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Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Chapel

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1906. Near Mission St.
  • Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Chapel (Alison K. Hoagland)
  • Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Chapel (HABS)
  • Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Chapel (HABS)

Never finished, the simple chapel to Saint Nicholas has a pure form that is charming. The chapel was constructed over the graves of Igumen (Abbot) Nicholas, the first Russian Orthodox missionary in Kenai, his assistant Makarii Ivanov, and an unidentified monk. It is thus near the site of the first church, as these clergy would have originally been buried in the churchyard. It is also near the site of Saint Nicholas Redoubt, the Russians' outpost at Kenai.

The 19 foot 10 inch square chapel is constructed of 5-inch-thick logs, hewn flat on two sides and grooved on the bottom to fit snugly over the one below. The logs were dovetailed at the corners and braced on the interior. The pyramidal roof has four cross gables and is topped by a cupola and onion dome. There is a low double door on the west side, and two windows on two sides.

In the late 1980s, the building was further braced; bolts were driven through the logs, marring the exterior appearance and damaging the historic fabric.

Writing Credits

Author: 
Alison K. Hoagland
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Data

What's Nearby

Holy Assumption Russian Orthodox Church
Building 3
Russian Orthodox Rectory
Fort Kenay Museum
Building 2

Citation

Alison K. Hoagland, "Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Chapel", [Kenai, Alaska], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/AK-01-SC064.

Print Source

Buildings of Alaska, Alison K. Hoagland. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993, 119-119.

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