Russian Orthodox Cathedral

Richard Griffiths Architects were appointed in 2004 to clean and redecorate the interior of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Ennismore Gardens.

Built as an Anglican church in 1848-9 to the designs of Lewis Vullamy, it was altered by Harrison Townsend in the 1890s, and became the Russian Orthodox Cathedral in the 1950s.

The interior of the church was cleaned to remove the accumulation of years of candle soot, revealing the full splendour of Heywood Sumner’s remarkable Arts and Crafts sgraffito decorations and gilded apse. The columns were redecorated with rich porphyry marbling, and the walls repainted in a stone colour to provide a suitable background to the icons.

Meanwhile, the nave was re-lit with magnificent copper and brass chandeliers.

Photography Will Pryce