Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Ornate Russian Orthodox cathedral dominating Toompea Square

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is the most visible Orthodox church in Tallinn, its bulbous golden onion domes rising above Toompea Square in deliberate contrast to the pink baroque parliament building opposite. Built between 1894 and 1900 in Russian Revival style on the orders of Tsar Alexander III, it is architecturally impressive and historically loaded — a symbol of Russian imperial power planted at the heart of the old Estonian city.

Inside, the cathedral is richly decorated with mosaics and icons. Services are still held daily. The building is open to visitors outside service times. The contrast between it and the Estonian parliament directly across the square is one of the more charged architectural juxtapositions in the Baltic states.

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A story
The cathedral was built in 1900 by the Russian Imperial authorities as a pointed statement of Russian dominance over the Baltic provinces. It was deliberately sited on Toompea Hill, the historic seat of Estonian power, facing the Estonian parliament. After Estonian independence in 1918, there were serious proposals to demolish it. The cathedral survived, though the debate about what it represents has never fully stopped.

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