The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-18
OF COLOSSAL CHURCH IN ST
2AHEuikPE ERgy tAAah

The colossal church Of b. aac Che larxeSt in Europe
with tho exceptions Of ~ Peters in Rome has lust been
finished aud dedcated With great pop and ceremony In
St. Petersburgh The church, which IL said TO be mag
nifcent well gigantic structure commenced
by Alexander l. In 1918, and has consequently been
forty years in the process of construction Under the
Emperor Melodies great progress made in the build
ing but he did not live TO witness its completion The
church win probably stand for centuries monument Of
Russian greatness and perseverance, It's style is unique
and for long time gave uinbrage TO the slavophles
who preferred an exclusively Russian style similar to
that of the Krenlln churches Of MOSCOW II Is sur
mounted by dome three hundred and forty feet high
supported by twenty polished granite pillars and
surrounded by a massive bronze gallery II has four
fronts furnished with portcos Of hundred and twelve
feet in length, which are supported by granite mono
liths fifty feet high The situation OF the building Is
unelualledon the Place Of St. Isaac adjoining the Adj
miiay place, with its principal front looking out on the
Neya and envioned by palaces II oyerlooks not only
the whole city, but its dome, with its lanterns and
cross visible from the entire surrounding country as
far Cronsadt and the Gulf OF Finland .s,as..i
The dedication Of the church commenced on the 10Th
of June with the conservation Of the principal altar the
two other affairs ereeonseemtd the following days
The dedication was not treated simply religious
emony, but likewise military and popular festival
The Guards formed espaler from the Winter Palace
to the church. and the latter enccled by military
GORDON outside of which platforms erected TO which
spectators were admitted at prices ranging from one 10
fifteen rubles per head Windows in the vicinity CON-
handing good view Of the main entrance the church
rented at hundred to hundreSasA fifty rubles
for the first day. 4.hs 81 Et.a.s' VA
At half past o'clock the Emperor accompanied by
the Crown Prince Of Wurtemberg and brilliant and
numerous suite, left tho palace horseback and rode
along the line of the military where he greeted by
the popuace and soldiers with the most enthusiastic
cheers He was followed by the Empress and Dowager-
Empress who likewise passed along the line of the mill
try In the gala carriage used ut the coronation The
entire imperial party then proceeded through the espaer
of Guards into the church, where grand was sung
by fourteen hundred voices After this procession was
formed and marched around the edice led by the Ne
topoitan, assisted by numerous body of Archiman-
drites In the renue of the Emperor during the pro-
cession the aged but still robust and active arch
tect Of the edfce, Monerrat who has been
with AZ, 900 rubes and annual pension of 5000 ru-
bles Ito be continued to his wife, In she survives
him. and has been raised the rank OF actual Coun
cior of State. .sl31 iH&F tH@t ~
The first church dedicated to st. Isaac of Dalmata was
erected OF WOOD in l7l6 to the birth of
ter the Great and rebuilt with in the following
year. This building stood close to the shore of the Neva
the spot present occupied by the equestrian statue
Peter the Great 1t destroyed by fire In 1885 and
the site remained vacant for thirty years In l76S Cath
arne IL directed the reconstruction of the church on its
present site The Emperor Paul added cupola of brick
work to this structure notwithstanding which remained
unganly, thatits demolition and the erection in its
place of ediice Of marble, granite and metal was
resolved upon. 1t not, however till 1918, when
Alexander l. approved the plans of Montferat the i'm
peral architect nchef that the building just fin
ished was actually begun How many millions Of rubles
have been expended upon the building within these forty
years. is impossible say for although the work Of
the mechanic and laborer may have stopped occasionally
within this time yet artists such as Bculptors painters
&c. have been unintcruptedly employed on the decora
tions. Fats