Large Christian temple. Tallest cathedrals in the world

In Paris, one of the main symbols of the city is burning - Notre Dame Cathedral, it caught fire on the evening of April 15. In the Cathedral there could be Crown of Thorns and part of the Cross from which Jesus was taken down - great Christian relics. Parisian firemen's ladders do not reach the flames; they are too short. And there is a possibility that Notre Dame can no longer be saved.

A cathedral is always one of the main churches of a city, or a temple that is dedicated to some special event, therefore, unlike ordinary churches, cathedrals were built with special grandeur. The temple cannot cease to be a cathedral - this status is assigned to it once and for all. In principle, particularly large sizes for the cathedral are not necessary, but from the very beginning it was designed for large divine services, so it simply has to be made larger. We invite you to take a look at the tallest and most majestic cathedrals and churches in the world.

1. Ulm Cathedral (Germany), height 161.5 m.

This Lutheran cathedral is considered the tallest cathedral in the world. The height of the cathedral together with the spire is 161.5 m, and 768 steps allow you to rise to a height of 143 m. The foundation of the cathedral took place in 1377, construction began almost 20 years later - in 1392. By 1405, construction of only the main part of the cathedral was completed, with interruptions it continued to be completed for several more centuries, and construction was completed only in 1890. Thus, the entire construction of Ulm Cathedral took almost half a millennium.

2. Notre-Dame de la Paix (Côte d’Ivoire), height including the cross on the main dome 158 m

This basilica is considered the largest of Christian churches in the world. More than 18,000 people will be present at the service here at the same time. True, the Roman Cathedral of St. Petra, with a smaller area, can accommodate three times as many believers.

3. Cologne Cathedral (Germany), height 157.4 m.

Construction of this beautiful Gothic cathedral began in 1248 and ended only in 1880. During this 632-year construction, a legend even developed that the city of Cologne would not be threatened while the construction of the cathedral continued. This cathedral ranks third in the world in height among Christian churches, but is also the tallest of all churches that have two identical towers. 533 steps allow you to rise to a height of 150 m.

4. Rouen Cathedral (France), height 151 m.

This fourth-tallest cathedral has the world's tallest cast-iron tower. One of the founders of impressionism, the French artist Claude Monet created 50 paintings depicting this cathedral in different lighting and at different times of the year.

5. St. Nicholas Cathedral (Germany), height 147.3 m.

The cathedral was heavily damaged by bombing during World War II and remains unrestored to this day. From 1874 to 1876, this cathedral was considered the tallest building in the world.

6. Strasbourg Cathedral (France), height 142 m.

From 1625 to 1874, this cathedral was considered the tallest building in the world. The cathedral is built from sandstone and is one of the largest buildings in the world made from this material.

7. Basilica Holy Mary Our Lady of Lichen (Poland), height 141.5 m.

This largest basilica in Poland was designed by Polish architect Barbara Bielecka. The temple was built from 1994 to 2004 using donations from believers.

8. St. Stephen's Cathedral (), height 136.4 m.

This majestic Gothic-style cathedral is one of Vienna's main attractions.

9. New Cathedral (Austria), height 134.8 m.

This cathedral is the largest, but not the tallest cathedral in Austria, inferior in height to St. Stephen's Cathedral by only 2 meters. The cathedral was built in 1924.

10. St. Peter's Cathedral (), height 136.4 m.

This is the largest cathedral in the Vatican and one of the largest cathedrals in the world. The world's largest Christian church, Notre-Dame de la Paix in Côte d'Ivoire, is modeled after this cathedral. It is larger in area and in height, but St. Peter's is designed to accommodate three times as many parishioners.

11. And finally, St. Vitus Cathedral in the capital of the Czech Republic - Prague. It is not the tallest cathedral - its height is only 96.5 m, but it is the longest cathedral in the world. The length of its main nave is 124 m.

Liked? Want to stay updated? Subscribe to our

Cathedral - when reading this word, a majestic structure, executed with a frantic design intent, inevitably comes to mind. As a rule, a cathedral is one of the main city churches, the creation of which is necessarily associated with an important historical event for the country. That is why the construction of cathedrals has always taken place on an extraordinary scale. Despite the many beautiful churches around the world, the first places in the ranking of cathedrals in terms of size are occupied by European buildings. So, it will be interesting to study information about the largest cathedrals in Europe.

