Cathedral of St. Nicholas and Epiphany (St. Nicholas's Naval Cathedral) is one of the most famous architectural landmarks of St. Petersburg. It was designed by Savva Chevakinsky and constructed in 1753-1762 on the place of the former Naval parade place. It was named after Nicholas of the Navy (St. Nicholas) who is believed to be a Patron saint of all seamen. The Cathedral also became a memorial place of for seamen and Naval officers killed in wars. Their names were on special boards attached to the walls of the building.

The design of the Cathedral prepared by Savva Chevakinsky was approved in May 1752. The construction began on June 15, 1753 and finished in the middle of 1762.

The two-storied Cathedral is crowned with five small domes. When decorating the facades, Savva Chevakinsky, one of the most talented Russian architects of the middle of the 18 th century, used new techniques of stucco decorations.

When decorating the interiors of the lower and upper chapels of the Cathedral, Chevakinsky used his compositional skills and innovative techniques. The spacious lower chapel, always full of air and light, is really wonderful. Its exquisite carved iconostasis and canopy are of rare beauty. Located at a certain distance from the Cathedral, its four-storied bell tower looks very beautiful. It is one of the most perfect bell towers in the 18 th -century Russian architecture. The bell tower looks like an integral part of the water surface of the canal and its embankment.

When constructing the Cathedral, Chevakinsky was not only a talented architect, but also an outstanding expert in city construction. He built the Cathedral at the axis of a major street. The Cathedral closes the vista of Glinka Street and dominates in the architectural ensemble of one of the city's squares.

After each major victory of the Navy, a special Divine service was held in the Cathedral in the presence of the Czar and his relatives. In the park surrounding the Cathedral, there is a granite obelisk crowned with a figure of an eagle (architect Yakov Filotei, sculptor Alexander Aubert). This is a monument to the heroic crew of the Emperor Alexander III battleship killed in the Tsushima battle on May 14, 1905.

After 1917, the Cathedral was not closed, so it has preserved its original beauty.

In 1941, the Cathedral became the residence of Father Alexy, Archbishop of Leningrad and Novgorod.

In the post-war years, the interior of the Cathedral was reconstructed, including the iconostases, the painting and the carved wood decorations. The bell tower was repaired.

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