Church in memory of Alexander II, St. Petersburg — engraving

"THE VOTIVE CHURCH IN MEMORY OF ALEXANDER II, ST. PETERSBURG".

Design drawing or early sketch.

Technique, Material: Woodcut / Paper
Artist: ,  Engraver: 
Date, Publisher: "THE BUILDING NEWS", Photo-Lithographed & Printed by James Akerman, 6, Queen Square, W. C.., London, 1884.
Size: sheet 31x21, image 26x17 cm.

The engraving presents a design drawing of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, better known as the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood — one of the most recognizable symbols of St. Petersburg. This is not a depiction of an existing building, but rather an architectural project published in the British journal "The Building News" on December 26, 1884, as an announcement of future construction.

The church was built between 1883 and 1907 on the site where Emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded on March 1, 1881 . His son, Alexander III, commissioned this memorial church to serve as a "prayer monument" to the Tsar-Liberator . The project was designed by architect Alfred Parland, who created the church in a genuinely Russian style, drawing inspiration from St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. Important note: the actual building, completed in 1907, differs from the image in this engraving. The 1884 design underwent significant changes during the twenty-year construction period. The final version of the church has different proportions, richer decoration, and some architectural details were redesigned. This engraving represents the early, design appearance of the cathedral as conceived in the first years after the foundation was laid.

The engraving originates from the British architectural journal "The Building News" and represents a design drawing or early sketch published in an authoritative professional publication to introduce British architects to Russian architecture.