Irkutsk was founded in 1661. But there are also Catholic churches, synagogues, mosques. It so happened historically that people of many nationalities lived and live here. Indeed, for several centuries there were many convicts.
Of course, some of the churches have been irretrievably lost. But a considerable part has already been restored, returned to the Irkutsk diocese, and church services and prayers are held here. Some of them have not yet been fully restored. They are in the process of restoration, and this requires a lot of time and money. Often temples are also museums due to their rich history. But there are those who have never been returned to the diocese.
Operating churches and cathedrals of Irkutsk
List of the most famous and popular temples in the city.
Cathedral of the Epiphany
It was founded at the end of the 17th century. In the beginning, this temple was made of wood. But after a fire in the 18th century, it was rebuilt from bricks. It is located in the historical center at the intersection of Nizhnyaya Embankment Angara and Sukhe-Bator streets. It is considered one of the oldest stone buildings in the city. After the revolution of 1917, a bakery shop was opened here, but in the 1960s the building was recognized as an architectural monument. And since 1994, divine services have been held here again.
Address: Irkutsk, st. Sukhe-Bator, 1 A
Website: www.facebook.com/irkeparhia
Kazan Church
The church was built at the end of the 19th century. Located in the suburb of Rabocheye of the Pravoberezhny administrative district. It was erected in the name of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Since 1936, there has been a warehouse, a workshop and even a building of one of the city's educational institutions. In 1975, the church received the status of an object of state protection. And in the mid-1980s, they began to restore with donations from residents of the city. Now the church holds services, and it is one of the main attractions of the city.
Address: Barrikad, 34/1
Kharlampievskaya church
This temple was built in the first half of the 18th century. It was made of wood. But it was built of stone at the end of the 18th century. The temple is located on the street of the 5th Army. It was here that sailors came before sailing to receive a blessing. In Soviet times, there was a hostel here. But in 2006, restoration work began. Now the temple amazes not only with its magnificent decoration, but also with its choir, which in 2016 became a laureate of an international competition.
Address: 5th Army, 59
Site: harlamp.ru
Church of the Sign
It is one of the oldest churches in Siberia. The church is located on the territory of the Znamensky women's monastery, near the place where the Ushakovka river flows into the Angara. From 1936 to 1945, aircraft repair shops were located here. But later the cathedral status was returned to the temple. Now it houses the diocesan administration of the Irkutsk Metropolitanate.
Address: Angarskaya, 14
Prince Vladimir Church
The construction of the church began in 1888. The money for the construction was allocated by the merchant Litvintsev. The temple is located on Kashtakovskaya street. V. Kudelsky became its architect. At the beginning of the 20th century, a man's monastery was opened here, and they began to take monastic vows. But already in 1922 the temple was closed. And they opened it and gave it to the Irkutsk diocese in the 1990s.
Address: Kashtakovskaya, 58
Site: agapa38.ru
Holy Cross Church
The first version of this church was erected in 1718 and was made of wood. But after 30 years a stone temple was built. It is a kind of monument of the Siberian Baroque. The temple is adorned with intricate geometric and floral designs. This "lace" makes the temple unique. It is interesting that the interiors of the 18th century are fully preserved here.
Address: Sedova, 1
Savior Transfiguration Church
It was erected in the late 18th - early 19th centuries. Later it was completed and rebuilt. Under Soviet rule, until 1940, it was the main temple of the Irkutsk diocese. Later it housed an archive and a library. But already in the 1970s, the temple received the status of the territory of a historical and memorial complex. Restoration work was carried out here. And since 2000, services began to be held in the church again.
Address: Irkutsk, per. Volkonsky, 1
Website: preobrazhensky.prihod.ru
Church of the Savior
Located on Sukhe-Bator street. At the beginning of the 18th century, a wooden version was erected, which burned down a couple of decades later. After that, the construction of a stone temple began. It was badly damaged after the earthquake in 1861, but was soon rebuilt. During the Soviet era, communal apartments and workshops were located here. In the 1960s, the temple was saved from demolition. Later, it was possible to update the painting of the walls. Now the relics of saints are located here and every year many believers come here to bow.
Address: Sukhe-Bator, 2
Trinity Church
It was erected in 1718-1721. Later, the wooden version was replaced by a stone one. During the Soviet era, the church was registered as an architectural monument. But in 1931 a dormitory for workers was opened here. After the war, the temple was given to the believers for a short time, and later a planetarium was opened here. In our time, restoration work was carried out, and the church was returned to the Irkutsk diocese.
