Église Russe

The Swiss Constitution of 1848 granted freedom of religion to all denominations and most communities were granted land. The Russian Orthodox Church, however, did not get its turn until 1859. Its Church of the Holy Mother of God was finished in 1866 in Byzantine style according to plans by an architect from St Petersburg. It can be seen from far and wide thanks to its golden cupolas and its light-coloured stonework. The money to build the church mainly came from the Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna Constantine... who was related to both British Queen Victoria and the Russian Tsar Alexander I. In 1868 the author Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky had his daughter Sofia baptised here; however, she died shortly afterwards.
Some of the houses, which were later built in the immediate vicinity of the church, enjoyed some of the glory. Today the main residents are doctors and lawyers. Built at the highest point in the city, the view spans 20 km (12 miles). more

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