The Peter and Paul Cathedral.

© Fedorovekb/Shutterstock

SS Peter & Paul Cathedral

St Petersburg


All of Russia's prerevolutionary rulers from Peter the Great onwards (except Peter II and Ivan VI) are buried inside this cathedral. The magnificent baroque interior is quite different from other Orthodox churches, and from May to October you can climb the landmark needle-thin spire of the bell tower (adult/child R250/150).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby St Petersburg attractions

1. Bell Tower

The Cathedral's 122.5m-high bell tower is the second structure in St Petersburg after the television tower. At the base there is a small exhibition about…

2. Commandant’s House

0.04 MILES

This fascinating museum charts the history of the St Petersburg region from medieval times to 1918. What starts as a fairly standard-issue plod through…

3. Peter & Paul Fortress

0.05 MILES

Housing a cathedral where the Romanovs are buried, a former prison and various exhibitions, this large defensive fortress on Zayachy Island is the kernel…

4. Naryshkin Bastion

0.11 MILES

Named after Kirill Naryshkin, one of Peter the Great's commanders who oversaw the building of the original fortifications, the bastion is better known for…

5. Trubetskoy Bastion

0.16 MILES

Evocative use of the original cells for displays about the former political prisoners of Trubetskoy Bastion – who included the likes of Maxim Gorky, Leon…

6. Neva Panorama

0.17 MILES

Inside the Peter & Paul Fortress, a separate ticket gives you access to both a walkway that goes along the walls and leads to the Naryshkin Bastion. The…

7. Artillery Museum

0.21 MILES

Housed in the fort’s original arsenal, across the moat from the Peter & Paul Fortress, this fire-powered museum chronicles Russia’s military history, with…

8. Alexandrovsky Park

0.35 MILES

This leafy park, laid out in 1845, wraps in an arc around the Kronwerk moat and Artillery Museum. It's too close to traffic to ensure a peaceful escape…