The inspiring Cathedral of Christ the Saviour - Russia's largest - was originally built to give thanks for the delivery of Moscow from Napoleon in 1812. The shining golden cupola stands 105 metres high, overlooking the River Moscow.
Under Soviet rule it was reduced to rubble, with a huge statue of Lenin planned to take its place. Eventually, under Khrushchev, a massive outdoor swimming pool was built on the site.
The fall of Communism meant that the cathedral, with its resplendent golden domes, was lovingly and painstakingly rebuilt using donations from the public, opening again fully in August 2000. One of Russian Orthodoxy's most important churches, Boris Yeltsin lay in state here after his death in 2007.