The last bastion of Russian Colonialism in America, the Bishop’s House is a legacy of Imperial Russia’s 125 year reign over the North Pacific. Built in 1842, the Bishop’s House and St. Michael’s Cathedral were the center of Russian Orthodox Church authority in a diocese that spanned from California to Siberian Kamchatka. The house itself was acquired from the Russians by the National Park Service in 1969, which restored the house to its former (1853) appearance. The house now stands in the Sitka National Historical Park, giving visitors the opportunity to take a step back in time and see what life was like during the Russian-American period and learn the history of the colonization of Sitka.
The Russian Bishop’s House is located in the National Historical Park in downtown Sitka. The park visitor center is located at the end of Lincoln Street, about .25 mi (.4 km) from the city center. Summer Hours: from mid-May through September, daily from 8:30am - 5pm. Ranger-led tours are offered every 30 minutes.