Unalaska is dominated by the Church of the Holy Ascension, the oldest Russian-built church still standing in Alaska. It was built in 1825 and then enlarged in 1894, when its floor plan was changed to a pekov (the shape of a crucifix). Overlooking the bay, the church and its onion domes are Unalaska's most haunting symbol. The church contains almost 700 pieces of art, ranging from Russian Orthodox icons and books to the largest collection of 19th-century paintings in Alaska.
The best time to view the interior of the church is after services, 6:30pm on Saturday and 11am Sunday morning.
Outside the church is a small graveyard, where the largest grave marker belongs to Baron Nicholas Zass. Born in 1825 in Archangel, Russia, he eventually became bishop of the Aleutian Islands, and all of Alaska, before his death in 1882. Next door to the graveyard is the Bishop’s House .
