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Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Photo By Alex Zelenko –

Top 10 Amazing Facts about the Cathedral of Christ The Saviour

The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is found along the Northern bank of the Moscow River in Russia. It was built from 1839 to 1883 during the reign of Tsar Nicholas I. It is also known as the Cathedral Temple of Christ the Saviour of the Patriarch of Moscow.

After the Bolveshik government took over Russia, the cathedral was demolished. It was later rebuilt and officially consecrated in 2000. The cathedral serves as the seat of Cyril I of Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

1. The Cathedral of Christ The Saviour Was Built As A Historical Monument

The Cathedral of Christ was constructed in memory of the Russian troops that died during the Patriotic war (1812). It was a form of appreciation to the Russian people by Alexander I, the emperor of Russia.

Due to the subsequent historical events and conflict in the structural designs, the construction of the cathedral officially began in 1839 when Alexander’s younger brother, Nicholas I was the ruling emperor. The marble plaques on the wall of the cathedral have a list of names of the major commanders and regiments who participated in the war.

2. The Cathedral’s Golden Dome Was A Source of Revenue For Russia’s Economic Development

Domes of the Cathedral of The Christ Saviour. Photo By Jorge Láscar –

In the 1930s, the Soviet government planned on developing the economy of Russia. They set their eyes on religious institutions and historical monuments as a source of additional funding.

The domes of the cathedral which contained over 20 tons of gold were said to be a total of half a million in currency. The request was approved by the People’s Commissariat of Finance.

3. History Has It That The Church Priests Died Inside The Cathedral Explosion

The explosion of Christ The Saviour. Photo source

The Russian Revolution of 1917 overthrew the imperial government giving Bolshevik territorial power. The 1921-1928 anti-religious campaign led to the demolishment of religious institutions amongst them the Cathedral of the Christ The Saviour.

In 1931, Lazar Kaganovich ordered the cathedral to be dismantled and blown up. It was believed that the church priests of the cathedral refused to evacuate the premises during its destruction hence their death.

4. Part of The Demolished Cathedral of Christ The Saviour Was Reserved And Others Used In the Construction of the Moscow Metro

The Donskoy Monastery in Moscow was a Soviet reserve for the rubbles of cathedrals and monasteries that had been demolished during that era. The original marble high reliefs of the Cathedral of Christ Our Saviour are still preserved in the monastery.

Moscow Metro was opened in 1935 and was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union.  The marble used in its construction were fragments from the cathedral walls and benches. The outstanding well-shaped pillars and arches have intricate detail showcasing the rich architectural history of Russia.

5. The Cathedral Of Christ The Saviour Sits At The Site Of The ‘World’s Tallest Skyscraper’

The Palace of Soviets. Photo By Vishchun –

After the Bolshevik government had gotten rid of the Cathedral of Christ The Saviour, they began planning for the construction of a political convention centre named the Palace of the Soviets. The 515-metre-high skyscraper was to be the tallest building in the world.

The construction of the structure began in 1933 but the German invasion of 1941 suspended it indefinitely. The building was never completed as the construction materials were used during World War II.

The project manager and some of the workers were also evacuated to go build the Uralsky Aluminium Plant. The Palace was neglected and soon afterwards, its foundation was flooded by water.  

6. The Moskva Pool at The Cathedral Site Led To The Depletion of Buildings

Open air swimming Pool ‘Moscow’ in 1980. Photo By Fmaschek –

In 1958, the largest open-air swimming pool was built on the foundation of the Palace of Soviets. The heated pool, known as Moskva Pool, had a diameter of 130m with the capacity of carrying a volume of 25,000 m3 of water.

This attracted a daily tourist visit of 20,000 people a day and about 24 million people had visited the pool by 1991. The large surface of the circular pool caused a lot of evaporation in the area. This increase in water vapour led to the corrosion of the surrounding buildings.

The pool was officially closed in 1991 after the profit it made could not sustain the cost of maintenance.

7. The Reconstruction Of The Cathedral Of Christ The Saviour Used Over $ 200 Million in Public Funds

View of the Cathedral. Photo By Alex Zelenko –

The initiative to rebuild the cathedral in 1990 was brought up by the Russian Orthodox Church and supported by the Soviet government. The Cathedral was to be reconstructed as its previous 1883 replica that had been drawn by Konstantin Ton.

The construction was funded by private funds and donations. Approximately one million Muscovites contributed to the church donations that totalled almost $ 200 million. During that time, the economy was in a crisis and controversies arose over the estimated budget.

8. The Consecration Of The Catherdral of Christ The Saviour Coincided with The Biblical Day of Transfiguration

The construction of the cathedral was completed in 2000. Its lower church had already been consecrated and named the Saviour’s Transfiguration in 1997.

3 years later the cathedral was consecrated by Patriarch Alexis II. The ceremony coincided with the Christian Day of Transfiguration of Christ.

9. The Domes in the Cathedral of Christ The Saviour Have A View Point

The cathedral of Christ the Saviour has a white marble façade with golden sculptors surrounding it. It has 5 gilded domes each with an Orthodox cross at the top. The cathedral is held up by 4 columns.

Upon entering the cathedral, a fleet of stairs leads to the dome balcony. On the balcony, one can see the beautiful Moscow skyline. The Cathedral itself stands out and is visible from many points in Moscow.

10. The Cathedral of Christ The Saviour Was Designed Twice Before Its First Official Construction

In 1817, Aleksandr L. Vitberg was commissioned by Tsar Alexander I as the first architect of the cathedral. His designs for the building included masonic symbols and neoclassic designs.

When Nicholas I became Tsar after he was succeeded by his brother Alexander I, he endorsed another architect to redo the design of the cathedral. Architect Konstantin Thon did away with the masonry symbols and neoclassic style and majored in Russian revival architecture.

The plans were officially approved in 1832 but construction began 7 years later.