St. Sofia Cathedral at Tsarskoe Selo

Categories / Architecture/Architectural Monuments/Religious Architecture (see also Religion.Church)
Categories / Religion. Church/Places of Worship (see also Architecture and Urban Planning)
ST. SOFIA CATHEDRAL AT TSARSKOE SELO, located at 1 Sofyskaya Square, Pushkin. The traditional name of the Holy Ascension Cathedral, built in 1782-88 in the Classicist style (architect C. Cameron) in the district centre of Sofia, a settlement, which was later merged with Tsarskoe Selo. The facades are decorated with Dorian porticoes. The main cubical structure is crowned with five domes. The interiors were adorned with religious paintings. In 1849-50, the new iconostases were placed and the right side-altar and were consecrated. In 1903-04, a detached two-storied belfry was erected by architect L. N. Benois. From 1817, St Sofia Cathedral served as the regimental church of the Hussar Life Guard Regiment and the regiment trophies and treasures were kept there. In 1933, the cathedral was closed down and turned into a storehouse. In 1989, it was returned to the faithful. After the reconstruction, on 17 May 1999, it was consecrated according to the full rites. In 1990, the monument to Prince Alexander Nevsky (sculptor V. G. Kozenyuk) was unveiled near St Sofia Cathedral. From the cathedral come the names of Sofiiskaya Square and a street of the town of Pushkin.

Reference: Мещанинов М. Ю. Храмы Царского Села, Павловска и их ближайших окрестностей. СПб., 2000. С. 32-40.

V. V. Antonov. Benois Leonty Nikolaevich
Cameron Charles
Kozenyuk Valentin Grigorievich
Sofiiskaya Square/Pushkin, town, house 1
Мещанинов М. Ю. Храмы Царского Села, Павловска и их ближайших окрестностей. СПб., 2000 Neoclassicism
Hussar Life Guards Regiment
1788