The Ascension Cathedral in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
In the late 19th century, the first bishops of the Turkistan eparchy raised the question of establishing a Russian Orthodox church in Almaty. On September 26, 1903, Bishop Paisii (Vinogradov) of Turkestan and Tashkent consecrated its foundation, and construction proceeded from 1904 to 1907.
The belfry was added on September 14, 1906. Remarkably, the cathedral withstood the earthquake of 1911 with only slight damage, despite being built entirely without nails. Some churchmen regarded this as divine protection, while others speculated that the choice to avoid nails was symbolic, given their role in the crucifixion of Christ.
The cathedral’s interior was produced in Moscow and Kiev workshops, with the iconostasis painted by N. Khludov. After the Russian Revolution, the building was repurposed to house the Central State Museum of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, and between 1930 and 1940 it was occupied by various public organizations. The first radio transmitters in Almaty were even installed in its belfry.
Restoration was carried out between 1973 and 1976. In May 1995 the cathedral was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, and after further restoration in 1997 it was reopened for worship.
From July 2017 to October 28, 2020, the cathedral underwent a major reconstruction. Today it remains open to the public and continues to receive worshippers and visitors alike.
