The Cathedral of the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan, near St. Petersburg, Russia
Grand is the specified topic for this weeks challenge. In the brief it was also linked to Big but to my mind I think Grand is also an abbreviation of Grandeur.
Well my chosen subject is both big and grand. From the outside the Cathedral looks large, dramatic….. but perhaps just a little ‘stark’. It is only once you enter the Cathedral that its grandeur suddenly hits you between the eyes. Whilst the walls are plain the screens are lavishly decorated in gold, framing Russian religious paintings and ancient Icon’s. The windows may also be small but what little light* they allow in just seems to be magnified by a multitude of golden reflections.
Golden Crosses atop traditional Russian Orthodox Domes where the only hint of all the glitter that awaited both worshiper and visitor within. I did describe the exterior as being stark, and to me it is, but none the less there is much detailed architecture in its construction giving lots of added shape.
* I also mentioned that there was little light within and that is true….but cranking up the Nikon ISO to 3500 cut through the gloom to bring you the true colours…even though you can see a good deal of noise it was in my view worth it!.
7th December
© David Oakes 2013
DAVID OAKES - IMAGES. 
Beautiful! 🙂
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