Iver Church is a historic and ill-fated Orthodox church, and a very unique historical building in Harbin. Iver Church was built in

Iver Church is a historic and ill-fated Orthodox church, and a very unique historical building in Harbin. Iver Church was built in 1908, one of the military churches constructed by Tsarist Russia in Harbin, primarily serving the Russian Outer Amur Military District Infantry Brigade at the time. Its architectural style is Russian Byzantine, known for its unique "onion dome" and exquisite wall decorations. It was once the best-preserved and most artistically valuable church among the existing churches in Harbin, but was later abandoned for a long time and submerged among cluttered residential buildings until it was restored in recent years. Construction Background (1908): Designed by Russian architect Dmitryevich Veliten, it provided religious services for officers, soldiers, and their families of the Tsarist Russian Outer Amur Military District Infantry Brigade stationed in Harbin. After its completion, the church became one of Harbin's important Orthodox activity centers. Republic of China and Puppet Manchukuo Periods: With the changes in the Chinese Eastern Railway and the movement of Russian expatriates, the church continued to maintain its religious functions. Cultural Revolution Period (1960s-1970s): Like many religious buildings in China, Iver Church suffered severe damage during the Cultural Revolution. The "crosses" on the domes were removed, the "onion domes" were destroyed, and the internal structure of the church was completely altered. Subsequently, it was converted into a warehouse and workshop for a factory, and dense residential buildings gradually sprang up around it, tightly enclosing it, making it almost invisible from the main road. 2017 to Present: With Harbin's growing awareness of historical building preservation, the restoration of Iver Church was put on the agenda. During the renovation of its surrounding shantytowns, the church was completely preserved and thoroughly repaired. The church's five "onion domes" and crosses were reinstalled, restoring its historical appearance. It is located at the intersection of Jihong Street and Gongchang Hutong in Daoli District, Harbin (near the North Square of Harbin Railway Station). Iver Church is one of the historical witnesses to Harbin as "Oriental Moscow." It experienced the glory of its construction, service during wartime, destruction during turbulent times, and long-term obscurity, finally gaining rebirth through modern urban renewal. Although its fame is not as great as Saint Sophia Church, its winding history and exquisite architecture make it an invaluable "treasure" attraction for exploring Harbin's profound history and diverse culture.