Saint-Alexandre-Nevsky Cathedral, the Russian Orthodox Church of Paris

You may not know it, but Paris is home to a stunning Russian Orthodox cathedral, located right beside Parc Monceau in the 8th arrondissement. In Moscow-style neo-Byzantine architecture, it is the main Orthodox place of worship in Paris.

The Saint-Alexandre-Nevsky Church was erected in the 19th century. At that time, Paris's Russian community was expanding, and Napoleon III gave the final green light to its construction. In terms of funding, the church owes its birth to donations from Tsar Alexander II, as well as to a broad base of French Orthodox believers.

Dedicated on September 11, 1861, the eve of Saint Alexander Nevsky, Russia’s beloved hero, the church is devoted to him. In 1922 it was elevated to cathedral status. And what a beautiful cathedral it is! Quiet at first glance, it reveals its full splendor when approached from Boulevard de Courcelles. You can’t miss its magnificent central fresco and its golden domes.

Three times a week, on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., curious visitors can step through the doors of the Cathédrale Saint-Alexandre-Nevsky and take in its opulent interior decoration, typical of Orthodox churches: gilding in abundance, frescoes, apses richly adorned with the canvases by Alexei Bogoliubov, and a stunning iconostasis.

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Don't miss a visit to the crypt of the Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, as it is a parish quite distinct from the church, and the masses there are held in French rather than Slavonic.

As a sidenote, it was in this church that Pablo Picasso married the Russian dancer Olga Khokhlova in 1918, with witnesses including Jean Cocteau, the poet Max Jacob, and Guillaume Apollinaire looking on.

The most beautiful churches in Paris to discover on a stroll
Gothic, neoclassical, Romanesque, or even more contemporary styles, Paris’s churches tell centuries of history and architecture. Set out to discover the capital’s most beautiful churches! [Read more]