By its architectural design, the St. Basil Cathedral comprises nine individual churches each crowned by a unique tower. The main church of the Mother of God is in the middle and 8 chapels crowned with onion domes positioned around the central form an eight-pointed star. This symbolizes the supremacy and protection of the Mother of God over all the Orthodox Church and over the Russian lands.
The church's design is based on deep religious symbolism and was meant to be an architectural representation of the New Jerusalem - the Heavenly Kingdom described in the Book of Revelation of St. John the Divine.