Germany - Potsdam, Alexander Nevsky Memorial Church

In 1812 the Prussian army captured 1.000 Russian soldiers. King Friedrich Wilhelm III formed a choir from these men. Later - after a renewed friendship between Prussia and Russia - the choir remained in Potsdam.
After the death of the Russian tsar Alexander, Friedrich Wilhelm paid tribute by building a village for the remaining members of the choir. The village of Alexandrowka with its thirteen houses was finished in 1827. Houses (PiP’s) were built in Russian style, fully furnished and came with a large garden and a cow.

In honor of the inhabitant's religion, the king decided to add a Russian Orthodox Church to the settlement. It was named after tsar Alexander’s patron saint, Alexander Nevsky. The church was designed by a Russian architect. It is located on the Kapellenberg, north of Alexandrowka.

The church has been in service continuously since its dedication in 1829 and is today the oldest existing Russian Orthodox Church in Western Europe. The last original inhabitant of Alexandrowka died in 1861. Today the houses have new private owners and most of them have been beautifully restored. Since 1999 the settlement and church are a UNESCO World Heritage site.