Kazan Cathedral
It was Catherine II's grandson Alexander I who defeated Napoleon in 1814. This is another important fact in the Russian history. Forever commemorated is it in the magnificent Kazan Cathedral put up in 1811 by the architect Andrey Voronikhin on the Nevsky Prospect - the main street of the city.
The cathedral was conceived as a replica of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. It has the colonnade that is similar to that of Bernini. But there are certain differences between the two constructions and the Kazan has its own inimitable charm and brilliance. In front of the Kazan Cathedral there are two monuments to the field marshals who defeated Napoleon in fearless battles - Kutuzov and Barklay de Tolly. Mikhail Kutuzov is buried inside of the cathedral which is an acting Orthodox church now.
