Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Russian: Храм Христа́ Спаси́теля, tr. Khram Khristá Spasítelya, IPA: [xram xrʲɪˈsta spɐˈsʲitʲɪlʲə]) is a Russian Orthodox cathedral in Moscow, Russia, on the northern bank of the Moskva River, a few hundred metres southwest of the Kremlin. With an overall height of 103 metres (338 ft), it is the third tallest Orthodox Christian church building in the world, after the People's Salvation Cathedral in Bucharest, Romania and Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
| Cathedral of Christ the Saviour | |
|---|---|
Храм Христа Спасителя Khram Khrista Spasitelya | |
The new Cathedral of Christ the Saviour as viewed from the bridge over the Moscow River | |
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour | |
| 55°44′40″N 37°36′20″E | |
| Location | Moscow, Russia |
| Denomination | Russian Orthodox |
| Website | www |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 19 August 2000 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Russian Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 9,500 people |
| Length | 79 m |
| Width | 79 m |
| Height | 103.4 m (top cross) 91.5 m (top dome) 69.5 m (dome ceiling) |
| Nave height | 37 m (interior) |
| Other dimensions | 194,900 m3 |
| Floor area | 3,980 m2 |
| Dome diameter (outer) | 29.8 m |
The current church is the second to stand on this site. The authentic church, built during the 19th century, took more than 40 years to build, and was the scene of the 1882 world premiere of the 1812 Overture composed by Tchaikovsky. It was destroyed in 1931 on the order of the Soviet Politburo. The demolition was supposed to make way for a colossal Palace of the Soviets to house the country's legislature, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Construction started in 1937 but was halted in 1941 when Germany invaded the Soviet Union during World War II. Its steel frame was disassembled the following year, and the palace was never built. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the current cathedral was restored on the site between 1995 and 2000.