Catherine Cathedral in Pushkin: the revived shrine of Tsarskoye Selo

Publication date: 21 января 2026 Update date: 6 сентября 2026

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Krasnykh Nikolay →

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St. Catherine's Cathedral in Pushkin — a revived shrine of Tsarskoye Selo and one of the city's main architectural symbols. This majestic church on Cathedral Square is often called a "twin" of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour due to a similar fate: destroyed in the 20th century, it was fully recreated and once again became the city's spiritual center.

History and architecture of St. Catherine's Cathedral

The history of St. Catherine's Cathedral began in 1835, when the first stone of the future church was laid by decree of Emperor Nicholas I. The project was designed by Konstantin Andreyevich Thon — the author of the Russian-Byzantine style and creator of Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

The cathedral was consecrated in 1840 in the presence of the emperor and Tsesarevich Alexander Nikolayevich. However, after the revolution the church suffered a tragic fate: in 1939 it was blown up, and on the site of the ruins for a long time there was a public garden with a monument to V.I. Lenin.

The revival of the shrine became possible only in the 21st century. In 2010, for the 300th anniversary of Tsarskoye Selo, St. Catherine's Cathedral was fully restored according to historical drawings and archival materials.

Interesting facts for tourists

Interior of St. Catherine's Cathedral in Pushkin — interior decoration, dome, and iconostasis — Interior of St. Catherine's Cathedral in Pushkin

Baptism of a genius In October 1912, Lev Gumilyov was baptized in St. Catherine's Cathedral — the future outstanding historian, ethnographer, and son of Anna Akhmatova and Nikolai Gumilyov. Dutch poplars In the 19th century, 12 paths were laid around the cathedral and about 200 grey-barked poplars were planted, specially brought from Holland. The mystery of the fire In 1862, a fire in the neighboring wooden Gostiny Dvor damaged the gilding of the domes. Due to the rust that appeared, they were temporarily covered with yellow paint. Height and capacity The modern Catherine Cathedral reaches a height of 53 meters and can accommodate up to 2,000 worshippers.

St. Catherine's Cathedral and what to see nearby

Cathedral Square today is not only a religious but also a public center of the town of Pushkin, where history, culture and modern city life intersect.

Museum of the Catherine Cathedral In the basement rooms of the church there is a museum dedicated to the history of the churches of the Tsarskoye Selo church district. It displays archaeological finds, a model of the pre-revolutionary town and authentic 19th-century objects. Memorial signs Next to the cathedral there is a memorial cross to the priest Ioann Kochurov, as well as a memorial to the heroes of the First World War. Cathedral Square City fairs, festivals and celebrations are regularly held on the square, and in winter an ice rink is set up here. Opposite the cathedral stands the historic building of the Gostiny Dvor.

Excursions and visits

The Catherine Cathedral is a must-visit for anyone who wants to feel the authentic atmosphere of Tsarskoye Selo and see an example of an outstanding revival of historic architecture.

Would you like to learn more about the secrets of the town of Pushkin and see the Catherine Cathedral with your own eyes? Book a tour to Tsarskoye Selo right now and discover the grandeur of Russian history.