slothis · English

St. Isaac's Cathedral Observatory, St. Petersburg

2016-09-12 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

Now that I've seen the inside of the cathedral, it's time to head to the observatory. There is an elevator for the elderly and disabled, but there's no such thing for an able-bodied Asian tourist like me. Let's excitedly walk up!

The number 81 written in white on dark stairs
The number 161 written on a dark spiral staircase curving along a stone wall
Excited, my foot!! The stairs never end!!! I climbed 160 steps and there are still more to go.
A narrow door and metal step between red brick walls
Finally, a thrilling arrival T_T
A wide square, red-roofed buildings, and a distant cityscape seen from an observatory
The perfect view makes up for all the hard work. All is forgiven.
A square with a circular lawn and surrounding buildings seen from an observatory
A bronze statue on the observatory roof and a panoramic view of downtown St. Petersburg beyond it
Towards the St. Petersburg port
Part of a cathedral with a golden dome and cross, and the cityscape spreading behind it
A panoramic view of downtown St. Petersburg densely packed with buildings of various colored roofs
A panoramic view of downtown St. Petersburg spreading under a blue sky
Downtown St. Petersburg and a bronze statue seen from an observatory
A park full of green trees and a river flowing beyond it
Grand buildings and green trees lined up along the riverside
A view of downtown St. Petersburg with a domed cathedral visible in the distance
You can even see the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in the distance.

There was a reason why Seungjun, who saw this sight first, texted me and highly recommended going up. The St. Petersburg view, which makes everyone who comes up let out a cheer and get busy taking selfies, couldn't be fully captured in photos. With the fantastic summer weather meeting this fantastic city, it's a shame to go back down. (And it's definitely not because my legs hurt.)

Because it's so crowded, it's hard to find a good spot to take pictures, and they actually ban the use of tripods. I think I could have shot a great time-lapse if I used a tripod, but unfortunately, I couldn't. For anyone planning to go here, I recommend leaving your heavy tripod behind since you'll be stopped from using it anyway, and bringing a selfie stick instead.

An equestrian statue and flags seen through trees with blooming purple lilac flowers
When you come outside, you can see the Monument to Nicholas I.
An elaborate equestrian statue standing on a red base and surrounding statues
A grand equestrian statue and sculptures below it standing against a blue sky
A bronze equestrian statue of a figure riding a horse with its front legs raised
An equestrian statue and statues below it standing against a blue sky

The monument itself is cool, but it's even more impressive when viewed together with the cathedral. I don't know who Nicholas I was, but the person who made this was Auguste de Montferrand, the same architect who built the cathedral. According to the guidebook Easy Russia, making the horse stand only on its hind legs requires incredibly difficult technique. Come to think of it, it's amazing how all the weight is balanced on those hind legs without it falling over. You can clearly see that dynamic energy, even in photos.

But honestly, none of these scientific or historical facts really register with me. I just love relaxing in the park with a glass of water or a cup of coffee, gazing at the statue and the cathedral.

A cathedral with a golden dome and large buses parked on the road in front of an equestrian statue

Expenses

Total Expenses 1038RUB

Total Trip Expenses 525,936 KRW + 40,593 RUB + $152.26