11. St. Isaac's Cathedral

The gold dome of Saint Isaac's Cathedral is visible from most vantage points in the center of St. Petersburg. It's quite large - St. Isaac's is certainly the biggest church in St. Petersburg, and its dome is one of the largest in Europe. This was the fourth church built in this location in the center of town, each larger than its predecessor. It took 40 years to construct and was completed in 1858. Recent renovations to the interior were finished just a few years ago.

Most impressive to me were the three huge doors ("gates"), decorated on both sides with castings telling the story of saints' lives as well as scenes from Russian history. Each is made of oak and bronze and is estimated to weigh over 20 tons. As is standard in Russian Orthodox churches, the iconostasis features large and quite beautiful mosaics and paintings. Particularly striking are the colorful columns veneered with malachite and lapis lazuli. Just at the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, I took advantage of an informative English-language audio guide.

It's also possible to climb to the colonnade, a pathway perched high above the city at the base of the dome. It was windy up there but the views of the heart of St. Petersburg and the Neva River were magnificent.