Tallinn

Travelers' Takes

Rates and Deals

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

More Photos
barcodex
barcodex
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
4
Reviews
12
Photos
Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-4 of 4
Editor Pick

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

  • April 2, 2008
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Koentje3000 from Hamme, Belgium
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Possibly the most interesting but also the most controversial church in Tallinn is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, serving as the main church for Tallinn's large Russian Orthodox community. The church was named after St. Alexander Nevsky, the 13th century Prince of Novgorod and Vladimir, two semi-independent republics within the borders of the Kievan Rus', one of the greatest empires of that time and containing large portions of present-day Ukraine, Western Russia and Belarus. One of his greatest exploits was the so-called Battle of the ice in which he turned back the German crusaders of the Teutonic Knights, who occupied large parts of Estonia but not Danish-owned Tallinn, in a battle on the frozen water of Lake Peipus (a lake on the border between Estonia and Russia).

The church was built on Toompea Hill, close to the Baroque pink-coloured Toompea Castle and the massive medieval defensive tower Kiek in de Kök. It was ordered by Russian tsar Alexander III but it was only finished in the year 1900 during the reign of his son Nikolas II, the last tsar of Russia. The building was constructed in a style resembling the great medieval Russian architecture, complete with black onion domes, walls full of iconic paintings of saints and a white-and-pink façade resembling more a sugar glazed birthday cake than a cathedral.

Soon after its construction, the church was immediately controversial with local Estonians, who viewed it as another attempt by St. Petersburg (the then capital of Russia) to Russify the town. The Russians had indeed chosen a disputable location, near Tallinn Castle and the Estonian Lutheran cathedral. Resentment on this and other issues ultimately led to an independent Estonian Republic following WWI in the aftermath of the Bolshevik communist revolution that swept Russia. The new country became increasingly nationalist and firmly anti-Russian, which almost proved fatal to the church, as it was scheduled for demolition but this was luckily never performed due to lack of funds of the republic. As the USSR was officially non-religious, many churches including this cathedral were left to decline, with some of them even turned into a prison, a stable or simply demolished. When the country regained its independence in 1990 it clung firmly to its former western allies and soon Tallinn was swept by a huge building and reconstruction spree. Although at first quite reluctant the locals by 1995 seemed to come to terms with the overwhelming Russian past, which ultimately led to a refurbishment of this once much hated symbol of the tsar's imperialism that soon became a major attraction of the great town.

From journal The Pearl in the Baltic Crown

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

  • August 8, 2003
  • Rated 5 of 5 by angelsil from Clifton, New Jersey
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

This is a large, functioning Russian Orthodox Cathedral from the 1900's. It's an art noveau masterpiece designed by Mikhail Preobrzhensky during a time when Russia ruled the Baltics. The cathedral is located in the upper Old Town by the Estonian Parliment building. The domed spires, typical of the Russian Orthodox style, are visible from much of the old city. There is a large Russian population in Tallinn and this their center for worship.

The cathedral is part gift shop, part house of worship. Depending on when you visit, you may find yourself mobbed with tour groups or alone with a group of worshippers. The interior is quite impressive, but make sure to take the time to walk around the outside and enjoy the architecture - especially if you won't be going on to Russia itself. As this is an active cathedral, please be respectful. Dress appropriately and be conscious of your voice and manners.

From journal The New Grand Tour of Europe: Tallinn

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

  • October 16, 2002
  • Rated 4 of 5 by raycarstairs from Glasgow, Scotland
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Despite the fact that the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is by Tallinn's medieval standards a recent addition, this imposing 19th Century Russian Orthodox structure is really quite stunning and is accentuated by the fact that its 'onion domes' look comletely out of context. Apparently, the Russians built this as part of their Russification program, choosing its location beside the Estonian parliament very carefully.

It's well worth a look inside as the interior is very ornate, adorned with many icons and frescos. To be honest it's impossible to do it justice - even my photo doesn't come close.

From journal Medieval Tallinn - 'A Well Kept Secret'

Nevski Cathedral

  • October 10, 2001
  • Rated 4 of 5 by barcodex from Tallinn, Estonia
Nevski Cathedral

This is an orthodox cathedral, built in early 1900s on Russian money for the Russian orthodox people who lived in Tallinn. This building dominates the surroundings, but it is actually quite small from the inside. The church is active, so you can go inside and check out the beauty of a typical Russian orthodox church. Tourists like to take pictures of the onion shaped cupolas of the cathedral (some wise man estimated 5 millions of pictures of Cathedral per year), and often forget to pay attention to the Parliament house, which is located just opposite the church.

There are some rules to follow when entering the orthodox church, but tourists are not punished. However, it is not so difficult to follow the rules and pay your respect to the holy place: men must have their hair uncovered, while women must cover their heads. Also, it is not recommended to show too much naked flesh in the church (cover your knees and shoulders).

From journal My Home City

Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-4 of 4

Compare Tallinn Rates

1. Enter travel information

City

2. Select websites to compare rates

Each selected website will open a new window.

Tallinn Travel Deals