St. Nicholas Cathedral, Almaty

St. Nicholas Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, was constructed between 1906 and 1908. The design was brought to life by architect S.K. Troparyovsky, resulting in a strikingly eclectic brick building in a beautiful shade of azure, accented with white details. Its architecture is shaped like a ship with numerous masts, crowned by seven golden domes.

The Soviet era brought great hardship to the cathedral. In 1918, the local bishop was executed, and in the 1930s, the sacred site was turned into a prison for “enemies of the people” before becoming a museum of atheism. During the war, the cathedral was further desecrated, used as a stable and a military penal unit. By this time, the city was left with no religious buildings, as all had been repurposed for military needs.

After the war, when the faithful fought to restore the church to its original purpose, it was found in a state of devastation. The bell tower had been demolished, the crosses lost, and the domes torn down. The basement walls were riddled with bullet holes, and the interior was stripped of its iconostasis and icons.

The cathedral was restored following a major renovation undertaken by the city’s Orthodox community. In 1946, both altars—one dedicated to St. Barbara the Great Martyr and the other to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker—were consecrated. In 1951, a new bell tower was erected to replace the original. A Sunday school has been operating at the cathedral since 1991.

Until 1995, St. Nicholas Cathedral was the seat of the ruling bishop of the Kazakh Diocese, which was later moved to the Ascension Cathedral. That same year, a Memorial Cross was installed on the cathedral grounds in remembrance of the victims of political repression. This cross serves as a symbol not only for Orthodox Christians but also for people of other faiths, as many were affected by the repressions, regardless of their religion. In 2012, a statue of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was erected on the cathedral grounds as well. Nearby, there is a small chapel dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God and a church shop offering religious literature and icons.

The cathedral also houses the relics of two saints: St. Panteleimon the Great Martyr from Athos Monastery and St. Barbara the Great Martyr from Kyiv, relics that were brought to the cathedral during the city’s Verny period.

At night, the cathedral is a breathtaking sight, appearing to glow from within, and during winter, it resembles a magical, fairy-tale structure.

Address: 56/5 Baytursynov Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Hours of Operation: Monday to Sunday, 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM.