Game of Thrones or Buk missile? Russia to build one of world's tallest cathedrals… for the military

Russia is to erect one of the tallest Orthodox cathedrals in the world, dedicated to the armed forces. Social media users were quick to compare its design to a Buk missile or something from Games of Thrones.

The “main cathedral for Russian armed forces” is to appear in Patriot Park, a famous military theme park near Moscow, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu revealed on Tuesday. The 95-meter high site is to become one of the biggest orthodox cathedrals in the world after the famous Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, Saint Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg and the Transfiguration Cathedral in Khabarovsk.

READ MORE: Specs of Russia’s new missile capable of hitting hyper-sonic targets ‘revealed’

“I would like us to make it a people’s cathedral and the main cathedral for the Russian armed forces,” Shoigu said, adding that the construction is to be finished by the 75th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War, which means that the cathedral is to be completed no later than in 2020. 

The main military church already has its own website collecting donations for the construction and has a video revealing some details of the project. The clip shows a building with golden domes on an army green structure with glass panels.

The design, however, has sparked discussion among Russian netizens. Some said that it really resembles an “armored car” or a Buk missile system, while others argued that from above it looks like ballistic missile defense system. Others just mocked the idea. The style of the clip itself also gained attention, with people saying it looks like it is inspired by the Games of Thrones title sequence. 

Like this story? Share it with a friend!