Golden domes
Over green roofs.
en:User:hux — Public domain · Bruno Rijsman — CC BY 2.0 · Bruno Rijsman — CC BY 2.0 · Bruno Rijsman — CC BY 2.0 · Nikolai Bulykin — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nikolai Bulykin — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bruno Rijsman — CC BY 2.0 · Nikolai Bulykin — CC BY-SA 4.0
A wooden Russian Orthodox church in Karakol, built in 1894-1895 to replace an earlier brick church destroyed by the 1889 earthquake. It was built of wood for its better earthquake resistance, to a design by engineers from Verny, today's Almaty. It stands out for its many green roofs topped with golden onion domes, its carved timber walls and decorated window frames. When built it was the tallest building in Karakol, the top of its cross reaching about 26 m. After the 1917 Revolution it served many purposes: a school, a sports hall, a theatre and even a coal store. It was later abandoned, restoration began in 1986, and it was returned to the Orthodox Church after Kyrgyzstan's independence in 1991. Entry is usually free. It is a working church, so dress modestly. It sits in a garden of trees and roses, and the wooden Dungan Mosque is a short walk away, so the two make one visit.
Over green roofs.
On the walls.
With roses.
Central Karakol
Wood resists earthquakes better, after the 1889 quake destroyed the earlier brick church; the present one was built in 1894-1895.
