The iconostasis was donated by the Zar Nicholas II to the Florentine church
Weddings in Italy > Wedding Locations > Luxury Wedding in Florence > Russian Orthodox Church
To be able to marry in the Russian orthodox church of Florence it is not necessary that both of the betrothed belong to the orthodox Russian religion but the couple must be already legally married and must have a Baptism certificate. The ceremony can be celebrated in Russian and English but also in Italian, if the couple wishes so. The liturgy is quite impressive with a polyphony and an intensive incense perfume. When the “Regal Doors” of the Iconostasis open, people can admire the beauty of the sanctuary, appreciating the magic of the moment and being symbolically in contact with God.
The Orthodox Russian church of the Nativity of Christ and Saint Nicholas in Florence, was built between 1899 and 1903. The project of this precious building is of the architect Michail Préobraženskij from the Academy of Fine Arts of S. Peterburg, famous for other magnificent churches such as the Nice and the Tallinn Cathedral as well as the St. Peterburg’s Cathedral.
The building was built in the style of the north Russian churches, on two levels. The upper church, cooler for summer and the lower church, warmer, for winter. It is surrounded by an elegant garden, fenced in by a valuable and finely decorated wrought iron. The structure is crowned on each side by an “embroidery” of a series of seven arches named “kokosniki”. They have a mosaic decoration and are the base of the drums of five domes. The bulb domes are covered by a polychromatic ceramics with touches of turquoise-blue, green and white. A veritable arabesque of colours that reminds us of the domes of the Russian cathedral of San Basilio.
The spacious aisle of the upper church is entirely decorated by paintings on the side walls and oriental arabesques or floral patterns in an eclectic ensemble of bright colours. The atmosphere is warm and cosy, ideal frame for the celebration of a wedding. The iconostasis of the upper church is in two-tone marble, it makes the visitor stare at its beauty. It was donated by the Zar Nicholas II to the Florentine church, which shows us how important it was. The Icons of the iconostasis and all the other precious icons which decorate the church were made by Russian artists.
The church of the Nativity of Christ in Florence, a jewel of Russian architecture of the Diaspora, has been named by Metropolitan Evloghij “wonderful church, the most beautiful of the Diocese”.