Christ the Savior ‒ the Largest Church in Moscow

If you’re living in Moscow or even if you’re only passing by, you can’t miss this enormous cathedral in the very heart of the city! The Cathedral of the Christ the Savior is shining from afar thanks to its white walls and golden cupolas. The Christ the Savior overlooks the Russian federal capital from its 103m high, that makes it the 2nd highest Orthodox church in the world. Seat of the Russian orthodox patriarchate, Christ the Savior is currently the center of Moscow’s religious life. But it has not always been as it!

Indeed the biggest cathedral of the Russian Federation has been built in 1839, then destroyed but rebuilt in 1995. The first cathedral has been built from 1839 to celebrate the end of the Napoleonic wars and remember the numerous Russian deads. However, the Soviet leadership decided to destroy the cathedral in 1931, replacing it by a public swimming pool: the world biggest open-air swimming pool! Despite the popular desire of keeping the swimming pool, the Christ the Savior Cathedral has been rebuilt between 1995 and 2000, and given back to the Russian orthodox patriarchate.

Nowadays, the Christ the Savior remains a stunning cathedral on the inside as on the outside. However, if major orthodox events are celebrated in it, Christ the Savior knows less enthusiasm from the everyday believers than other Muscovite churches.

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