16,951
edits
Changes
revised category
[[Image:Nevsky cathedral warsaw.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky in Warsaw, Poland - Early twentieth Century]]'''Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky''' was an Orthodox [[cathedral]] in Warsaw, built built by the [[Church of Russia ]] between 1894 and 1912 and destroyed during the years 1924-1926 and after Poland regained its independence.
== Construction ==
The idea of building a new Orthodox cathedral in Warsaw , while it was in the Russian Empire , came from the Tsarist governor Josif Khurko. In a letter sent to Tsar Alexander III he stated that the churches built so far in Warsaw could not serve all the Russian Orthodox population, which exceeded 40 thousand people. He also proposed that a new, splendid Orthodox [[church]] would show Russian domination in the region as well as serve the expanded Orthodox population.
The tsar responded positively to Khurko's letter and inaugurated a committee to organise the construction of the new church. Many Russian citizens donated money toward the construction expenses, while the remainder of the necessary funds was collected from taxes. In 1900, the first phase of construction was completed and a special group of Petersburg artists started decorating the interior with mosaics, frescoes and precious stones. Next to the Cathedral, a [[bells|belltower]] was erected. It was 70 metres high and was the tallest building in contemporary Warsaw. There were fourteen bells, of which the largest one was also one of the biggest in Russian Empire. The Cathedral was opened on [[May 20]], 1912.
== Abandon ==
Only three years later, the Russian population began leaving Warsaw as World War I began, in fear of it becoming the frontline. The Orthodox [[clergy]] took with them most of liturgic objects. After the German troops entered Warsaw, they pillaged the church (removing the whole roof), then turned it to into their Protestant military [[chapel]]. In 1918, they retired from the city and the Cathedral was abandoned again.
== Destruction ==
== Sources ==
*[http://pravoslavie.ru/cgi-bin/sykon/client/display.pl?sid=656&did=289 Article in pravoslavie.ru site]
*[[Wikipedia:Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Warsaw]]
[[Category:Churches|Alexander]]
[[Category:Polish Churchesin Poland|Alexander]][[Category:Orthodoxy in Poland|Alexander]]
