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UnforgettableLandmarks4www.unalaska.info877.581.2612ThechurchoftheHolyAscensionofChristhasbeenalandmarkandsymbolofUnalaskaformorethan100years.ThisRussianOrthodoxChurchwithitstwingreenoniondomesandlushgroundswasbuiltbetween1894and1896.ItisthesecondoldestchurchinAlaskaandisontheNatonalHistoricRegister.FollowingthreepreviousstructuresonthissitelocalAleutsandFatherJohnVeniaminoferectedthecurrentchurchbuildingin1826paintngseveralofthechurchsiconswithtouchesoftheAleutanlandscape.VeniaminofwhowouldlaterbecomecanonizedSaintInnocentlefmanybooksandrelicstotheChurchandsomearestllinusetoday.DuringWorldWarIIchurchtreasureswerescateredwhentheAleutpeoplewereforcedtoleavetheirhomesforrelocatoncampsinsoutheastAlaska.Someitemsweretakenwiththepeoplewhileotherswerehiddenaway.AferthewarrelicsfromotherchurchesintheAleutansjoinedthoseofUnalaskatomakeItscollectonofnearly700RussianOrthodoxiconsbookspaintngsandotherreligiousitemsoneofthelargestinthestate.Inthemid1890stheexistngchurchwasbuiltincorporatngpartsoftheearlierstructures.Althoughsomechangeshavebeenmadeitexistslargelyuntouched.Itisthelargestcruciform-stylechurchinAlaskabuiltintheshapeofacrosswithtwosidechapels.SevenbellscastinRussiaintheearly1800sarestllrungonchurchholydayswithbellringersusingtheirarmslegsandfeetinanancientstylelostinmostpartsoftheworld.In1882theneighboringBishopsHousewasbuiltinSanFranciscodismantledandshippedtobereassembledinUnalaskaforBishopNestor.HewaslostatseaonhiswaytoUnalaskaandneverlivedinthehouse.TheBishopsHouseistheonlysurvivingremnantofaclusterofchurchbuildingsthatonceincludedaseminaryandschool.