Historical Religious Buildings (Self Guided), Irkutsk

The Orthodox Epiphany Cathedral is located in Irkutsk's historic city center at the intersection of Sukhbaatar and the Lower Angara River embankment. In 1994 the Cathedral of the Epiphany was transferred to the diocese of Irkutsk, which began to hold worship services in the former chapel of Peter and Paul. In 2002 painting of the church's altar was completed.

Savior Church was built in 1706. It is located opposite Epiphany Cathedral and is the oldest building in the city. Savior Church is the only church in the city that has frescoes on its exterior. The church has a large collection of bells, including the unique Hilevskaya Bell. In 1861 the church suffered due to an earthquake, but it has since been restored.

The Church of the Assumption of our Lady is a Polish Catholic Church. It is located close to Epiphany Cathedral and Savior Church. The church was designed in the Gothic style, uncommon in this region. The Irkutsk Catholic parish was once the largest in the world, but new parishes in Chita, Blagoveshchensk, Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk, Usolie-Siberian, Sludianka later eclipsed Irkutsk.

Transfiguration Church was built in 1798 with financial support from Irkutsk merchants S.Y. Ignatiev and J.H. Dry. The Decembrist families Volkonsky and Trubetskoy were sheltered in this church. Transfiguration Church was also the regular church of the Volkonsky family.

Kazan Cathedral was built in 1894 in the Russian-Byzantine style. It is an impressive building, accommodating up to 5,000 parishioners at a time. The cathedral stands 60 meters tall, and it is considered one of the most beautiful churches in Russia. To compare dimensions, the massive St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg can accommodate 8,000 parishioners.