Monday, November 9, 2009

An evening in the "Cultural Capital"

A friend and I went to a concert in the Lutheran Church of Saint Peter and Paul. It's one of those familiar buildings on Nevskii Prospect that you may have walked by several times, but never entered.

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Or you may have peeked inside, but did you continue up the winding staircase into the sanctuary?




During Soviet times, churches were remodeled to serve secular purposes. This one was a swimming pool, as is still evident from the bleachers. It was restored after the fall of the Soviet Union, and gets plenty of use as a church today. Some of my friends were married here.

Oh, and the concert. It featured a combination of brass and organ, with such composers as Bach, Stanley, Telemann, Pachelbel (you can guess which piece), and Vivaldi. Lots of old favorites.


2 comments:

  1. I've been here! I was just in awe of how they could use it as a pool and church after and before...crazy!! Our school did their end of the year program here.

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  2. There is a church in Moscow that was used as a pool, too.... Oddly appropriate. I'm glad they did that, rather then destroy the buildings!

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