St. Andrew Garden is located on the western corner of the Bypass Canal. In 1717, Peter the Great laid here the first Orthodox Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called in Kronstadt. He is the patron saint of the Russian navy, so the cathedral was consecrated in his honor. The first cathedral was built of wood.
In 1804, the wooden cathedral was dismantled and the construction of a large stone cathedral began in its place. Its construction was completed in 1817. The cathedral was built by architect Charles Cameron in the classical style. From 1855 to 1908, the rector of this cathedral was John of Kronstadt. He was one of the most revered priests in Russia.
In 1964, the Russian Orthodox Church canonized him, and now he is one of the saint patrons of St. Petersburg. John of Kronstadt is buried in the Ioannovsky Monastery on the embankment of the Karpovsky River. Other saint patrons of St. Petersburg are Alexander Nevsky, buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, and Xenia of St. Petersburg, buried in the Chapel at the Smolensk Cemetery.
In 1932, the Bolsheviks blew up the cathedral and now the St. Andrew Garden is located in its place. A monument to Lenin was erected there, but later it was moved to another place. Now there is a memorial stone in the center of the garden. The city authorities are planning to restore the cathedral.
Near the memorial stone in St. Andrew Garden is the Chapel of the Tikhvin Icon of the Virgin Mary. It was built in 1897 and blown up at the same time as the cathedral in 1932. In 2008, the chapel was restored. Next to the there is a small square with a musical fountain. Previously, there was a Cathedral Square between St. Andrew Cathedral and the Shopping Mall.
