On the 25th of December in 1812 Russian emperor Alexander I issued the manifesto according to which a cathedral should be built in honor of the victory of Russia over the Napoleon’s army. The new Cathedral was meant to become the embodiment of the great feat of Russian people and the commemoration of “gratitude to God who rescued Russia from threatened death”.

It was decided to build the Cathedral on the territory of the former Alekseyevsky Nunnery. The area was wisely choosen: the Temple could be seen from any point of Moscow, and the proximity to the Kremlin emphasized the deep connection of the new temple of Christ the Savior with Russian history and culture. The construction and interior decor of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior took almost 40 years, from 1839 to 1883. On May 26th, 1883 the Church was consecrated in presence of Alexander III and the imperial family.

The first Cathedral of Christ the Savior existed 48 years. The majestic temple irritated the Soviet government: it did not fit into the new state ideology and the widespread atheism ideas. By order of Joseph Stalin the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was blown up on the 5th of December 1931. At the site of the temple was supposed to build the Palace of the Soviets – a huge tower, topped with a statue of Lenin. However, the plans for construction were disturbed by World War II. During 1958-1960 the ditch for foundation of the Palace was used for the construction of an outdoor swimming pool "Moscow". In the late 1980s, a social movement for the revival of the church of Christ the Savior appeared, and in 2000 the completely reconstructed temple was consecrated.

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior – is the largest in Russia and was designed for ten thousand parishioners. Its height is 103 meters and the skillfully realized interior paintings occupy about 22 thousand square meters. Today, the complex of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior includes an upper and lower church, and the stylobate part, which features a museum, a hall of Church Councils, a refectory, the Supreme Church Council Hall, as well as offices and technical rooms. Also during the guided tours the tourists are provided with a great opportunity to check out the observation deck, which offers a stunning view of the center of Moscow.