Epiphany Cathedral - uVisitRussia
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Epiphany Cathedral

A true adornment of Irkutsk is the Epiphany Cathedral. This church looks quite unusually. It is colorful and ornate and does not resemble classic orthodox churches. The matter concerns its decoration: the church’s façade and its tholobate are decorated with pictures of the saints in whole-length. Besides, the church is fancy decorated with ornamented tiles, and brightly painted like Russian popular prints. The influence of old-Russian motives and baroque style which are usual for Russian North architecture is noticeable in the architecture of cathedral. This church’s beauty impresses city guests.

The Epiphany Cathedral was built in 1693 right at the heart of the city next to the Church of Our Saviour. The Cathedral was burned down during the fire in 1716.

In 1718 the construction of a stone Cathedral was started. The works were finished only in 1729. The Epiphany Cathedral was listed among the landmarks of federal significance in 1960. The building’s tiered composition is crowned with a hipped bell tower. The Cathedral’s decor is incredible, bizarre, and unique. The combination of the Old Russian decor, Baroque elements, and indigenous Siberia motifs make the Cathedral look graceful. More than 300 tiles were used for the interior finish. At the night time, the Cathedral is beautifully illuminated. From the Angara River, it looks like an Old Russian tower. The citizens compare it to a gingerbread house. The interior decoration is just as magnificent. You can spend much time, admiring the beauty of the tiles and looking for new elements and motifs.