The first on the list of the tallest cathedrals not only in Europe, but also in the whole world, is Ulm Cathedral, which is located in the city of the same name in Ulm, Germany. The height of the structure including the bell spire is 161.5 meters. Visitors to this giant have the opportunity to climb to the highest point of the cathedral along stone spiral staircases. Interesting fact is that the construction of Ulm Cathedral took place over 5 centuries, starting in 1377, ending with the construction of the spire in 1890. It is also noteworthy that, according to legend, during the construction of the temple, the unlucky builders were faced with the task of how to carry huge logs through the gate. While the builders were struggling with a solution to how to drag a log into the city, which in height did not fit into the city gates, one of them noticed a sparrow carrying straws into its home parallel to the ground. A solution was found, Ulm Cathedral was built, and the sparrow became a symbol of the city. It is his sculpture with a twig in its beak that rises on the main roof of the building.

Construction of Europe's second largest cathedral began in 1248 and took place in two stages due to financial problems. The year 1880 was marked by the opening of the tallest building in the world, which for a whole 4 years became the Cologne Cathedral, located in Germany, the city of Cologne. The height of the structure with its spire is 157 meters. Today, this architectural creation has the largest church facade in the whole world, as well as the largest working bell. When examining the building, do not forget that its construction spanned two eras, so the western façade, which more attracts the views of enthusiastic tourists, was built in the 19th century and embodied the neo-Gothic style, while the rest of the building contains elements and features classical gothic. The largest bell in the world is called “St. Peter” and weighs 24 tons, and the weight of its bell tongue is 800 kilograms.

The next record holder was rightfully the Cathedral of Our Lady of Rouen in France, the city of Rouen. The building is included in the list of national French heritage monuments and is the cathedral with the tallest cast-iron tower in the whole world (151 meters). The construction of the French miracle began in 1145, but after a severe fire, only the walls of the northern tower of Saint-Romain were preserved, the restoration of which led to the construction of the southern part of the building and the Butter Tower, the creation of which ended in 1880. It is noteworthy that the great artist Monet in the 19th century created a series of paintings that depicted the history of the great cathedral, its ups and downs. The cycle contains 50 paintings in total.

Strasbourg Cathedral is located in France and for more than 200 years was considered the world's tallest church building. The height of the building is 142 meters and today it is the sixth highest cathedral in the world. The most interesting and most visited place in the cathedral is the astronomical clock, which was made back in 1574 and even then had astronomical functions. These include the ability of watches to calculate the starting point from the new year to holidays, the dates of which fall on each year different days. In Strasbourg, there is a tradition according to which, on summer evenings, various color performances accompanied by works of world classical music are broadcast on the walls of the cathedral.

The most capacious European cathedral is St. Peter's Basilica, which is located in the Vatican on a famous square that has the same name as the cathedral. The building is considered a central ceremonial place catholic church, the capacity of the cathedral is 60,000 people. The construction began in 326, but was finally completed only in the 17th century, when, at the request of Paul V, the eastern part was lengthened. The 17th century was also marked by the appearance of a square near the cathedral, which was conceived for a gathering of people to receive the blessing of the Pope. Such famous architects and artists as Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini and others worked on the decoration of the cathedral.

Despite the capacity of St. Peter's Basilica, the largest cathedral in the world by area is not it, but the Milan Cathedral. The length of the building is 158 meters, the width is 93 meters, and this building also has the highest spire in Europe in terms of the height of the central nave (47 m). Milan Cathedral is the only Gothic cathedral made of marble. The altar of this miracle is decorated with one of the most valuable relics of antiquity - a nail from the crucifixion of Christ.

St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague is rightfully considered not only one of the largest, but also the longest Catholic church in the world; the length of the main nave of the cathedral is 124 meters. The foundation date of the building is considered to be 925, but the peak of its development occurred between 1350 and 1930. Inside, the cathedral offers visitors a wonderful Gothic panorama, smoothly transitioning into the choir area with huge stained glass windows.

The longest cathedral in terms of the length of the central nave (169 meters) is Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire, UK.
The construction of the cathedral began on the initiative of Kenval, King of Wessex. Construction was completed in 648. The cathedral hosted such important events for the history of Britain as the Coronation of Henry the Younger and his wife Margaret of France (1172), the Second Coronation of Richard the Lionheart (1194), the Marriage of Henry IV and Joan of Navarre (1403), marriage of Mary I and Philip II (1554). The building attracts the attention of tourists not only for its size and architectural delights, but also for the burial place of the famous British writer Jane Austen and the filming of the film “The Da Vinci Code” in 2005.

