P347 - Estonia - Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Tallinn, Estonia (UNESCO WHS)

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is an orthodox church in the Tallinn Old Town, Estonia. It was built to a design by Mikhail Preobrazhensky in a typical Russian Revival style between 1894 and 1900, during the period when the country was part of the Russian Empire. The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is Tallinn's largest and grandest orthodox cupola cathedral. It is dedicated to Saint Alexander Nevsky who in 1242 won the Battle of the Ice on Lake Peipus, in the territorial waters of present-day Estonia. The late Russian patriarch, Alexis II, started his priestly ministry in the church.

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral crowns the hill of Toompea where the Estonian folk hero Kalevipoeg is said to have been buried according to a legend. (There are many such legendary burial places of him in Estonia.) The cathedral was built during the period of late 19th century Russification and was so disliked by many Estonians as a symbol of oppression that the Estonian authorities scheduled the cathedral for demolition in 1924, but the decision was never implemented due to lack of funds and the buildings massive construction. As the USSR was officially non-religious, many churches including this cathedral were left to decline. The church has been meticulously restored since Estonia regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

塔林亞歷山大·涅夫斯基主教座堂是愛沙尼亞首都塔林的一座東正教教堂，典型的俄羅斯風格，興建於1894年到1900年，當時塔林處於俄羅斯帝國的統治之下。塔林亞歷山大·涅夫斯基主教座堂是塔林最大和最高的圓頂東正教堂。其主保聖人亞歷山大·涅夫斯基於1242年在愛沙尼亞邊境附近的楚德湖冰面上贏得了冰上之戰。

亞歷山大·涅夫斯基主教座堂位於塔林老城區的座堂山山頂。許多愛沙尼亞人厭惡這座教堂，因為它標志著俄羅斯的統治。愛沙尼亞當局計劃在1924年拆除這座教堂，但是後來沒有實施這一計劃。1991年愛沙尼亞脫離蘇聯獨立後，這座教堂被仔細地恢復。

References sources : Wikipedia