The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel has been the main church of the Sochi diocese for a long time. The Orthodox church surrounded by palm trees looks quite unusual, and this gives it a special southern beauty. The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel was founded in 1874, in memory of the events of the Caucasian War.
Russia waged a Caucasian war with the highlanders, which were led by Imam Shamil. It lasted for a long 40 years, from 1817 to 1859, until Prince Baryatinsky forced Shamil and his last Murids to surrender in the Dagestan Village of Gunib. Until the end of the war, trade with Transcaucasia and Persia could only be carried out through Derbent. The Daryal Gorge in the Caucasus Mountains, as well as the entire Black Sea coast, were dangerous even for trade caravans that were under guard. There could be no question of living on the Black Sea coast or relaxing.
On the site of Sochi, near the mouth of the Sochi River, in 1838, General A. Simborsky founded Fort Alexandria. However, for more than 30 years there was only a military garrison here, necessary for conducting military operations against the highlanders on the coast.
After the end of the Caucasian War, small settlements began to appear on the Black Sea coast, one of which was Sochi. The Orthodox church has always been the traditional first building in such settlements. In Sochi, it was consecrated in honor of Michael the Archangel. At the same time, the Sochi Lighthouse was built next to the cathedral. The temple and lighthouse were built on the site of Fort Alexandria. Only a small fragment of the wall has been preserved from it, which can be seen in the art gallery "Fort", next to the lighthouse.
The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel in Sochi was built in a terem architectural style. Divine services after consecration have been held here since 1891. In 1931, the cathedral was closed, but in 1944, it was returned to the church. Next to the cathedral in 2000, a water-holy chapel "Life-giving Spring" and an Icon shop were built, which decorated the courtyard of the cathedral.
