We continue “Walking around Yekaterinburg with the Library”. Now we are heading to the places connected to the imperial family ruling Russia for more than 300 years.

Yekaterinburg Church on Blood in Honour of All Saints Resplendent in the Russian Land is one of the main attractions of the city. Here Orthodox fairs are held, the religious processions begin, and guests of the Ural capital are brought here for excursions. The tragic history of the biggest orthodox church in the city attracts a lot of pilgrims and tourists from around the world. Church on Blood is known for the fact that it was built on the site where the family of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II was executed. Now there is a small museum near the church. It tells the story of the last days of the royal family.

The church was built in the Russian-Byzantine style. It is 60 m high; its area is 3,000 square meters. The architectural complex comprises a five-dome main church, the Elizabeth belfry and the Patriarchal annex. Together with a few other churches it creates the “Holy Quarter” including the Ascension Church and the Church of St. Nicholas.

The service in memory of the dead is annually held at the Church on Blood on the night of the 17th of July, followed by a 25-kilometer long religious procession walking to the church complex “Ganina Yama” near Yekaterinburg where in 1918 the remains of the royal family were buried.

There is a lot of research about the Romanov dynasty in Yekaterinburg. The book of Georgy Zaitsev `Romanovs in Yekateringburg. 78 days: a documentary tale” recreates the last two months of life of the imperial family and the history of that tragic day when the Romanov line ended. Jf interest is also a book by Nikolai Sokolov who investigated the Romanovs murder case. The publication is a series of materials that contribute to restoring the true events of that devastating day in the smallest detail. Both books can be found in the collection of the university library. You can check their availability at circulation desks and in reading rooms in the electronic catalog.