Russian Orthodox Church, Vevey

Location of Russian Orthodox Church of Saint Megalomartyr Barbara in Switzerland

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Russian Orthodox Church, Vevey (Canton of Vaud)

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The Russian Orthodox Church, also called the Russian Orthodox Church of Saint Megalomartyr Barbara (French: Église orthodoxe russe de la sainte mégalomartyre Barbara; Russian: Це́рковь свято́й великому́ченицы Варва́ры), is a Russian Orthodox Church in Vevey, canton of Vaud, Switzerland. It is listed as a heritage site of national significance.

History

In the 19th century, an important Russian population resided around Lake Geneva, mainly in Geneva (bourgeois families) and Montreux/Vevey (nobility). One of the most prominent Russians in Vevey, Count Schouwaloff, saw his spouse and his only daughter Barbara die. Barbara was married either to Prince Dolgorouki^[1] or to Count Orloff,^[2] depending on the sources. Schouwaloff wanted to immortalise the memory of his daughter and built an Orthodox church dedicated to the Great Martyr Barbara.^[1]

The church was designed in Saint Petersburg by Ippolito Antonovitch Monighetti between 1875 and 1878.^[3] It was built by Vaudois architect Samuel Késer and consecrated on November 1, 1878. It became a parish church in 1949^[4] and was listed among the Cultural Property of National Significance in 1977.^[5] For a long time, the administration of the church aroused controversy between the churches of Vevey and Geneva.^[6]

See also

• List of cultural property of national significance in Switzerland: Vaud

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Église orthodoxe russe de Vevey.

1. ^ ^{a b} "L'Eglise Orthodoxe en Suisse". switzerland.isyours.com (in French). Retrieved December 6, 2012.
2. ^ Vernaz 2011, p. 4.
3. ^ "Église orthodoxe russe Sainte-Barbara" (in French). Le Petit Futé. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
4. ^ "L´église Sainte Barbara de Vevey" (PDF). kipa-apic.ch (in French). Retrieved December 6, 2012.
5. ^ "Eglise orthodoxe". Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National Significance (in French). Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP). Retrieved November 11, 2019.
6. ^ "Les origines de l'Eglise orthodoxe russe de Vevey". orthodoxie.ch (in French). Retrieved December 6, 2012.