Holy Cross Cathedral

The Holy Cross Cathedral is the only Orthodox church in Geneva, a cathedral belonging to the diocese of the Orthodox Russian Church abroad.

The construction of the temple began in 1863, and three years later, the temple was consecrated on the occasion of the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, thanks to which it received its name. The construction of the church was carried out in accordance with the pseudo-Russian style of white stone mined in Swiss quarries. Particular attention should be paid to the interior decoration of the temple walls, made by the artist Joseph Benzoni from Lugano. These are bizarre plant ornaments, the influence of the Byzantine direction, and geometrically correct drawings. All internal vaults are painted with a soft blue paint with gold stars. The main dome of the temple is crowned with the image of the Savior on a golden background, below surrounded by seraphim.

The Holy Cross Cathedral is decorated with five gilded domes, and the outer walls are crosses of gray marble. Around the temple is a small but very beautiful garden with many flowers and low trees. Services and events are held in Russian and occasionally in French.