The cathedral became widely famous thanks to its large stained glass window. The height of the largest stained glass window is 24 meters, width 11.6 meters. This building is the Hogwarts school in the popular film masterpiece Harry Potter. The construction of the cathedral took place back in the 11th century; the coronation of one of the most famous figures of the British monarchy, Henry III, took place in this building.

Ulm is a German city where the tallest cathedral in the world is located. Also in Germany, in the cities of Cologne and Hamburg, two more of the five tallest churches on the planet are located.

This includes the French cathedral in Rouen and the grand basilica in Yamoussoukro, the capital of the West African country of Côte d'Ivoire. The article provides short description, history and photographs of the tallest cathedral in the world, as well as four churches that are slightly inferior to it in this championship.

Ulm Cathedral

With a stunning Gothic (total height of 162 m) it is located in the center of the German city of Ulm, on the spacious Marktplatz square. This cathedral is the tallest in the world, it towers above all other city buildings, it can be seen from the Danube and even areas located on the opposite bank. Laying catholic church took place in 1377. The predominant part of the building was erected between 1392 and 1405, after which the consecration ceremony was performed and the church received its first parishioners. Although Ulm Cathedral remained unfinished according to plan, construction work ceased as the vaults reached the maximum weight that the walls of the side naves could support.

After renewed construction in 1530 - 1543, the building, together with the bell tower, reached a height of 100 m. Due to the strengthening of Protestantism in Germany, the cathedral became Lutheran by the middle of the 16th century, which it remains so to this day. The final phase of construction work took place from 1817 to 1890, after which the completed temple with its openwork bell tower tent became the tallest cathedral in the world. During the bombing by American aircraft in 1944, the city was reduced to ruins, but the building remained untouchable and was completely undamaged. Its magnificent architecture and interior design invariably attract many tourists to Ulm, which is not rich in attractions.

Notre-Dame de la Paix

This 158-meter basilica lacks just over four meters to be considered the tallest cathedral in the world. But the 30,000 sq. meters is considered the largest church on the planet, as recorded by the World Book of Records. It is located in Yamoussoukro, the new capital of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, once called the Ivory Coast. Erected in honor Mother of God Mira, the church became a copy of the Roman Cathedral of St. Peter's, surpassing it in height and area, and also trying to compete with the main Vatican temple in beauty and luxury.

The construction of such a large-scale Catholic sanctuary in a very poor African country, where Christians make up 33% of the population and Muslims 39%, was the decision of President Felix Houphouet-Boignipe. From the start of construction in 1985 until its completion in 1989, about 300 million US dollars were spent, which doubled the republic's external debt per capita, exceeding those of all African countries.

It is curious that the consecration of the cathedral took place after its construction was completed in 1989. In response to the president’s request to consecrate the temple, the Pope put forward a condition: a public hospital should be built near Notre-Dame de la Paix. After the president made a promise regarding the construction of a hospital, the pontiff himself laid a stone near the completed church, which served as the foundation of the building and is usually considered the first in temple construction. The consecration ceremony took place in September 1990, conducted personally by John Paul II, and a month and a half later the Vatican decided to assign the cathedral the honorary position of a minor basilica.

Cologne Cathedral

The 157-meter temple, which took third position in the list of the highest, again directs attention to the medieval The Cathedral in the rich and powerful Cologne was originally conceived as a large-scale and majestic structure that would outshine other temples. It was supposed to be not only the main cathedral and the residence of the archbishop, but also as a repository for the remains of the Three Kings (Holy Magi). The relic was received from Emperor Barbarossa in gratitude for his service by military leader Rainald von Dassel in 1164, after which he transported it to Cologne. The shrine, which is considered a masterpiece of Romanesque art, took ten years to build from precious metals and stones for the relics. This shrine, together with no less valuable relics, the staff and monstrance of St. Peter is still kept in the cathedral.

In 1248, the archbishop of Cologne laid the first stone, which marked the foundation of the cathedral. Then followed the first, almost two-century stage of construction, which lasted from 1248 to 1437. The structure was erected in accordance with the design of Gerhard von Riehle, the first and main architect of Cologne Cathedral. Some work on installing the roof continued until the beginning of the 16th century. However, the cathedral was without towers, and a number of works remained unfinished.

Funding and construction resumed in 1842, and in 1863 construction began on two identical towers. By mid-October 1880 they were completed and reached a height of 157 meters. At this point, the construction of Cologne Cathedral, which lasted a total of 632 years, completely ended. The building is included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list; it amazes with its ancient grandeur and Gothic beauty, although it is not the tallest cathedral in the world. Photos only remotely convey its legendary splendor and monumentality.

Rouen Cathedral

Reaching 151 meters, this temple is famous for being crowned by the world's tallest cast iron tower. The history of Rouen Cathedral is marked by a series of destructions and restorations. Among the tallest churches on the planet, this building can perhaps be called the most ancient.

Construction of the Romanesque building began in the 1020s; the crypt remains from the architecture of those times. The Romanesque nave collapsed after a fire, and after 1200 a new, Gothic nave took its place. All parts of the church were gradually replaced, and the current image of the cathedral is fully consistent with the architectural canons of the Gothic style. In the 18th century, significant damage was caused by a severe hurricane. But the largest destruction was caused by air strikes on the city during hostilities in the spring of 1944. The most ancient element of the Rouen Cathedral remained the Saint-Romain Tower, built in 1145, from which, after the bombing on April 1, only the charred walls of the base remained. The explosion on April 19 severely damaged the chapels and nave, and the north tower burned down on May 31. The last damage to the building was the damage to the bell tower after the December storm of 1999. Due to frequent destruction, the temple undergoes constant reconstruction. Today, the active Rouen Cathedral is a monument of French national heritage.

Cathedral of St. Nicholas

The architecture of most Christian churches includes bell towers, spiers and towers. The vertical dimensions of temples are primarily indicated by their height. The 147-meter tower in the German city of Hamburg is one of the tallest cathedrals in the world. It belonged to the Lutheran Church of St. Nicholas, the ruins of which were preserved from war times as a reminder of the victims of the tyranny of 1933 - 1945. There is an elevator inside the tower that takes you to the observation deck located right under the spire. And nearby in the pavilion there is a museum of the history of the temple. In terms of height, the tower structure is considered the second building in Hamburg and the fifth tallest cathedral on the planet.

Orthodox churches

The highest Orthodox Cathedral is the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg. It reaches 122.5 m and ranks 22nd in the world ranking of the tallest churches. Russian tsars were once buried there, but now it is an inactive temple and architectural monument. Until the middle of the last century, the cathedral was the tallest building in Russia, and until 2012 - in St. Petersburg. Among the active Orthodox Christians (103 m) in Moscow is considered to be the highest today. After it comes St. Isaac's Cathedral (101.5 m) in St. Petersburg.

Cathedral of Christ the Savior

height: 103 meters

Cathedral Cathedral of Christ the Savior (Cathedral of the Nativity) in Moscow - Cathedral Russian Orthodox Church not far from the Kremlin on the left bank of the Moscow River. The existing structure is an external recreation of the temple of the same name, created in the 19th century, carried out in the 1990s. On the walls of the temple were inscribed the names of officers of the Russian army who died in the War of 1812 and other military campaigns close in time.
The original temple was erected in memory of the Napoleonic invasion: “to preserve the eternal memory of that unparalleled zeal, fidelity and love for the Faith and the Fatherland, with which the Russian people exalted themselves in these difficult times, and in commemoration of Our gratitude to the Providence of God, which saved Russia from the threat her death." It was built according to the design of the architect Konstantin Ton. Construction lasted almost 44 years: the temple was founded on September 23, 1839, consecrated on May 26, 1883.
The newly rebuilt Cathedral of Christ the Savior is considered the largest cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church. The temple is designed for
10,000 people

Saint Isaac's Cathedral

height: 101.5 meters

St. Isaac's Cathedral (official name - the Cathedral of St. Isaac of Dalmatia) is the largest Orthodox church in St. Petersburg. Located on St. Isaac's Square. Has the status of a museum; The church community, registered in June 1991, has the opportunity to perform divine services on special days with the permission of the museum’s management. Consecrated in the name of St. Isaac of Dalmatia, a saint revered by Peter I, since the emperor was born on the day of his memory - May 30 according to the Julian calendar.
Built in 1818-1858 according to the design of the architect Auguste Montferrand; construction was supervised by Emperor Nicholas I, the chairman of the construction commission was Karl Oppermann.
St. Isaac's Cathedral - an outstanding example of late classicism

