Since the history of St. Petersburg is closely connected with our "northern neighbors" by the country of Sweden, I think it is necessary to mention one more architectural and religious monument of the city. This is the Swedish Church of St. Catherine, which is located in the heart of the city near Nevsky Prospekt on Malaya Konyushennaya Street.
As early as 1640 there was a Lutheran community on the nearby territories of the Nienschanz Fortress, which belonged to the church of Sweden. After the victory of Russia in the Northern War, part of the territory of Sweden was transferred to Russia, and part of the inhabitants moved to St. Petersburg, founded by Peter the Great.
Meetings of the Swedish Lutheran community were held first in a private house, but in 1734 the Empress Anna Ioannovna gave the community a plot of land near the modern Nevsky Prospekt where the first church was built.
In 1767, on the site of the old wooden church, a stone church building was built for the Swedish community on the project of the Russian architect Yuri Matveevich Felten. The church was named by St. Catherine church.
In 1863 - 1865, a new church was built that housed up to 1200 parishioners. the author of the project was the Russian architect of Swedish origin Karl Karlovich Anderson. More than 100 thousand rubles were donated for the construction of the church. To decorate the church, the best masters of Russia and Europe were invited. An organ was installed in the building.
So the church looked in the beginning of 1900 on a photo of those years.
The altar of the Swedish Church of St. Catherine in a photo of the beginning of the 20th century.
Among the parishioners of the church were such famous people as Alfred Nobel, Fyodor Lidval, Carl Faberge, Karl Mannerheim and many others.
The church operated until 1934, then it was closed.
The Swedish Church of Saint Catherine resumed activities in 1993. Today, the church belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran parish, it hosts services in Russian and Swedish.
Although the Lutheran parish is considered Swedish, the church holds divine services for the community of the Church of England.
We learned about the building of the Swedish Church of St. Catherine in St. Petersburg. I am always ready to tell you everything that is interesting to know about my city. Thank you and see you again.