I must confess. I’m not a huge fan of churches. Sure, I don’t mind visiting churches while travelling, and they are all magnificent, but I just don’t appreciate old art or old architecture as much as a devout church-tourist should. I often like admiring them from the outside, but I rarely go inside unless my companion wants to.
But let me introduce you two of my favourite churches, both which happen to be located in St Petersburg.
St Isaac’s
Firstly, the more well-known one. St Isaac’s church was built in 1858 under the orders of Tsar Alexander I. It was the fourth consecutive church to be built there and took forty years to build – triggering an idiom in Finnish used to describe lengthy construction projects “rakentaa kuin Iisakinkirkkoa” (to build like St Isaac’s church). (Wonder how they’d describe Sagrada Familia tho)
For me the church serves as a memory of my daily trips to school in the early noughties, and one of the only traditionally touristy places I wanted to visit this time round.
After having bought a ticket at the outdoor cashier area, having had my bank card swept away in a heart attackful second by the wind but luckily stamped on by a nearby lady, I made my way up the 200-odd steps to the top.
It was windy, very windy, but the sights were wonderful and for once I was dressed warmly enough. St Isaac’s truly remains one of my favourite places in the world. I went there alone, so kept myself amused by trying to tactically decide who to ask to take pictures of me so as to avoid my previous photographers from running into me using the services of others.
St Anne’s
My new favourite church on the other hand is St Anne’s Church in St Petersburg, not to be found in your typical guidebooks. St Anne’s is a small Lutheran church built in the late 18th century. It served as a church until 1935, when it became a cinema and later a nightclub. In 2002 it suffered a devastating fire. The government sorted out the exterior and the basement (if I remember correctly), but the interior was left to the church. It’s been slowly being restored, but most of the interior is still a stark reminder of the fire. And I cannot think of a better word to describe this place than the French impressionant – more than impressive, an adjective which is more translated as “makes an impression”.
The church hall itself is used for various events and concerts, but when I visited the first time it was completely empty, save for a single mewing cat. (Reminded me of a children’s ‘horror’ book I read some decades back called ‘Cat in the Crypt’.) (And the cat was silky smooth and clearly well-taken care of, so I’m sure it had a homier home than a crypt or haunted burnt church hall.)
If you found the door with a hand-written note which informed you in Russian that the museum is downstairs, and ventured through the tight staircase with a Very Low Ceiling, you found yourself in a little museum of the church during the 1930s. The ceiling had no concept of a comfort zone (I wasn’t able to stand straight), but it was intriguing and definitely a unique experience. There’s also a little cagelike area which the pastor wanted kept there for the museum. The pastor seems to be quite a funky guy (in the best possible sense), and apparently he regularly changes the decorations around the church too.
I later returned to the church on a Saturday night for the Christmas market and let’s say, it was a bit more crowded. They sold nice earrings and funky hand-made crafts and churros, but it was so packed I walked around and then decided I was too overwhelmed – and HOT – for any actual purchases.
Both churches – definite recommendation!
What do you think of them?
Emzy
xxx
