Dome

The portico, showing the pediment with frieze; Fel'ten's finest work was executed in the 1770s and demonstrates his twin approach to classicism. His churches, such as St Catherine (1768-1771), the Armenian Church (1770-1777) and St Anne (1775-1779), all in St Petersburg, are enriched with sculpture, plasterwork and porticos, giving them a splendid and stately appearance. He preferred, however, a less ornamented style, using pilasters rather than columns. His career spanned the change from Baroque to Neo-classicism in Russia. [Grove Art Online] This building is decorated with an Ionic portico. In 1908-1909, the building was restored (the architect A. I. Tamanyan). In 1930, the church was closed, inner paintings and the iconostasis with images by artist K. L. Christinek were lost, the internal size of the building was reduced by the addition of new floors to house decorators' workshops. In 1993, the church was given back to the Armenian community. It was consecrated after the repairs on 12 July 2000. Source: Encyclopaedia of Saint Petersburg; http://www.encspb.ru/en/ (accessed 12/16/2008)