for the gates in Berlin, while the gates themselves were manufactured in Karl Bamberg's factory in Vienna, and the mosaics were shipped from Venice. Name changes The name of the cathedral was briefly changed to the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral between 1916 and 1920 (since Bulgaria and Russia belonged to opposing alliances in World War I), but then the initial name was restored. The St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was consecrated on 12 September 1924 and in 1955 was declared a cultural monument. Relics To the left of the altar is a case displaying relics of Alexander Nevsky, given by the Russian Orthodox Church. Although the accompanying Bulgarian-language plaque refers simply to "relics" (мощи), the item on display appears to be a piece of a rib. Museum and market There is a museum of Bulgarian icons inside the cathedral crypt, part of the National Art Gallery. The church claims that the museum contains the largest collection of Orthodox icons in Europe. Nearby locations The cathedral is adjacent to St. Sofia Church, the church for which the city of Sofia is named. Other notable landmarks in the immediate vicinity of the cathedral are the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the National Gallery of Foreign Art, the National Art Academy, the Bulgarian Parliament, a park honoring Ivan Vazov with his monument and gravestone, the Sofia Opera and Ballet, and a park where one can buy handmade textiles, icons, and antiques in a small flea market. Gallery See also List of churches in Sofia List of large Orthodox cathedrals List of tallest domes References External links Old photographs of the Nevsky Cathedral Three dimensional rendering of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (without plugin; in English, Spanish, German) 3D Laser scanning of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral 20th-century churches in Bulgaria Cathedrals in Sofia Bulgarian Orthodox cathedrals Tourist attractions in Sofia Churches completed in 1912 20th-century Eastern Orthodox church buildings Church buildings with domes Byzantine Revival architecture in Bulgaria Sofia 1912 establishments in Bulgaria Religious museums in Bulgaria Bulgarian Orthodox churches in Sofia