The St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in Bulgaria and one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world. Built between 1882-1912 in Neo-Byzantine style, it serves as a memorial to the 200,000 Russian soldiers who died during the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878) that liberated Bulgaria from Ottoman rule. The cathedral can hold 10,000 people and features a 45-meter high gold-plated dome. The interior is decorated with Italian marble, Brazilian onyx, and stunning icons. The crypt houses one of Europe largest collections of Orthodox icons dating from the 9th to 19th centuries.