Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Paris

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on Rue Daru stands as the first permanent Russian Orthodox place of worship in France. Consecrated in 1861, the building was designed to meet the spiritual needs of the growing Russian expatriate population during the reign of Napoleon the Third. While its exterior is known for five distinctive golden onion domes that reach forty-eight meters into the Parisian sky, the interior follows a traditional Greek cross floor plan inspired by the Hagia Sophia. Funding for this ambitious project came from a combination of private donations from the local Russian community and a significant financial contribution from Tsar Alexander the Second.