5 most beautiful churches in Crimea (PHOTOS)

1. Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Kerch

Kerch is considered to be the oldest city on Russian territory and this church one of the oldest churches in Russia. In fact, it is a basilica built back in the 10th century, when Crimea was part of the Byzantine Empire.

In the Middle Ages, during the domination of the Crimean Khanate, the church became a mosque. The ancient frescoes were painted over then and lost. In the 18th century, when Crimea became part of the Russian Empire, the church became Orthodox again and an extension was built up to it.

2. St. Vladimir Cathedral in Chersonesos

This church was built at the end of the 19th century on the place where, according to legend, Russian prince Great Vladimir was baptized into Christianity. Now, only ruins of the ancient city of Chersonesos have been left. The church was built according to the designs of architect David Grimm in the neo-Byzantine style as a homage to the St. Sophia Cathedral (Hagia Sophia) of Constantinople (now Istanbul). 

The cathedral consists of two churches: the lower one is consecrated in the name of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, while the upper one in the name of St. Prince Vladimir.

3. Church of Christ's Resurrection in Foros

This church on a cliff on the southern coast of Crimea was built in 1892 in the Neo-Byzantine style. The walls are made of burnt brick, which was commonly used for construction in the Roman Empire. The church is richly decorated with mosaics and the high dome is painted in the color of the sky. 

The church is dedicated to the miraculous rescue of the royal family during a train crash. On October 17, 1888, Alexander III with his wife and children was traveling by railroad from the Crimea to St. Petersburg. The train derailed, but members of the royal family were not injured. The emperor was literally holding the carriage on his shoulders while his family was getting out of it.

4. St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Yalta

Unlike other Byzantine-style basilicas of the Crimea, Yalta's main cathedral is built in the Russian style and is decorated with a large number of tents and kokoshniks. The church was erected in memory of the murdered Emperor Alexander II and that is why it is dedicated to St. Alexander Nevsky.

Like St. Petersburg’s Savior on the Blood, built on the site of Alexander II’s murder, the project was personally approved by Alexander III in 1891. The architects were Nikolai Krasnov and Platon Terebenyov.

5. Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

One of the newest churches in Crimea was built in the 2000s. It is no accident that it is dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra, as he is one of the most beloved and revered saints in the Russian Orthodox Church, the patron saint of sailors and travelers. More than 65 meters in height, the church is the highest in the Crimea. The shape of the structure resembles a cross and each of its sides is decorated with panels reflecting images of St. Nicholas and the Mother of God. 

This church is located on the seashore and, because of it and its construction, is often referred to as a lighthouse. However, it does not perform any technical functions of a lighthouse, even though it can be seen from afar at sea.