Must-see stop in Sitka: Russian Bishop’s House
Built in 1843, during the “Golden Age” of Russian North America, this spacious, two-story building was home to Bishop Innocent of the Russian Orthodox Church. It was the center of Russian North America’s cultural, educational and business ventures, complete with a formal reception hall, dining room, chapel, school and seminary.
Although it was a church building, the Russian American Company helped fund the house; a provision in their charter involved assisting missionary activities in Russian North America. Clearly, there was no separation between church and state in 19th-century Russia.
