Russian Orthodox Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Mathildenhöhe, Darmstadt)

The Russian church on the Mathildenhöhe was built from private funds by the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, and Tsarina Alexandra (Princess Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt). The deeply religious ruling couple did not want to do without Russian Orthodox services during their family visits in Darmstadt. For this reason, the Tsar donated the funds for the construction of the church on the Mathildenhöhe, which was therefore the private property of the Tsar's family.
The church was the first building erected on the Mathildenhöhe. Only later did the Art Nouveau ensemble, promoted by Ernst Ludwig, emerge. The church is built in the style of early Yaroslav churches. It stands on soil that was specially transported to Darmstadt from Russia and came from all the governorates. With its gilded onion domes and richly ornamented gilded roof ridges, this church represents a gem of Russian church architecture in Germany.
The marble used for the construction in the base area also came “from Russia”, i.e. from the Caucasus. The building plans were drawn up by the rector of the Petersburg Academy of Arts, Prof. Benois, who also built the church in Bad Homburg. The tiles on the outer facade and in the towers of the onion domes were specially made for the church by the company Villeroy and Boch. Stylized tsar eagles are attached to the tiles as well as the forged roof ridges. The icons of the iconostasis were painted by the well-known Russian church painter Karl Timoleon Neff.
Source: darmstadt-church.de/geschichte/baugeschichte

One of Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig's sisters married Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia. This sister Alix, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, converted to the Russian Orthodox faith and now called herself Alexandra Feodorovna. For the visits of the royal family, a chapel was built according to the plans of Leontij Benua, the artistic decoration was designed by the symbolist painter and avant-garde artist Victor Vasnezov.A finely worked apse mosaic in the interior of the church depicts the Mother of God with child, clearly separated from the church interior by a half-height iconostasis. This mosaic work was made in the workshop of the Froloff brothers in Petersburg, which still exists today. An ornamentation designed according to Byzantine models, which is also based on the formal language of floral Art Nouveau, fills the wall surfaces up to the tambour dome. Rich decor and a variety of materials also determine the external appearance of the chapel. The glowing golden domes as symbols of Russian churches are in harmony with the bright ringing of the bells, which still has to be operated by hand. Today, this gem of Russian architecture is the church of the Russian community in Darmstadt and can be visited outside of church services.Source => mathildenhoehe-darmstadt.de/mathildenhoehe/gebaeude-objects/russian-chapel-7/show

In the middle of the ensemble on the Mathildenhöhe is the Russian Chapel, a richly decorated building that was built independently of the artist colony at the end of the 19th century.