Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Vienna, Eastern Orthodox cathedral in Landstraße, Austria.
Saint Nicholas Cathedral is an Eastern Orthodox cathedral in Vienna's third district, recognizable by its five golden domes and a prominent bell tower. The building is made from brick and was designed in the historicist style that was common in the late 19th century.
Built between 1893 and 1899 as the church of the Russian imperial embassy, the cathedral was designed by Grigory Kotov and executed by the Italian architect Luigi Giacomelli. Emperor Alexander III donated 400,000 rubles toward the cost, and it was consecrated on 4 April 1899. Closed during World War I and placed under Spanish protection, it became a cathedral in 1962 with the creation of the Vienna and Austria diocese.
The upper church is dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the lower one to Saint Alexander Nevsky, patron of Emperor Alexander III, who gave 400,000 rubles toward construction. The iconostasis and wall paintings in Byzantine style were made in 2006–2008 by Moscow iconographer Archimandrite Zinon.
The cathedral stands on Jauresgasse in Vienna's third district and is easy to reach by public transport. Photography is not allowed during services, so visiting outside of service times gives more freedom to look around.
The cathedral has ten bells, hung in the Russian manner and struck rather than swung; the largest marks the hours and the whole set is the largest Russian Orthodox peal in Austria. Bell 1 is said to have been cast from captured German Wehrmacht cannon. A new main bell was donated by the Red Army in 1947.
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