One architect, three eras, countless masterpieces. Aleksei Shchusev is a rare phenomenon in architecture—equally brilliant in Imperial Russia, early Soviet avant-garde, and Stalinist monumentalism. His career reads like a mirror of Russia’s turbulent 20th century, and yet, through it all, his language was architecture—bold, layered, and deeply rooted in tradition. In the early 1900s, he…
This place holds a special place in my heart. The work of Montferrand has always meant a great deal to me—it helped shape my sense of beauty and deeply influenced my path as an architect. Today, I want to share another masterpiece. Saint Isaac’s Cathedral is one of the largest domed churches in the world,…
While in Belgrade, I felt it was absolutely essential to visit the Holy Trinity Church—built by Russian émigrés in 1924 and steeped in meaning and memory. Before 1944, this very church was home to the miraculous Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God, one of the most revered relics of the Russian diaspora. And…
Saint Sava Church reimagines Hagia Sophia for a new era. In the heart of Belgrade, this monumental church doesn’t just nod to tradition—it boldly reinterprets the architectural soul of Constantinople’s Hagia Sophia. Built on the very site where Saint Sava’s relics were burned by the Ottomans, the structure transforms a place of sorrow into a…
Two Cathedrals, One Spirit. On opposite sides of the world, a sacred echo resounds. In the heart of Manhattan, St. Nicholas Cathedral isn’t just a parish—it’s the beating heart of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA. Built in 1907, this soaring sanctuary once dazzled with frescoes by Italian artist Santino and Moscow’s own Sokolov. But…
The father of skyscrapers also built an Orthodox church… and nailed it. Everyone knows Louis Sullivan as the father of skyscrapers, the trailblazer of the Chicago School, the pioneer of American modernism, and the man whose famous phrase “form follows function” is etched into the DNA of every modern architect. But did you know he…
My friend, Prince Alexander Trubetskoy, once slipped me the writings of his grandfather, Prince Evgeny Trubetskoy — and man, did that light a fire in my head! This wasn’t just dry philosophy. This was a soul-stirring, heart-pounding dive into the mystical language of Russian sacred art. Trubetskoy wasn’t just any thinker. He was the first…
His secret? An album changed church architecture! Ever heard of an architect pumping out OVER A THOUSAND churches in mid-19th century Russia? Sounds nuts, right? How could one dude be that productive? Well, there was a secret sauce! Russia decided to streamline the whole church design game in the first half of the 19th century…
Imagine a church so crowded that candles melt from the heat, and people faint from the lack of air. This isn’t a scene from a novel; it’s a real account from the early 20th century in NYC. Father Alexander Hotovitzky described such conditions: “Imagine a hierarchical service in this small room, amidst such crowding. Only…
There’s a quiet corner in Darmstadt, Germany, where something truly unexpected rises from the landscape—the Russian Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene. With its golden onion dome catching the light and mosaics glowing like stained glass, it feels like a fragment of Russia, lovingly placed in the heart of Europe. Built in 1897–1899 for Tsar Nicholas…