Vladimir Mother of God Icon Church, St. Petersburg

The Vladimir Mother of God Icon Church, located on Vladimir Square and next to Vladimirsky Market, is one of the oldest churches in Saint Petersburg. It features Baroque and Classical architectural styles, a four-tiered bell tower, and five onion-shaped cupolas that are topped with crosses. In 1748, the wooden house of worship was dedicated. The church was completed in 1783.

The church holds one of the oldest and most detailed iconostases in Russia. The Vladimir icon of the Mother of God is a part of the cathedral. The church was renovated in 1831 and a stone portico and a stairwell added. In 1833, another two-story portico was added to the northern and southern facade. In 1850, a fence, the Vladimir Icon, and two stone chapels were added. In addition, the bell towers and chapels were gilded.

Many of the building’s valuables were lost during the Revolution and the building closed in 1932. Only the iconostasis, located on the second floor, survived. Restoration work started in the 1970s. The church was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church and its parishioners in 1989 and named a cathedral in 2000. The church is quite beautiful when lit at night.