In the shadow near high columns
I’m trembling from creak of doors.
And only image, a dream of her
Is looking into my face…
Alexander Blok
The Kazan square is a small park in front of the Kazan Cathedral. In 1837 the monuments designed by sculptor B. Orlovsky in commemoration of two commanders Kutuzov and Barklaille de Tollie were installed here in honour of the 25 anniversary of the war of 1812. Each of commanders has French flags with fractured poles at their feet. A park with a fountain in front was laid out for a reason of the State security in 1900 because since 1879 students had regularly organised demonstrations here.
The Kazan Cathedral was built in 1811 advisedly for keeping the icon of Kazan Our Lady of the sixteenth century especially appreciated by people. The Cathedral was designed by Andrei Voronokhin, a former serf of Count Stroganov, the President of the Academy of Fine Arts who was a chief of the commission of Cathedral construction. 
Built before the war of 1812 the Cathedral became its symbol. The walls of the Cathedral were covered with flags belonged to the Napoleon army, and with standards and keys from European cities taken by the Russian troops. Mikhail Kutuzov was buried in the Cathedral in 1813. At the time of withdrawing the sacred valuables in 1921 the Cathedral was sacked. In 1932 the Cathedral was closed and transformed to the Museum of the history of religion and atheism, an only museum in the world. Presently the Museum of the History of Religion occupies a separate building opposite the general post office. Since 1991 divine services have been recommenced in the Cathedral and it has again become the main Cathedral of Petersburg. A pre-revolutionary tradition of annual religious processions from Kazan Cathedral to the Monastery of Alexander Nevsky has also been renowned (on May 30).
The building has a form of a long Roman cross. The northern side elevation facing Nevsky is adjoined with a semi-round colonnade which consists of 96 columns of the Corinthian order. They were cut out of huge blocks of Pudost stone, limestone mined not far from Gatchina. The pedestal of the Cathedral and the colonnade were hewn out of the granite. Under porticoes completing rows of columns facing Nevsky Avenue there are huge bas-reliefs dedicated to the plots of the Bible stories. The left bas-relief 'Exhale of water by Moses in desert' is work of the great sculptor I.P. Martos. The right bas-relief 'Copper serpent' was created by I.P. Prokofiev. To the right and to the left of the northern entrance of the Cathedral there are bronze statues made by sculptor V. Demut-Malinovsky. These are statues of Saint Patron Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich Nevsky and Saint Apostle Andrew the First Called.
The colonnade is a wonderful place for walks with friends in sunny days. Here is always a shadow and an excellent view to the most vivid part of Nevsky. 
You can finish such pleasant walk in one of the most romantic restaurants of Saint-Petersburg – photo-gallery 'Blow up'. The style of its interior can be easily called artistic. There are different old, black and white pictures, new works of masters at every turn. Small shelves with cameras, photo albums and soft lamps create a unique romantic atmosphere. Each photograph is a recorded moment of life. Such extraordinary design is supplemented with ancient cameras and its big highlighted golden umbrellas.
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