St. Catherine Cathedral

St. Catherine Cathedral is one of the first churches built in Kherson after its founding. The building was constructed over 5 years, 4 of which were spent approving the project. Construction was completed in 1786 and it was consecrated in honor of Empress Catherine Alexandrovna. According to the architects' plan, the cathedral was to become the starting point for creating a southern Saint Petersburg. It was built on the site of the remains of a fortress that had been erected in 1788.

Photo from the website uk.wikipedia.org

St. Catherine Cathedral is executed in the classical Russian style. From an architectural point of view, it is striking for its symbolism. Here, every detail is deliberate and has a certain meaning that reflects the essence of Kherson's existence and the origin of its name. Every tourist should visit the church, since only here is there a unique iconostasis made by the best masters of Saint Petersburg.

Interesting facts:

• During the construction of the cathedral, its project was repeatedly revised. There was no agreement even on where it should be located.
• The cathedral was designed by the well-known architects Claude Bourgeois and M. Korsakov.
• There is a version that Catherine commissioned a cathedral that would remind her of the Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople. The new church was built using architectural techniques that had not previously been used in Rus' (the low height of the church, the predominance of elongation in the plan rather than in height).