Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral stands on Lossi plats on Toompea hill in Tallinn, directly opposite the parliament in Toompea Castle. It was built between 1894 and 1900 to designs by the architect Mikhail Preobrazhensky, in the Russian Revival style, during the period of Russification under Tsar Alexander III and Nicholas II. The site was deliberately chosen: the cathedral occupies the former Toompea square where a Swedish-era monument once stood, and its scale was meant to assert imperial authority over the Lutheran Baltic-German and Estonian population. It is dedicated to the Novgorod prince Alexander Nevsky, who defeated the Teutonic Knights at Lake Peipus in 1242. The exterior has five onion domes topped with gilded crosses and a tall bell tower housing 11 bells, the largest weighing about 16 tonnes. Inside, the walls are decorated with mosaics and icons, an iconostasis and marble floors, and the atmosphere is that of an active parish church with candles and chanting during services. After Estonia became independent in 1918, the building was regarded as a symbol of oppression, and in 1924 there were plans to demolish it, which were never carried out because of cost and later events. During Soviet rule it survived, though neglected. Following independence in 1991 the cathedral was restored, including repairs to roofs and the regilding of domes, and it is now a major landmark of the Moscow Patriarchate-linked Estonian Orthodox community, a status that has been politically debated in recent years. Visitors can enter for free outside services, observing quiet, covering shoulders, removing hats and refraining from photography near worshippers if asked. Its position on the hilltop makes it one of the most photographed buildings in the Harju County capital.