Transfiguration Cathedral

height: 96 meters

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral is an Orthodox cathedral in Khabarovsk, built on the steep bank of the Amur in 2001-2004. According to a number of sources, it is the third tallest temple in Russia after the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow and St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg, as well as the tallest building in Khabarovsk.
The height of the domes of the Transfiguration Cathedral is 83 meters, the height with crosses is 95 meters. For comparison, the height of the Radio House, located next to the temple, is a little more than 40 meters. The temple was built according to the design of architects Yuri Zhivetyev, Nikolai Prokudin and Evgeny Semyonov. The frescoes inside the temple (on the dome of the Savior Pantocrator and the Apostles) were made by a group of Moscow artists, specially invited to Khabarovsk for this occasion by Bishop Mark of Khabarovsk and Amur. The Transfiguration Cathedral is able to simultaneously accommodate three thousand parishioners.

Smolny Cathedral

height: 93.7 meters

Smolny Resurrection of Christ Cathedral (Smolny Cathedral) is part of architectural ensemble Smolny Monastery, which is located in St. Petersburg on the left bank of the Neva on Smolnaya Embankment. It is also a classical music concert venue.
According to the model of the Smolny Monastery ensemble (kept in the Museum of the Academy of Arts), a high 140-meter five-tier bell tower was to be built. Thus, the height of this bell tower would be 18 meters higher than the height of the bell tower spire Peter and Paul Cathedral, and could become the tallest building in Europe. The first tier of the bell tower was supposed to serve as a triumphal arch - the main entrance to the monastery, the second - the gate church, and the remaining three were supposed to house bell towers. The bell tower was to be completed by a small tower with three round windows and a dome with a cross crowning it.
However, contrary to popular belief, the ensemble of the Smolny Monastery was left without a bell tower by the will of Rastrelli himself, and not because of a lack of funds (construction of the bell tower was suspended in 1756, before Russia entered the Seven Years' War), although both of these facts could have been decisive.

and here is the model of Smolny

Alexander Nevsky New Fair Cathedral

height: 87 meters

Cathedral of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky (Novoyarmarochny) is an Orthodox cathedral (since 2009) in Nizhny Novgorod. Built in 1868-1881 according to the design of the architect L.V. Dahl.
In the protruding western vestibule, in the choirs of the large cathedral, there is the winter church of Macarius of Zheltovodsk and Unzhensky.
In 1856, the fair merchants expressed a desire to build a second Orthodox fair church in memory of Emperor Alexander II’s visit to the fair and petitioned Nizhny Novgorod Bishop Anthony for the construction of a new cathedral, and he, in turn, to Governor A. N. Muravyov. A collection of donations was held. The necessary funds (454 thousand 667 rubles 28 kopecks) were collected over 10 years.
On September 8, 1864, a symbolic laying of the foundation stone for the future temple took place. By 1864, the project of the provincial architect R. Ya. Kilevein was ready. It had to be reworked due to insufficient strength; After this, it turned out that there was not enough funding for such a project. The new project proposed by the young architect L.V. Dahl was also not approved.
On November 18, 1865, the church project was approved by the government. The authorship of the government-approved project has not yet been established with certainty. In 1866, L.V. Dal returned for permanent residence to Nizhny Novgorod from abroad and finalized the design of the cathedral.

Blagoveshchensky cathedral

height: 85 meters

The Annunciation Cathedral is an Orthodox church of the Russian Orthodox Church, located in the center of Voronezh. Built according to the design of architect V.P. Shevelev in the Russian-Byzantine style. The cathedral is located on Revolution Avenue on the territory of the Pervomaisky Garden. Construction took place from 1998 to 2009. The construction of the temple was blessed by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' during his visit to Voronezh.
In Voronezh, the Annunciation Cathedral (until 1836), the Trinity Smolensk Cathedral (closed in 1932), and the Intercession Cathedral (from 1948 to the present) had cathedral status. The first two cathedrals were destroyed in due time.
Different researchers name different dates for the founding of the Annunciation Cathedral. Metropolitan of Kiev Evgeniy (Bolkhotnikov) believed that it was founded in 1620. Others believed that the founding date should be 1586, that is, the year the city of Voronezh was founded.
Initially, the Annunciation Church was built of wood. Due to frequent fires, the temple was rebuilt, sometimes even moved to another location.

