St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow, Russia

St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, Russia is a world-renowned architectural masterpiece. Here is an introduction to it:

Basic Information

• Official Name: The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, or Pokrovsky Cathedral.
• Location2: It is located on Red Square in Moscow, Russia, facing the Ivory Gate Chapel.
• Coordinates: 55°45′9″N 37°37′23″E.

History

• Construction Background1: Built between 1555 and 1561 by the order of Ivan IV to commemorate the conquest of the Kazan Khanate.
• Name Origin: Originally called Trinity Church. In the late 16th century, it was renamed St. Basil’s Cathedral after Saint Basil was buried in the tenth chapel specially built for him.
• Historical Events: It has faced many threats throughout history. For example, in 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte almost blew it up; in 1935, Joseph Stalin nearly demolished it, but it was luckily preserved1.

Architectural Features

• Overall Structure: The cathedral consists of a central tower and eight surrounding round towers3. There is a central church with a tall tent-like top in the center, surrounded by four octagonal large chapels, and four small chapels are on the diagonal lines between the large chapels1.
• Dome Design: It is famous for its nine onion-shaped domes that vary in shape and color2. The domes are brightly colored and glitter in the sun, looking like a fairytale castle2.
• Interior Decoration: There are many murals painted between the 14th and 19th centuries on the walls inside the cathedral. These murals mainly depict scenes from the Bible and are of high artistic value2.

Significance

• Cultural Significance: It is one of the most recognizable cultural symbols of Russia, representing the country’s unique architectural art and religious culture.
• Historical Significance: It is a witness to Russia’s history and an important representative of Russian national architecture, reflecting the political, religious and cultural characteristics of different periods in Russian history.
• Tourism Significance: As one of the most popular tourist attractions in Moscow, it attracts tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world every year3.

Current Situation

Since 1991, weekly Orthodox Christian services with prayer to St. Basil have been restored. It is now a part of the State Historical Museum of Russia and is open to the public as a museum12.