The architectural ensemble of Smolny Convent is one of the best St. Petersburg's architectural ensembles designed in the style of Russian Baroque. The name of the convent dates back to the first years of the city's history. At that time, there was Smolny Dvor (the Tar Yard) – the place where they prepared tar for Admiralty ships.

In 1744, Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great, decided to have a convent constructed upon this place. The convent was designed by the famous architect Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli who also designed the Winter Palace, and the construction of the convent began in 1749. In the center of the complex of convent buildings, a magnificent white and blue Smolny Cathedral was constructed. It was 93.7 meters high.

Rastrelli did not see the construction works completed: in 1757, the construction was suspended because of the difficulties of the Seven Years' War.

It was only in the 1830s that the construction was continued, this time, under the supervision of Vasily Stasov who decorated the interior of the Cathedral in style of Classicism. The 140 meters high bell tower designed by Rastrelli was never constructed. Although the construction works were not completed in Rastrelli's lifetime, Smolny Convent still remains one of the most important and integral works of Rastrelli and one of the most important architectural ensembles of the 18 th century. Gilded stucco, white columns, carved frames and pilasters were used to decorate the Cathedral. The Cathedral is surrounded by four smaller churches, also white and blue. They border the cross-shaped area of the convent.

When Catherine the Great came to the throne, she decided to found "an educational institution for girls from noble families", or the Smolny Boarding School, - the first Russian educational institution for girls.

Originally, the half-built convent housed this boarding school, then the boarding school moved to a new building designed by Giacomo Quarenghi and constructed in 1806-1808 near the convent. This building well-known as "Smolny" was designed in modest and elegant style of Classicism. In spite of the difference of architectural styles, the Smolny building is considered to be a part of the architectural ensemble of the Smolny Convent.

Smolny Cathedral was consecrated as the Resurrection Cathedral and had the status of the Cathedral of All Educational Institutions.

The October revolution put an end to the Smolny Boarding School. Under the Soviets, the building of the former boarding school and the building of the Cathedral underwent many dramatic changes, and, in 1989, the Concert and Exhibition Hall was founded in the building of the former Cathedral. Within a very short period of time, it became very popular. There is a well-known chamber choir at the Smolny Cathedral.

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