Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of All Who Sorrow - uVisitRussia
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Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of All Who Sorrow

Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of All Who Sorrow - the largest cathedral on the island; it was built at the end of the 19th century in the Byzantine revival architectural style popular at the time in Russia. The external appearance of the cathedral has remained practically unchanged, resembling a multi-tier tower with flat spherical domes.

The Sviyazhsk island-village is located on the slope of the Sviyaga river and is part of the St John the Baptist Monastery complex. The cathedral majestically rises above the ancient monastery buildings of Sviyazhsk, 32 metres in height, not including the cross. The large five-domed temple is created in neo-Byzantine (pseudo-Byzantine) style with elements of eclecticism. A cross-domed composition, the arches are supported by four vaulting pillars. The three arched entrances to the cathedral make it easy to find your way inside, where you will see the interior of the temple, where the abundance of light and the extraordinary height, leaves a strong impression. The temple is made even more memorable due to the four-tiered iconostasis, while the walls are decorated with fresco-stories about the life of the Mother of God.

Historical reference
The cathedral was built in 1898-1906 based on the project of architect Fyodor Malinovsky. The funds to build it came from the diocesan treasury and voluntary donations. The chapels were consecrated in the name of Monk Seraphim of Sarov and Anna the Prophetess. The cathedral was painted in 1914 at the expense of Moscow manufacturer Sergey Mechnikov. Currently, the cathedral is undergoing restoration.