The main attraction of Voronezh is the huge Annunciation Cathedral. The cathedral was laid down in 1586, about the same time as the city of Voronezh. For over a century it was but a wooden church as in those times Voronezh lands were still on the outskirts of the Russian state.
A separate Voronezh eparchy was established only in 1682. Before it was a part of the Ryazan eparchy though Ryazan churchmen were rare guests at Voronezh. Saint Metrophanes was the first bishop of Voronezh. He applied a lot of efforts to spread orthodoxy in these lands. In the same year of 1682 he initiated the construction of a new stone Annunciation Cathedral.
In 1929 religious services were stopped at the Voronezh cathedral. After the Great Patriotic War the cathedral was completely ruined, and on its site there was erected the main building of the Voronezh University. In 1998 it was decided to reconstruct the cathedral on the territory of the Pervomaysky public garden, which is rather far from its original historical site.
The relics of St. Metrophanes, which were stored at the Intercession Cathedral, were returned to the new Annunciation Cathedral after its consecration. The monument of St. Metrophanes is in front of the cathedral. Now the shrine with the relics of Tikhon of Zadonsk, the bishop of Voronezh, is also stored at the new Annunciation Cathedral.
The new cathedral was built in neo-Russian (Byzantine) style. The height of the cathedral is 85 meters. The bell tower is even higher reaching 97 meters. The temple looks very big and beautiful. It the sixth largest cathedral in Russia.