Address: 5th Army, 8
Church of St. Gregory of Neocaesarea
Located in the courtyard of the Trinity Church. Its construction began in 1802. Anton Losev became the architect. This is the first classicist church in this city. But it was rebuilt many times. The building has repeatedly suffered from floods and fires. But now the temple has been restored and services are held here.
Address: Krasnoflotsky, 5
Temple of Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia
The discovery took place in 2008. This is a small temple, for the construction of which funds were allocated by local sponsors and residents of the city. It was erected at the intersection of Baikalskaya and Stanislavsky streets. At the same time, not a single tree was cut down in the park in which it is located. This greatly complicated the task and the temple “rushed upward”. It has three floors.
Address: Baikalskaya, 165 V
Website: hramvera.ru
Temple of Xenia of Petersburg and John of Kronstadt
The construction of the temple began in 1997. And in 2006, there was already a complete consecration of the monument to John of Kronstadt. The temple was built of wood. And his parish now numbers about 300 people. The temple was erected in honor of Blessed Xenia of Petersburg and righteous John of Kronstadt. But Matrona of Moscow is also revered here. Her icon in this temple was streaming myrrh for some time.
Address: Sovetskaya, 57 A
Website: www.ksenia-irk.ru
Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem
It was erected at the end of the 18th century. It is located in the historical part of the city on the street Fighters of the Revolution. The temple was built with a donation from the merchant Mikhail Sibiryakov. In 1931, a school was opened here. But in 2000, the building was given to the Irkutsk diocese, after which it was reconstructed. Now it is a working temple.
Address: Fighters of the Revolution, 15
Website: http://ierusalimka.ru
Nikolo-Innokentievsky temple
Located on Trade Union Street. The church was built in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and St. Innocent, Bishop of Irkutsk. It was erected in the middle of the 19th century at the expense of the merchant Jacob Malkov. During the Soviet era, there was a cinema in the temple for some time, and then desolation reigned here. However, in the 2000s, the church was completely restored. Services are being held here now.
Address: Profsoyuznaya, 45 A
Site: nikin.cerkov.ru
Archangel Michael Church
It was erected in the middle of the 19th century on the territory of the skete of the Ascension Monastery. Built from wood. Now it is a picturesque place on the shore of the lake. In 1938, the government closed the church, but in 1944 it was reopened. There are two miraculous springs on the territory. And in 1990, a large Orthodox library was opened on the territory.
Address: 5th Army, 59
Site: harlamp.ru
Temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God, called "Kasperovskaya"
The temple was built and consecrated in 2005. And it is located on Lesnaya Street next to the Yunnatov station.Businessman Pavel Chekotov began the construction of the temple at his own expense. And his wife finished, since Chekotov was killed. The temple is dedicated to the icon of the mother of God "Kasperovskaya", who is the patroness of the sea and air fleets.
Address: Lesnaya, 145
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Built in the 18th century instead of the old wooden one. It has two thrones: the Dormition of the Mother of God and in the name of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Previously, the church was part of a large monastery, but all other buildings were demolished. After the revolution, a consolidated hospital and a club were located here. In our time, restoration work is underway in this temple.
Address: Polyarnaya, 98
Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady
It is a Catholic church. Built in 2000 and has the status of a cathedral. It was erected by the city authorities to replace the historic building of the Catholic Church, which was built in the 19th century. Since the historic building already houses an organ music hall. The new temple is dedicated to the Protection of the Mother of God.
Address: Griboyedov, 110
Church of the Intercession
Located on Rabochy Shtaba Street in the Right-Bank District. It was rebuilt from the house of the merchant E. Lychagov. The restructuring was carried out in 1924. But in 1934, the building was transferred to the city motor depot for the club. Later, auto repair shops were located here. Today the church building is in disrepair.
Address: g. Workers' headquarters, 29
Temple of Alexander Nevsky
This temple was illuminated and opened in 2000. It is located in a renovated building that previously housed a canteen and a cafe. Future parishioners, actors of the city theater, and local youth took part in the repair and restructuring. This is the first temple in Irkutsk, which is dedicated to the holy warrior Alexander Nevsky. It is located next to the Angara Bay, and during Epiphany many ice holes are specially built here.
Address: Jacobi, 3
Website: alexnev.ircenter.ru
