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As part of the organization of his diocese Bp. Innocent began the design and construction of his [[cathedral]] that was dedicated to St. [[Archangel Michael|Michael the Archangel]]. Construction took place between 1844 and 1848. In addition to designing the cathedral, Bp. Innocent built the clock in the original edifice. Using skilled Finnish carpenters, the cathedral was constructed of spruce logs and used sailcloth to line the walls and ceilings for insulation and acoustics.
The cathedral is constructed in the form of a Greek cross with a [[Bells|belltower]]. While it was of wooden construction, the structure bears a touch of the style of the Italian architect Count [[w:Francesco_Bartolomeo_Rastrelli|Bartholomew Rastrelli]], who had designed many buildings in St. Petersburg, Russia, with its large central dome. In addition to the main [[altar]], there are two side [[chapel]]s, the one on the north side dedicated to [[Icon]] of Our Lady of Kazan and the one of the south side to the Ss. [[John the Forerunner|John the Baptist]] and Prince [[Alexander Nevsky]].
St. Michael's Cathedral served as the diocesan see until it was moved in 1872 to San Francisco. In 1904, the cathedral again became the see of the Bishop of Alaska, auxiliary to Archbishop [[Tikhon of Moscow|Tikhon]] of the Diocese of Aleutian Islands and North America. In 1970, under the [[Tomos]] of Autocephaly of the Russian Orthodox Church, St. Michael's Cathedral became the cathedra of the bishop of the Diocese of Alaska under the [[jurisdiction]] of the [[Metropolitan]] of the Orthodox Church in America.
