Isaac's Cathedral was the largest cathedral main church in Russia before. It was built between 1818 and 1858, by August Montferrabd.
It's not as special as I though, but if you have many days in St. Petersburg, you can drop by and spend less than an hour here. But do not expect it is as grand as it and glamorous as Savior on the Spilled Blood.

My tip to you is you can buy entrance tickets just inside the right-hand door in the southern facade or street-level ticket booth.
It's close every Wednesday and it opens from 10:30-6:00 and last admission is 5:30pm
We climbed the 300 steps up to the cathedral's colonnade and enjoyed the views over the city. But it's not that magnificent in and memorable, so if you don't want to climb, it's nothing to lose for climbing up

Went in the late afternoon, minimal queue. Not very expensive to get in either.

Grand interior, really a must see.

This Cathedral—now a museum—is the fourth largest in the world. The large dome is plated with pure gold. Unfortunately, sixty men were killed as they used toxic Mercury to spray the dome back in the 19th century. The unique architecture influenced the design of U.S. Capitol.

The Cathedral was originally a Russian Orthodox church. It was turned into a museum when the Soviets took over. You have to buy separate tickets to enter the church and or climb the 200 plus stairs to the roof platform. Both tickets are more than worthwhile.

There is a large kiosk that sells tickets. Usually it is very crowded. I preferred using the machines by the entrance. Today, credit cards are taken. You will get one ticket which is your receipt. Don’t leave like I did—to have a Russian woman coming after me—as a second paper will drop which is your entrance ticket.

Before entering you will notice these very large columns. These granite columns came from Finland when Russia once controlled that area.

You are actually standing on 10,000 tree trunks as they were used to solidify the marshy area. With high ceilings, St. Isaac’s is actually an over-whelming sensory display—much like the Church of Spilled Blood.

Going to the roof was my highlight visiting St. Isaac’s. There are over 200 plus steps. These steps are numbered to let you how many more you have to do before you reach the viewing platform. Gorgeous views of St. Petersburg.

St Isaac’s did take forty years to build. There is a phrase still used when a project seems to never end: “to build like St. Isaac’s Church.”

The Church opens up at 10:30, closed on Wednesday’s. The roof-top remains open. Even though there were 14 tourist busses waiting to get in at St. Isaac’s when we visited, getting through the crowds was well worth the time, effort and money.

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