Transfiguration Cathedral, Odesa

The Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa was founded in 1794 and consecrated in 1808. Originally a small religious building at the beginning of the 19th century, it became one of the largest cathedrals in the Russian Empire at the beginning of the 20th century. The original structure was demolished by the Soviets in 1936. It was rebuilt from 1999 to 2003.

About this building

The foundation of Odesa’s Cathedral took place in 1794, even though the building standing today dates from 1999 when the Cathedral was reconstructed after the Bolsheviks blew up the previous one. This building was constructed according to the same design as the 19th-century cathedral.

To fill the space with light, the cathedral's interior was made from marble. Its bell tower is among the largest in Ukraine. 

The architectural plan of this cathedral has served as inspiration for many other churches in this region of Ukraine. 

Key Features

  • Architecture
  • Monuments

Visitors information

  • Bus stop within 100m
  • Café within 500m

Other nearby buildings

Wikimedia Commons

Lutheran Church

The Lutheran Church of Odessa was built in the 19th century to attract German settlers to the Russian Empire. The first Lutheran church was built between 1825 and 1827. However, due to the rapid increase in the number of Lutherans in the city, the church had to be rebuilt from 1895. After decades of abandonment after World War II, the church was handed over to the German Evangelical Lutheran Church and restoration work began.

Center for Jewish Art

Great Synagogue in Odesa

The Great (Glavnaia) Synagogue in Odessa in Kherson is an Ashkenazi synagogue built between 1847 and 1850 by architect Francesco Morandi (1811–1894). This Rundbogenstil brick building still serves as a synagogue.

© Yuriy Kvach, CC BY-SA 3.0

Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral belongs to the Catholic Church. The cathedral was built between 1844 and 1853. It was Father Grzegorz Razutowicz who took the initiative to build this cathedral. The design was made by the Polish architect Feliks Gąsiorowski, with the help of Italian architect Francesco Morandi. The building is a three-aisled basilica with a dome selected cruise on a cruciform plan. White and gray marble were used inside. The painting on the main altar is an image of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, which is a copy of Raphael.