Onion domes rise against the darkness of the northern sky. Its Neo-Byzantine design and unmistakable onion domes are remnants of a time when railway builders, merchants, and émigrés left their imprint on the city’s streetscape. Against the red-brick façade and snow-dusted onion domes of St. Sophia Cathedral — one of Harbin’s most recognizable Russian-era landmarks — princess-themed photo shoots have become a common sight during the winter season. I’ve stood in Moscow in similarly biting cold, where colorful onion domes rise against gray skies, and here in Harbin, St. Sophia quietly echoed that feeling. The cold is assertive, uncompromising, and ever-present.

Source: Philippine Star January 31, 2026 21:09 UTC