The sky blue Smolny Cathedral is Rastrelli’s celebrated creation and one of the most beautiful structures in St-Petersburg. This cathedral is a vivid example of the advanced Baroque Style.
Smolny Cathedral was planned as a core of Smolny Convent, constructions of which started during the reign of Elisabeth. The reason for building this convent is rather interesting . Empress Elisabeth, while still only the heiress to the throne, had intended to take the veil. This idea remained with her even in the first years of her reign. The realization of this desire was dependent on 2 conditions.
First, the empress had to choose and prepare a successor.
The second condition was the building of a convent in which her majesty could appropriately spend the rest of her life. The convent was meant to take in exclusively those novices from well-born families and to establish an educational, charity and artistic institutions.
All this determined the architectural type of the convent, which in its exterior magnificence, comfortable rooms and interior decoration differed but a little from the most luxurious imperial residences. |
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