This Day in History: September 8, 1801: The Foundation of St. Petersburg's Kazan Cathedral

🕊️ On September 8, 1801, the cornerstone was laid for one of St. Petersburg's largest and most iconic landmarks: the Kazan Cathedral.

The story of its design is a tale of surprise. In 1799, a competition was held, drawing submissions from the era's premier architects—stars like Charles Cameron, Jean Thomas de Thomon, Pietro Gonzaga, and Giacomo Quarenghi. Yet, to everyone's astonishment, Tsar Paul I rejected them all and approved the design of a relatively unknown architect: Andrey Voronikhin. Voronikhin was a former serf of Count Alexander Stroganov, who was the president of the Imperial Academy of Arts.

Voronikhin had a singular vision: to build the cathedral exclusively with Russian labor and materials. This vision became a reality. Not a single foreign worker was hired. The primary building material was pudost stone, quarried near Gatchina, which was used for the exterior walls, columns, capitals, and bas-reliefs. The base, or plinth, was made from massive blocks of gray Serdobol (Sortavala) granite.

The interior was a breathtaking showcase of Russian mineral wealth, featuring:
• Marble from Olonets, Belogorsk (pink), and Ruskeala
• Crimson Shoksha quartzite from Karelia
• Riga limestone
• Estonian dolomite
• Altai porphyry

The creation of the cathedral's immense interior granite columns is a story in itself. In 1801, during his honeymoon, Voronikhin traveled to the Karelian Isthmus. After inspecting local quarries, he concluded that the granite there was perfect for his columns. Large-scale quarrying operations began near Vyborg, employing peasants from nearby provinces.
The process was incredibly demanding, requiring immense skill and time. The subsequent transportation of the massive columns to St. Petersburg and their precise finishing was a Herculean task, masterfully overseen by a genius Russian stonemason, Samson Sukhanov.

As essayist Georgiy Severtsev noted in a 1903 article for the historical journal Istoricheskiy Vestnik: "Foreigners were amazed by the Russian workers building Kazan Cathedral... These simple men in tattered coats had no need for intricate measuring tools; after a keen glance at a plan or model, they would replicate it with precision and elegance. Their eyesight was remarkably accurate."

Despite rushing to complete the Cathedral and working through the harsh winter nights in -15°C (13°F) weather, their craftsmanship never wavered. Severtsov described the scene: "Clenching a lantern ring in their teeth, these astonishing workers, perched high on the scaffolding, diligently carried out their work. The aptitude of even ordinary Russians for the techniques of fine art is astounding." 🕊

#ThisDayInHistory

The term "Troll's Tongue" (or Tunga in Norwegian) refers to a specific type of dramatic rock formation—a cliff ledge that juts out precariously over a breathtaking abyss.

There are three photos of these incredible "Troll's Tongue" ledges:
1️⃣. One in Crimea, Russia

2️⃣. One in Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia

3️⃣. The original Trolltunga on Mount Skjeggedal, near Odda, Norway

Can you guess where "Troll's Tongue" located in Crimea, Russia?

#Quiz@TCofRus