Alexander Nevsky Crypt Museum

The Alexander Nevsky Crypt Museum, located under the Nevski Cathedral, was initially designed to be the final resting place of bishops and other major religious figures. But since 1965 it has been a museum belonging to the National Art Gallery, where works of religious art can be seen. It is said to have the largest collection of Orthodox icons in Europe. Architecturally, it's beautiful, with huge columns supporting the weight of the cathedral above and the museum integrating seamlessly into the space. There are more than 200 paintings, mostly icons and mural fragments, to be seen as well as religious objects made from gold and precious stones.