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Cathedral of the Transfiguration, Odesa

As the war in Ukraine continues, the damage in July 2023 to the Cathedral of the Transfiguration in Odesa was widely reported, and
several world leaders have visited to see the destruction. The cathedral was founded in 1794, consecrated in 1808 and the bell tower added in 1824-37. Further enlargements were made throughout the nineteenth century. All was demolished by the Soviets in 1936.
Reconstruction began to the same design in 1999 and the cathedral was consecrated in 2003. Unusually for an Orthodox church, the church is built on a Latin cross plan, with a long nave, a crossing with domed lantern tower, transepts and east end. The attack badly damaged the iconostasis and baldacchino and brought down much of the roofs of the south transept and dome, although externally the dome was still standing. The Italian government has pledged to help restore the building, continuing a long and rich history of cultural
exchange (Italian architects laid out the city at the end of the 18th century and designed many of its most iconic buildings). [Picture:
By Mvs.gov.ua, CC BY 4.0, https:// commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=134808585 ]