Church of the Savior on Blood
The Church of the Savior on Blood is one of Saint Petersburg's most flamboyant landmarks, a vivid burst of Russian medieval-revival architecture amid the city's otherwise restrained classical streetscape. It was raised between 1883 and 1907 on the exact spot beside the Griboedov Canal where Tsar Alexander II was mortally wounded by a bomb in 1881, giving the church its grim and evocative name.
Deliberately modeled on the colorful, onion-domed churches of old Moscow such as Saint Basil's, the building stands in striking contrast to the Italianate and baroque palaces around it. Its interior is breathtaking: more than 7,500 square meters of intricate mosaics cover the walls, ceilings, and pillars, making it one of the largest collections of mosaic art in the world. A shrine inside preserves the cobblestones where the emperor fell.
Closed and looted during the Soviet era and used as a warehouse, the church was painstakingly restored and reopened in 1997. It now operates as both a secular museum and an occasional place of worship, ranking among the most visited attractions in the city.
- Annual visitors
- ≈ 2,500,000
- Location
- 59.9400, 30.3286
- Local time
- 01:37 (Europe/Moscow)
🕘 Visiting hours
| Mon–Tue | 10:30–18:00 |
| Wed | Closed |
| Thu–Sun | 10:30–18:00 |
Closed Wednesdays; summer (1 May-30 Sep) open until 22:30; last entry 1hr before closing
✨ Saints & blessed venerated here
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Christ the Saviour (Resurrection of Christ) Saint
Officially the Church of the Resurrection of Christ; vast mosaics of Christ
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Saint Alexander Nevsky Saint
Patron saint of Tsar Alexander II, on whose assassination site the church stands
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Theotokos (Virgin Mary) Saint
Extensive mosaics of the Mother of God cover the interior
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Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Saint
Depicted among the church's mosaic saints
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Saint Zosimas and Sabbatius of Solovki Saint
Depicted in the church's mosaic program of Russian saints
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Saint John the Baptist Saint
Depicted in mosaic, with a side chapel/altar association
Care & donations
State Museum-Monument St. Isaac's Cathedral
Admission ticket required
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