Officially named the “Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ,” the church was built as a memorial to the slain Tsar Alexander II of Russia, who was mortally wounded on the site in 1881. It was closed by the Bolsheviks in the 1930s, but reopened in 1997 after 30 years of restoration work.

When I visited St. Petersburg last month, I stopped by the church on my second night. I had heard that there were some masterful mosaics to behold inside. But I didn’t realize that the entire interior was covered in mosaics, from floor to ceiling–including the walls, arches, ceiling, and altar!

Indeed, the church contains over 7,500 square meters of mosaics, more than any other church in the world. Here are some of my photos from the interior. Remember, these mosaics are pieced together from tiny, tiny tiles…

Read more about the church on its website, including its history, near demolition, and use during the 20th Century as a warehouse for opera sets.

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