Savior on Spilled Blood

height: 81 meters

The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on the Blood or the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg is an Orthodox memorial single-altar church in the name of the Resurrection of Christ; built in memory of the fact that at this place on March 1, 1881, Emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded as a result of an assassination attempt (the expression on the blood indicates the blood of the king). The temple was built as a monument to the Tsar-Martyr with funds collected throughout Russia.
Located in the historical center of St. Petersburg on the banks of the Griboyedov Canal next to the Mikhailovsky Garden and Konyushennaya Square, not far from the Champs of Mars. The height of the nine-domed temple is 81 m, capacity up to 1600 people. It is a museum and a monument of Russian architecture.
On March 1, 1881, on the embankment of the Catherine Canal, Emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded as a result of an attack by the Narodnaya Volya terrorist I. I. Grinevitsky.
Already on March 2, at an emergency meeting, the City Duma asked Emperor Alexander III, who had ascended the throne, to “allow the city public administration to erect... a chapel or monument at the expense of the city.” He replied: “It would be desirable to have a church... and not a chapel.” However, it was still decided to erect a temporary chapel.
The architect L.N. Benois was assigned to develop the project. The work was carried out quickly, so that on April 17, 1881, the chapel was consecrated and memorial funeral services began to be held in it. It cost the Duma practically nothing: it was built by the merchant of the 1st guild Gromov, the construction work was paid for by the merchant Militin, who also became the headman. This chapel remained on the embankment until the construction of the temple began - until the spring of 1883, after which it was moved to Konyushennaya Square, where it stood for another 9 years and was finally dismantled.

Trinity-Izmailovsky Cathedral

height: 80 meters

Trinity-Izmailovsky Cathedral (Trinity Cathedral) is an Orthodox cathedral on Trinity Square in the Admiralteysky district of St. Petersburg. Full name - Holy Cathedral Life-Giving Trinity Life Guards Izmailovsky Regiment.
The parish of the church belongs to the St. Petersburg diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church and is part of the Admiralty deanery district. The rector is Archpriest Gennady Bartov.
Under Emperor Peter I, a wooden chapel stood on this site.
After the flood, the architect V.P. Stasov was asked to develop a project for a new stone temple. At the same time, the old wooden church should remain the model.
The foundation stone for the new church was laid on May 13 (25), 1828 by Metropolitan Seraphim (Glagolevsky). Empress Maria Feodorovna and Tsarevich Alexander Nikolaevich were present at the celebration. Construction was carried out with the personal funds of Emperor Nicholas I and government money. The cost of construction of the cathedral was 3 million rubles. Four years later, the building was roughly ready and interior decoration began. During the construction process, it was necessary to restore the dome, which was torn down by a storm on February 23 (March 7), 1834, and to rewrite some of the images.

Trinity Cathedral

height: 78 meters

Holy Trinity Cathedral in Pskov is an Orthodox church, the cathedral of the Pskov and Velikoluksk diocese. It is part of the architectural ensemble of the Pskov region and is its main building.
Today's fourth building of the cathedral was built in 1699, on the same spot where the previous churches stood. The first cathedral, built in the 10th century, by order of Princess Olga, was wooden, and stood until the first half XII century, when it was destroyed by fire. The second cathedral was already made of stone and was founded, according to church legend, in 1138 by the holy noble prince Vsevolod Mstislavich.
In 1363, the temple vault collapsed and in 1365 a new cathedral was founded on the old foundation. In 1609, during a strong fire, a powder warehouse in the Kremlin exploded, and the third building of the cathedral was destroyed by the blast wave. In 1699, construction of the fourth cathedral was completed, which has survived to this day.

Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery

height: 77 meters

Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery - Orthodox male stauropegic monastery. Located at: Moscow region, mountains. Dzerzhinsky, St. Nicholas Square, 1 (metro station Lyublino).
The monastery was founded in 1380 by Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy on the site of the appearance of the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. According to legend, it was in this place that the army of the Grand Duke stopped to rest on the way to the Kulikovo field. The appearance of the icon strengthened Dmitry Donskoy with faith and hope, which is why the Holy and Blessed Prince said, “This whole thing has sinned my heart” (“This has all warmed my heart”). Since then, this place has been called Ugresha, and the monastery itself has been called Nikolo-Ugreshsky.
The monastery was repeatedly burned and ruined, but was quickly restored. In 1521, the monastery was burned to the ground during a raid on Moscow by the Crimean Khan Mehmed I Giray, but, as in previous cases, it was quickly restored.

