Located in the centre of Oryol close to the bank of the River Orlik is Archangel Michael's Cathedral which was built between 1801 and 1817 in the classical style. Emperor Alexander I worshiped here in 1823 and in 1826 his body was briefly laid to rest here on its return to St Petersburg from Taganrog. In the 1920s the cathedral was closed and used to house an anti-religious museum. In 1989 it was returned to the Orthodox Church and re-consecrated in 1990.