Russia's wooden churches were quickly ravished by rot and fire. Over the centuries, destroyed churches were replaced with larger and more elaborate buildings.
Built in 1714 during the reign of Peter the Great, the Church of the Transfiguration has 22 soaring onion domes sheathed in hundreds of aspen shingles. No nails were used in the construction of the cathedral, and today many of the spruce logs are weakened by insects and rot. In addition, a shortage of funds has lead to neglect and poorly executed restoration efforts.