Kazan Cathedral

   The cathedral is named after the miracle-working icon of Our Lady of Kazan - the protectress of the Imperial House of Romanov - which was kept here. The miracle-working Kazan icon of the Mother of God. During the Time of Troubles, the Kazan icon was brought to the army of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and presented to it a victory over the enemy who had captured Moscow.

   In 1800, Paul I commissioned a design from the architect Andrei Voronikhin and in 1801, under Alexander I, the foundation of the capital's main cathedral was laid. Kept in the cathedral were captured French colors, the staff of the French marshal Davout, and keys to the fortresses and cities of Western Europe taken by Russian troops during the war against Napoleon. One of the heroes of the war, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian army, Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, is buried here. The silver iconostasis of the Kazan Cathedral was executed to the design of the architect Konstantin Thon. In the 1920s, all the church plate of precious metals and the iconostasis were removed and the cathedral was converted into an anti-religious museum.

   In 1811-1858, the Kazan Cathedral was the main cathedral of the city. After 1932, when the cathedral was closed, the building housed the Museum of the history of Religion and Atheism. In 1991, services have been resumed.

   Regular exhibitions are held concerning the Orthodox Church and ecclesiastical art.

Open: daily
Location: 2 Kazanskaya Pl.