Our second day on our St. Petersburg tour began with a stop along the Neve River to see the two Eyptian Sphinxs that are about 3,500 years old and were purchased for the Russian Emperor in the 1830s.
Looking across the River Neve to St. Isaac's Cathedral . . .
and the Hermitage Museum where we had been yesterday.
Next up: Peter and Paul Fortress. In addition to Peter the Great, 41 others are entombed inside, including other family members and the resting place of the last Romanov family consisting of the mother, father, and five children (Anastasia's entire family) who were murdered.
Statue made of Peter the Great from his death mask--however, his body was made too large for the head.
Peter the Great's summer palace is very modest compared to his other homes. It is set within his beautiful gardens.
On April 26, 1990, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve offered a prayer of rededication for Russia in St. Petersburg, reaffirming the dedication that Elder Lyman performed nearly a century earlier and asking the Lord to extend the blessings of the gospel to the people. This is the exact spot where that re-dedication took place--in front of a statue that had a sun-stone on her chest--just like the ones that are on the Nauvoo Temple.
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood: So named to memorialize Czar Alexander II following his assassination in 1881 on this exact spot.
Don't they look real! So fun seeing them all dressed up!
Inside this little alcove are the cobblestones where the Czar's blood was spilled.
The mosaics inside are just breath-taking!
The icon of the last ruling Romanov Czar and his family who were murdered, also.
After the Revolution, the church - despite becoming an official cathedral in 1923 - was looted. It was closed in 1932, and essentially turned into a garbage dump. Rumors abounded that the church would be torn down. Damage from World War II and the Siege of Leningrad can still be seen on the church's walls.
On July 20, 1970 the church was made a branch of the St. Isaac's Cathedral museum, and eighty percent of the church's extraordinary restoration was funded by profits from St. Isaac's. The decades of deterioration and then restoration culminated in the dramatic re-opening of the church in August 1997, when thousands of eager visitors swamped the church. It took so much painstaking effort and a great deal of money, but it absolutely incredible how it looks today.
George and Kevin standing on a bridge over a canal which runs right in front of the Church.
Nothing makes George happier than being with his family! Here he is with Kevin and Kent.
Eating lunch just like one big family!
Of course, there had to be ice cream for dessert!
After lunch, we visited St. Isaac's Cathedral
After the tour of St. Isaacs, we realized it was time for George and me to head for the airport. Let's just say, there were lots of tears as we left--on both sides. We had such a great time having everyone here with us--every day had just turned out so perfectly! We will never forget the adventures we had and the love we felt!
They all had one more tour--a cruise down the canals of St. Petersburg. It turned out to be so fun for them because the weather was perfect by that time of day.
It had all come and gone too quickly! But, we were now on our way to Rostov-on-don for training, with so many wonderful memories!
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