The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on Rue Daru in Paris was designed by Roman Kouzmine, chief architect of the Russian imperial court, and Ivan Strohm, chief engineer. Father Joseph Vassiliev, chaplain of the Russian Embassy, founded it with a 200,000-franc grant from Czar Alexander II. The infobox lists the style as Byzantine, and Vassiliev called it Byzantine Muscovite. The plan is a Greek cross drawing on Hagia Sophia.
Groundbreaking was on March 3, 1859, and it was consecrated on September 11, 1861, as the first Russian Orthodox place of worship in France. The exterior has five bell towers with gilded domes and a semicircular pediment holding a mosaic of Christ blessing.
It became a cathedral in 1951. The crypt was consecrated in 1863 and became the official place of worship in 1963 or 1964, according to different sections of the article.
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