Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

The cathedral was built at the end of the nineteenth century, during the russification campaign, and deliberately placed on Toompea directly opposite the seat of provincial government. That siting was the point: it was a statement of imperial presence, and for decades after independence there were serious proposals to pull it down.

What you actually see

A dense, richly decorated exterior in dark red brick and pale stone, with five onion domes, mosaic icons over the entrances, and the largest set of church bells in Tallinn hanging in the belfry - the biggest weighs around fifteen tonnes.

Inside it is a working Orthodox cathedral: low light, gilded iconostasis, candles, incense, and no seating. Services are in Church Slavonic and the acoustics are extraordinary.

When to go

• Any morning - quietest, and the light on the west front is best.
• During a service - the singing is the reason to time it that way, but visitors should stay at the back and not photograph.
• Winter - the domes against snow is the postcard image.

Honest expectations

It is a functioning church first. Modest dress is expected, women often cover their heads, and photography inside is generally not allowed - people who arrive treating it as a museum get corrected.

The square outside is one of the busiest points in the old town, and cruise-ship groups arrive in waves through the middle of the day.

Nearby

Toompea Castle and the parliament building are directly opposite. The Kohtuotsa and Patkuli viewing platforms are a two-minute walk, and the Dome Church is around the corner.