The Dormition Cathedral is one of the oldest Orthodox landmarks not only in Atyrau but across Western Kazakhstan. Its story is inseparable from the Tudakov merchant dynasty, a family that left a noticeable mark on the city’s history.

The Tudakov Family: From Persia to the Ural River

Construction of the cathedral began in 1888, financed by merchant Fedot Tudakov. The family’s background could easily fill a separate article, but here are the essentials. Their ancestors came to Russia from Persia and had settled in Guryev (the old name of Atyrau) by the 1770s.

Their rise in fortune is tied to an unusual event. Fedot’s father, Ivan, returned from the Russo-Turkish War with gold bars recovered from a sunken ship. This unexpected treasure allowed the Tudakovs to expand their business. Fedot, the eldest son, became a merchant, traded fish, and kept horses, sheep, and even camels.

After the 1917 revolution, the family left Guryev and moved to Europe, where their descendants still live.

A Church That Outlasted Eras and Ideologies

Construction took almost ten years, largely because work had to stop each winter due to the severe climate. After the revolution, the cathedral shared the fate of many churches in the early Soviet years. It was closed, then repurposed as a stable and a warehouse. It reopened in 1947.

In 2000, the building underwent a full restoration that preserved its historical appearance. The cathedral reflects the pseudo-Russian architectural style, a blend of Old Russian traditions and distinct Byzantine influences.

How to get there?

Address: 4 Isatay Taimanov Avenue

You can reach the cathedral by buses #10, 20, 61, and 66.

Other tourist attractions near the cathedral:

• Isatay and Makhambet Square
• Baizaar Shopping Mall
• Imangaly Mosque
• Flagpole
• Sultan Beybarys Square