Did you know that the present St. Michael?s Cathedral in Sitka, Alaska is not the original building that was constructed in 1848? The first cathedral burned to ashes in 1966 and was later on reconstructed to be the church building that stands on present-day Lincoln Street. It?s a good thing that some of the religious icons and artifacts were saved from the fire and were included in the new church. Some of these traditional Russian art and treasures are on display and can be viewed during specific schedules.

The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel is considered as the ambassador of the Russian culture in Northern America during the1900s. It was the perfect model of the Russian church architectural style and without a doubt the biggest and most influential religious structure in Alaska in the 19th century. In 1840-1872, Sitka was the headquarters of the Russian Orthodox Diocese that ruled the entire North America. Today, it remains as the Seat of the Diocese of Alaska.