21 December 2010
The Smolny Cathedral, Saint Petersburg
1748-64 F.-B Rastrelli, 1832-1835 Vasily Stasov
Sender: vergi from Russia
"Smolny Cathedral was originally intended to be the central church of a monastery, built to house the daughter of Peter the Great, Elizabeth, after she was disallowed to take the throne and opted instead to become a nun. However, as soon as her Imperial predecessor was overthrown during a coup, carried out by the royal guards, Elizabeth decided to forget the whole idea of a stern monastic life and happily accepted the offer of the Russian throne."
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