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St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral (Никольский морской собор,Nikolskiy morskoy sobor) is a majorBaroqueOrthodox cathedral in the western part ofCentral Saint Petersburg. It has always been closely associated with theRussian Navy, serving as its main shrine until theRussian Revolution.
In the upper church there are numerous memorial plaques for the crews of the sunken Sovietsubmarines, includingK-278 Komsomolets. The crew of the submarineK-141 Kursk has also been commemorated there.
The marine regimental church was built on the bank of theKryukov Canal in 1753–1762 to a design bySavva Chevakinsky, the main architect of the Russian Navy, in place of an earlier wooden church. A freestanding four story bell tower with a tall gilded spire was erected in 1755–1758. The main church is dedicated toSaint Nicholas (a patron saint of seamen) and the feast of theEpiphany.
St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral consists of two separate churches. The Saint Nicholas Church is located at ground level, while the Epiphany Church is on the floor above. The altar of the upper church was consecrated in the presence ofCatherine the Great. The main shrine of the cathedral—a Greek icon of St. Nicholas made in the 17th century with a portion of his relics—is located in the lower church.
In 1908 the Tsushima obelisk was erected in the garden in front of the church in memory of those killed atBattle of Tsushima. In 2000 another chapel was consecrated in the lower tier of the bell tower.
St. Nicholas Cathedral is a major example of the so-called Elizabethan orRastrellieqsque Baroque. It has the shape of a cross and is decorated byCorinthian columns,stucco architraves, a wideentablement and is crowned by five gilded domes. The church can accommodate up to 5,000 people.
59°55′20″N30°18′01″E / 59.92222°N 30.30028°E /59.92222; 30.30028
