also highly recommend to take up the stairs to the rooftop from where the entire beautiful city of SPB can be viewed. It can be a bit tiresome but absolutely worth the climb. I would let the pictures speak for themselves.
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Wolfgang
Moscow, Russia6 contributions
Great interior
Apr 2021
Simply amazing... the labor behind it... the paintings inside had to be transformed to mosaic stones (which took decades) due to the high humidity... def. a must see in St. Petersburg
Written May 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
RSsydney
Sydney, Australia989 contributions
Definitely worth a visit to this Cathedral Museum
Aug 2019
We paid a quick visit to this Cathedral Museum as part of our 2 day tour of St Petersburg. The mosaics are reproductions of paintings which were deteriorating in the cold & damp conditions inside the cathedral. Really worth a look!
Written July 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Mark_Dornoch
Dornoch, UK1,502 contributions
Amazing. Must see.
Nov 2019
A too brief a visit with Alla Tours who I highly recommend. Built in 40 years in the 19th century. St Isaac was the patron Saint of Peter the Great. Phenomenal pink and grey granite columns surround the cathedral hewn from single blocks. each weighing about 100 tons. Beautiful. External bronze doors are based on and reminded me of the Baptistry in Florence. The main central dome influenced the design of the US Capitol dome.

Plenty of amazing mosaics inside including the resurrection of Jesus which you can make out in my photo. Beautiful columns of malachite and Lapis Lazuli lead towards the high altar. Gilt adorns much of the iconostasis.

Highly recommended
Written October 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Travel Expert
Cyprus49 contributions
Impresive size and art works
May 2019
I have visited St. Isaac's cathedral with collonade last May. From outise this cathedral impreses with it's size and you expect to see inside dark interior with few decorations,but to my surprise it was stunning.Marble,gold,paintings was definately worth to see when visiting St Petersburg.
Collonade has separate entrace from the cathedral and you need to clim the stairs. Like a lot of stairs but the view which you see from the top is really worth it. It was quite cold on top because of the wind.
Written April 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
mjomidi
Tehran, Iran74 contributions
Magnificent Architecture.
Jul 2019 • Friends
Magnificent Architecture.
St. Isaac's Cathedral was intended to be the greatest in the Russian Empire. An unusual work of art, with four impotent columned porticos, as the interior of the Cathedral is a profusion of exquisite murals and mosaics, with eye-catching combination of colored marbles, malachite, lapis and gilt.
Take your time and enjoy your visit.
Written June 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Carol W
Johannesburg, South Africa112 contributions
Just wow!
Jan 2020 • Family
This Cathedral is just incredible. You could sit all day looking up & around the incredibly beautiful ceilings & walls. Such an honor to be able to sit and take the entire Cathedral in. Totally a visit to admire & appreciate how it was built and how it is still standing. Mind blowing. A must visit.
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Malgorzata
11,183 contributions
The monumental temple with a beautiful interior
Jul 2019
St. Isaac's Cathedral, completed in 1858 was a Russian Orthodox cathedral until 1931, when it became a museum. It is very interesting both inside and outside and is an example of the Russian neoclassical style. It has a rich and interesting history and is a stunning example of Russian architecture and art. It os the largest Orthodox temple in St. Petersburg and the second largest in Russia , built on the order of Tsar Alexander I. It is 97.6 m wide, 111.2 m long and 101.5 m high. The temple makes an amazing impression. The cathedral with golden domes is located near the Hermitage and the Neva River. This is worth a visit.
Written May 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about The State Museum St. Isaac’s Cathedral
The State Museum St. Isaac’s Cathedral is open:
  • Thu - Tue 10:30 AM - 6:00 PM
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