| Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra Свято-Троицкий собор Александро Невской лавры Svyato-Troitskiy Sobor Aleksandro Nevskogo lavry | |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Russian Orthodox |
| Location | |
| Location | Monastyrka Embankment 1, Saint Petersburg |
| Geographic coordinates | 59°55′16″N 30°23′20″E / 59.92111°N 30.38889°E |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Ivan Starov |
| Style | Neoclassicism |
| Groundbreaking | 1778 |
| Completed | 1790 |
| Website | |
| www.lavra.spb.ru | |
The Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra (Russian: Свято-Троицкий собор Александро-Невской лавры) is a Russian Orthodox cathedral in Saint Petersburg. It is in the Diocese of Saint Petersburg and part of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, where it is the cathedral church of the monastery complex.
The cathedral is the centre-piece of the ensemble of buildings that comprises the monastery complex. Work began on the cathedral in 1719, but as it was nearing completion severe cracks were discovered in the structure that threatened its stability, and the work was ordered to be demolished in 1744. A competition design early in the reign of Empress Catherine the Great failed to produce a suitable alternative, and it was not until 1774 that a design by Ivan Starov was selected. Construction began in 1778 and the cathedral was finally completed and consecrated in 1790. On the day of the consecration the relics of St Alexander Nevsky were ceremonially transferred to the cathedral in a grand ceremony.
The cathedral remained largely unchanged for much of its existence, its importance highlighted by the rich and valuable furnishings that were donated by the imperial family. It continued to operate after the Russian Revolution, though it suffered the loss of most of its historic artefacts during the general confiscation of Russian Orthodox Church property after 1922. After a period where it was run by the Renovationist movement, the cathedral was finally closed in 1933 and used as office space and as a warehouse. The cathedral was returned to the Orthodox Church in 1955 and was re-consecrated in 1957. The relics of St Alexander Nevsky were returned to the cathedral in 1989, and the cathedral has resumed its role as the principal church of the monastery.