At the beginning of the 20th century, in Irkutsk, on the banks of the Angara River, not far from the Spasskaya Church and the Epiphany Cathedral, the majestic Kazan Cathedral proudly stood. Despite its relatively short existence of less than forty years, it firmly engraved itself in the memories of the townspeople. The grand and solemn cathedral served as a symbol of cultural prosperity and wealth in Irkutsk in the late 19th to early 20th century. Located in the city center, the temple not only dominated the surrounding architecture but also unified separate parish churches, whose distinctive volumes gave the city a unique and picturesque silhouette.
The Irkutsk Kazan Cathedral was among the largest religious structures in Russia. It could accommodate up to five thousand worshippers, and its height reached 60 meters (from ground level to the top of the main dome's cross, not including the underground burial chapel).
