The Church of the Resurrection of Christ is a court church in the Catherine Palace of the former Tsarskoye Selo (now the city of Pushkin in St. Petersburg).
Full official name: Palace Church of the Resurrection of Christ.
The church is located in the northern (church) wing (building) Catherine Palace, from Sadovaya Street.
The exterior of the church is made in a characteristic secular and uniform style with the entire Catherine Court. Against the background of the general appearance of the palace, the church is distinguished by five gilded domes.
The central axis of the church wing is decorated with a two-tier colonnade: heavier and more massive at the level of the first and second floors, lighter - on the third and fourth floors.
The ecclesiastical purpose of the building is also highlighted by the symbolism that adorns the wing: the figures of angels, the heads of cherubim.
The church wing is connected by an arch with a covered corridor to another wing of the palace, which once housed the Imperial Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, and today houses the memorial museum-Lyceum.
History and interior of the Palace church
During the reign of Catherine Alexeyevna (wife of Peter I), a marching church of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine was built in the palace.
The present church was founded as a house church of the palace on August 8, 1745 in the presence of the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.
The outstanding architects S. I. Chevakinsky and F. V. Chuvakinsky worked on the temple. Rastrelli.
On July 30, 1756, the church was consecrated. This day is considered the birthday of the Great Tsarskoye Selo (Catherine) Palace.
The interior of the church was dazzlingly ornate. Blue walls, three monumental plafonds and gilded carvings of the iconostasis created an elegant decoration, and luxurious frames framing numerous images (the so-called icons in the 18th century) added luxury.
The church served as the Romanovs ' house church. Within its walls, for two centuries, solemn services were held during the stay of the imperial Court in Tsarskoye Selo. So, in 1768, a moleben was served in the walls of the church as a sign of the recovery of Catherine II from the malaise caused by the first smallpox vaccination in Russia; in 1796, the baptism of the future Emperor Nicholas I took place; in 1826, the coffin with the body of Emperor Alexander I, who died in Taganrog, was displayed in the church for farewell.
In 1820, the church was badly damaged by a fire. Professors of the Academy of Arts V. K. Shebueva, A. E. Egorova and D. Antonelli were involved in the restoration of its decoration, which brought classicist elements to the interior of the church.
Another Dean fire occurred in 1861. The restoration work was supervised by the architect A. F. Vidov.
During the occupation of Leningrad in the Second World War, the decoration of the temple was almost completely lost - only three of the 114 images were preserved, fragments of the plafonds remained, and the carvings were severely damaged. Subsequently, the church was restored.
Today, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ is a monument of architecture and spiritual life, as well as an image of the Baroque solution of the Orthodox church.
The interior of the church is architecturally divided into four parts: the altar, the nave, the choir stalls and the seats under the choir stalls. The choirs and the room below them are separated from the church itself by a wall parallel to the iconostasis. The choirs can be accessed through the doors that connect them on one side with the rest of the palace (through them the imperial family and the courtyard entered the temple), on the other - with the former Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum (through the corridor).
Practical information
Entrance to the church is paid.
You can buy tickets at the ticket office near the entrance to the church, on the side of Sadovaya Street.
The cost of a full ticket is 350 rubles.
You can visit Tsarskoye Selo with one of the excursions
In Pushkin, you can stay
The 5-star Pevcheskaya Tower Hotel features restaurants, a bar, a rooftop observation deck, free Wi-Fi and parking.
Breakfast is included in the room rate. Link to the hotel
The 5-star luxury spa hotel "Tsar Palace Luxury Hotel & SPA"is located in a historic building.
The hotelfeatures a spa area with a swimming pool, a hammam, a salt sauna, a snow fountain, steam baths and a gym; free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour front desk, 2 restaurants, a lobby bar, private parking and meeting and conference rooms.
The rooms are equipped with climate control, a minibar, a safe and a private bathroom.
A buffet breakfast is included in the room rate. Link to the hotel
3-star hotel Ekaterina, located on the territory of the Catherine Palace and Park Ensemble.
At the hotel: 24-hour front desk, cafe, free Wi-Fi and parking.
Each room here will provide you with air conditioning, a TV, a work desk and free toiletries.
Breakfast is included in the room rate. Link to the hotel
All accommodation facilities in St. Petersburg, including in the city center and in Pushkin, can be viewed and booked here
