Churches in Paris: Holy Trinity Cathedral

A recent hard-to-miss addition to the skyline of Paris is a Russian Orthodox church, the Holy Trinity Cathedral.  The building is noticeable because of its prime location along the Seine near the Eiffel Tower and because seeing Russian Orthodox domes in the center of Paris is extraordinary.  

The project to build the church took many years and faced opposition.  Finally opened in 2016, the cathedral and its adjacent cultural center serve multiple purposes, from religious to cultural to educational. 

We visited the cathedral recently to view its architecture and interior.  The exterior architecture is ultra-modern, not what you might expect for a church.  If not for the domes and crosses on top, it might not be easy to identify the building as a church.  

A view of the church from the street

Another view of the church from the courtyard

The cultural center next to the church

Once inside, there is no doubt that the building is a church.  The high walls and ceiling are stark white but the sanctuary is richly decorated with icons, mosaics and other religious artifacts.  Plus, recorded chanting was played and several visitors were devoutly praying. 

 

 

An icon depicting the Holy Trinity

The cathedral is topped by 5 domes, or bulbs, that represent Jesus and the four evangelists.  The domes are covered in 90,000 sheets of gold and palladium.  You can click here to see a video showing the installation of the large, center dome.  

The cathedral is not universally adored.  New buildings in Paris are typically disliked and criticized, just as the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Pyramid were.  The cathedral is no exception.  Critics of the building have nicknamed it the Kremlin on the Seine, Saint Vladimir and Cathedral Putin.  Perhaps time will soften the criticism.  It might take a long time.   

Thanks for visiting the Holy Trinity Cathedral with us.