The Church of the Holy Martyr tsarina Alexandra stands on a hill, amidst a small grove in the South-East of Belvedere. This temple was built by order of Nicholas I in 1854 A. I. ... more The Church tsarina Alexandra is the last building in Peterhof during the life of Nicholas I.

The cornerstone took place on 11 August 1851 – slab in the bowl pawned silver and gold coins. To bookmark the future of the Church used specially imported for these purposes from the banks of the Jordan river stone. After the ceremony of laying the stone in the Foundation of the future Church Nicholas I tearfully said that he thanked God that he had granted him to complete the laying of the temple and expressed doubt that he would be able to see it finished.

According to the legend, after hearing from farmers that the area used to be called Painganga (Swedish "parish pastoral"), hence today's Russified "Babylon", the Emperor said, what is the name simply requires that in this place there was a temple and heard the ringing of bells.

The construction of the temple was completed on August 22, 1854, the Church was consecrated in the presence of the Imperial family persons, including the Nicholas I. after the service sire publicly thanked General Likhanova, Manager of the Peterhof, the architect of..., merchant Tarasov, and all those who participated in the construction.

Erecting the Alexander temple, Voronikhin once again confirmed the reputation of the architect, fluent in all styles. An outstanding architect did not blindly copy architectural works of the past centuries, and has created its own elegant and graceful architectural fantasy, which mixes and original designs, and motives of the Moscow Church architecture, and the elements of the system of orders.

The Church is the five – domed, stone, built in Russian-Byzantine style and is particularly beautiful. Old Russian "kokoshnik" adorn the base of the drums. The same motif used in the external decoration of the bell tower: high tent, silhouette reminiscent of ancient temples, unipivot three rows of corbel arches.

The temple could accommodate about five hundred members. The perimeter of the base of the building was 44 fathoms, and the height of the middle of the dome 13 fathoms plus one Arshin.

Genuine decoration of the Church was a wood-carved iconostasis, covered with gold and white paint. The iconostasis, which was previously owned by the Church of the former Todorovska Palace of Peter the Great, was presented as a gift by the Emperor Nicholas I. the Great architect managed to achieve unity at the interior decoration with the decoration of the iconostasis, typical for Russian architecture of the late 17th century May be the decoration of the iconostasis architect suggested some of the motifs used in the design of the Church.

Despite its small size, construction babigonskogo Church cost nearly 66 thousand silver rubles. The Church had used a lot of gold and silver utensils, objects decorated with precious stones. In the temple was the tabernacle with the ark in the form of a pedestal with columns of red Jasper, the sacristy of the things used at the burial of Nicholas I, the sacristy of the things Alexandra Feodorovna, etc.

This Church was for the peasants of nearby villages only a place of prayer. Near the Church was located in the er, where was first aid to the sick peasants.

Babigonskogo the Church was a favorite place of the prayers of the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, she visited her every summer during your stay in Peterhof and before leaving for St. Petersburg in the autumn.

During the great Patriotic war, the Church was in the centre of hostilities. The building had suffered considerable damage due to bombing. After the war the building of the temple has long been a state farm workshop, and basement used as a vegetable store.

May 6, 1998 in the patronal feast day at St. Alexander Church on the initiative of Christians Babigonskogo parish after a long break service was conducted. As from 7 April 1999 holds regular worship services on Sunday and a day of great and Great feasts. Currently under restoration, after which the Church will regain its original appearance.