Ascension Cathedral

height: 74.6 meters

Ascension Military Cathedral - an Orthodox church in Novocherkassk, the second cathedral of the Rostov and Novocherkassk diocese and main temple Don Cossacks. Here lie the remains of the Don atamans M. I. Platov, V. V. Orlov-Denisov, I. E. Efremov, Ya. P. Baklanov.
After the Rusky brothers left Russia in 1818, the construction of the cathedral was continued by the architect Amvrosimov. In 1846, during the removal of the main dome, part of the temple unexpectedly collapsed. The same thing happened in 1863 with the second version of the cathedral, built according to the design of I. O. Valprede.
Initially, all the domes of the cathedral were covered with red gold, and the main cross was inlaid with rock crystal. The height of the central dome with a cross reaches 74.6 meters. In Soviet times, the gilded copper covering was removed from the domes; instead, the temple should have been covered with sheets of iron, but this was not done for a long time and the building was constantly exposed to the elements - it was flooded, covered with snow, and the heating system was also disabled. In 1903-1923, the keymaster of the cathedral was the holy martyr Zacharias (Lobov). In 1934, the Ascension Cathedral was closed, the building itself was used as a warehouse.
The cathedral was reopened in 1942, during the German occupation. In the post-war years, a food warehouse was located in the basement, and church services were held upstairs. In 2001, large-scale restoration work began. In 2005, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Novocherkassk and the 100th anniversary of the opening of the cathedral, the restoration of the building's facade was successfully completed. A lighting system and projections of biblical scenes onto the façade are equipped. In 2010-2011, the domes were again covered with gold sheets, and a rock crystal stone was inserted into the cross.

Cathedral of Christ the Savior

height: 73 meters

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior is the main Orthodox church in Kaliningrad, built according to the design of the architect Oleg Kopylov. Designed for 3,000 people. The height (to the cross) reaches 73 meters. The temple is located on the central square of Kaliningrad - Victory Square. The temple was built in the style of Vladimir-Suzdal temple architecture.
Built in 1995 (foundation stone installed). In 1996, Russian President Boris Yeltsin and Metropolitan Kirill laid a capsule with soil taken from the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior into the foundation of the building. The construction was actively promoted by the regional governor L. Gorbenko.
The upper Church of the Resurrection of Christ was consecrated on September 10, 2006 by Patriarch Alexy II, the consecration was timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the opening of the first Orthodox church in Kaliningrad.
The lower temple serves as a temple of military glory and is a monument temple in memory of Russian soldiers who died in the Seven Years' War, the Napoleonic Wars, the First world war and World War II in East Prussia, present-day Kaliningrad region.

Cathedrals and churches have always been built on a special scale. The main task of any architect was to build a majestic, unusual and eye-catching building. There was a serious struggle over who would build the taller and larger structure. I suggest you familiarize yourself with the highest and large cathedrals in the world

We have already talked in detail about each of these cathedrals, so the article will provide links to more detailed description. Let's arrange all these structures in descending order:

1. The tallest religious building in the world is Ulm Cathedral - its height together with the spire is 161.5 meters. It is also notable for the fact that its construction dragged on for more than 5 centuries, from 1377 to 1890, when the spire was completed

4. The fourth largest, immortalized by Claude Monet, is the Rouen Cathedral in France. Its construction began in 1020, its height is 151 meters

5. In 5th place, not restored after the Second World War - St. Nicholas Cathedral in Hamburg. Its height is 147 meters

7. Located in Poland Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lichen, its height is only half a meter lower than Strasbourg Cathedral - 141.5 meters

8. The height of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna is 136.4 meters. Gothic cathedral is the main attraction of Vienna, which is not surprising

9. The new cathedral in Linz rises to 134.8 meters. Was built in 1924

10. The famous St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican closes the top ten. Its height is 136.4 meters, which is not much lower than the other cathedrals from the second five, but in terms of area it is one of the largest in the world

As an addition, I would like to add one more cathedral to this list, which impressed me very much. This is St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, although its height is only 96.5 meters, it is no less majestic than the rest of the buildings on this list. In addition, it is one of the longest cathedrals in the world, with the length of the main nave being 124 meters