Church on the Spilled Blood and Our Last Walk through St. Petersburg

     Sadly, our last day in St. Petersburg had quickly arrived.  We visited the Church on the Spilled Blood first where we were amazed by the intricate mosaic interior.  The church was built (1883-1907) in honor of Tsar Alexander II, who was bloodily assassinated at this location; hence, the name of the church.

Church on the Spilled Blood

Interior.

One of my favorite pictures; extra-large for your viewing pleasure.

The golden altar.

The walls were completely made of these small tiles (mosaic)....still impresses me!

Chandeliers!

At the back of the church.

     Before heading back to the ferry and recovering from our busy three days, we took one last walk and satisfied our appetite with pie from Stolle (Russia is known for their pie).  Our walk consisted of a journey from the Church on Spilled Blood through a park, across the Neva River to the Peter and Paul Fortress, and returning.

     The Peter and Paul Fortress was the groundbreaking location for St. Petersburg.  In 1703, Peter the Great said, "we shall build a city" (most likely in Russian), and there it began.  The fortress was strategically placed on the small Hare Island to protect the city during the Northern War; it never needed to fulfill its purpose.

View of Church on Spilled Blood from the park.

A palace built of granite.

Peter and Paul Fortress.

     There ends the Russian portion of our trip.  After the recent news with the US and Russia, I find that our trip was perfectly timed; I hope Russia gets their act together, so I can visit again!