St. Andrew's Cathedral is one of the oldest and most revered temples in St. Petersburg. Located on Vasilyevsky Island. An architectural monument of the XVIII century.

In the second decade of the XVIII century administrative and business center of the city was transferred to the Hare Island on Vasilevsky. Peter I wanted to get here before the Twelve Colleges building was erected a temple dedicated to Saint Andrew. But it was built after the death of the emperor.

In 1728, on Vasilevsky Island, at the intersection of the Grand Avenue and 6 lines, it has been allocated a plot of land where it was built a wooden church. Presumably, the author of the project was the DA Trezzini. In 1732 the church was consecrated in the name of St. Andrew. It was moved from the iconostasis of the dilapidated wooden church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was in Posadskaya settlement on the island of St. Petersburg. Empress Anna Ivanovna had donated funds for utensils and vestments. The temple was intended for feasts and celebrations of the Order of the Knights of St. Andrew's. In 1744 he received the status of a cathedral.

On the solemn church service came to the royal family, as well as many prominent personalities of that time, including the Lomonosov and B. Trediakovsky. Wooden church building was cold and cramped, with one-side chapel, and they did not differ beauty. Therefore, in the years 1740-1745 began construction of the new church designed by Trezzini. Consecrated in honor of the Three Hierarchs of the Ecumenical held in 1760. The iconostasis, throne and other utensils were transferred from the former house church of Prince Menshikov.

During a thunderstorm in July 1761 wooden St. Andrew's church burned down, and in the summer of 1764 was also a new church, which was constructed under the direction of Vista. It has been preserved to our time. Only in 1780 the building was completed. The new temple is the center of the Knights of the Order of St. Andrew. In 1786 the bell tower was built, and after 4 years - the chapel. In 1797, the entrance was set a bas-relief depicting the Order of St. Andrew, which is in the hands of two angels. In the II half of the XIX century, the cathedral parish acted charity, containing shelter for children and terminally ill people, low-cost housing for women.

After 1917, the church was looted and closed. It was used as a warehouse. Chapel in the Nicholas (Annunciation) Bridge, because the monument to Lieutenant PP Schmidt destroyed. In 1928 the bell tower bells were removed, were subsequently melted. During the war years of the Great Patriotic hit the roof, facades, the iconostasis, the interior of the church.

In 1992, the cathedral was restored and returned to the congregation. Services are held daily.

Fine catholic building painted in pale pink color. The high dome of a temple and a slender bell tower admired. Cathedral 1-crowned them large and four small domes. The architectural style can be described as the transition from baroque to classicism.

The best decoration of the cathedral stands the three-tiered carved gilded iconostasis. Its height is 17 meters. Among the other values ​​can be noted altar vestments silver weighing 115 kg in the main altar, the Gospel in a silver frame, the icon of the Exaltation, the altarpiece of the Lord of hosts.

There is a legend that is buried near the church of Ekaterina A. Dolgorukaya ("Cancelled Empress") is a young bride of Emperor Peter II, who died of smallpox on the eve of the wedding.