The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel, located in Sitka, Alaska, is an important monument of Russian heritage in this region. It serves as the cathedral church of the Diocese of Sitka, Anchorage, and Alaska in the Orthodox Church in America. In 1962, the cathedral building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the USA and recognized as a national historic landmark of Alaska.

When New Archangel was established, its founder A. A. Baranov planned to make it an alternative to the Kodiak Orthodox mission, ordering the best church utensils and a priest for the chapel. However, in 1813, most of the utensils were lost in the shipwreck of the 'Neva' near Baranov Island. Only a few items were saved, including an icon of Archangel Michael in a silver cover.

In 1816, the first priest, Alexander Sokolov, arrived in New Archangel. In 1834, the Russian-American Company built a new chapel, consecrated in honor of St. Michael the Archangel, to replace the old one. At this time, a new priest, Father John Veniaminov, arrived in the city. In 1840, after taking monastic vows and being elevated to the episcopate, Innocent began designing the cathedral for the new diocese, and its foundation was laid in 1844. The consecration of the cathedral took place on November 20, 1848.

The cathedral was built with funds from the Russian-American Company, the bells were cast at local factories, and the clock in the bell tower was assembled by Bishop Innocent. The cathedral became a cultural center, influencing regions up to the Yukon River and Atka Island. In 1841, a Spiritual Seminary opened at the cathedral to train local clergy. Subsequently, many graduates worked for the Russian-American Company. A school with an orphanage was also founded, which closed in 1906. The seminary was moved to Blagoveshchensk in 1858. The schools were located in a building known as the Bishop's House.

After the sale of Alaska to the USA in 1867, American troops looted the cathedral and surrounding houses. In 1872, the center of the Aleutian Diocese was moved to San Francisco, and the cathedral fell into disrepair. In 1903, it became the cathedral for the Aleutian vicar. The Society of Sobriety and brotherhood operated at the cathedral, supporting it with donations and repairs. Donations came from the Imperial Missionary Society, the Russian-American Company, and private individuals.

A fire on the night of January 2, 1966, destroyed the cathedral and much of central Sitka. Residents managed to save almost all the utensils, including the Royal Doors and the chandelier. The bells, the icon of the Last Supper, and the clock were lost. At the time of the fire, the cathedral was the oldest church building built during the Russian period in Alaska.

Immediately after the fire, a campaign to restore the cathedral was launched, led by architect Sergey Padyukov. The work was carried out based on photographs from 1961. The new consecration of the cathedral took place in 1976 in the presence of A. I. Solzhenitsyn. The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel remains a unique symbol of Russian presence in Alaska.