St. Basil's Cathedral on the Red Square

All tourists, coming to Moscow, want to see this beautiful cathedral on the Red Square right on the first day of their arrival. All my American clients told me after the first glance on it: "It looks like Disney Land, but not like a fake. It is real!"

The Cathedral of St. Basil was built on the orders of Ivan the Terrible to commemorate the capture of Kazan. There is an interesting legend related with the construction of the Cathedral. According to this story all the architects who participated in the construction of the temple, were blinded by the order of Ivan the Terrible. History keeps silence about names of these architects: there is no consensus among historians on this matter.

The famous St Basil Cathedral is a delightful array of swirling colors and redbrick towers. Its design comprises nine individual chapels, each topped with a unique onion dome and each commemorating a victorious assault on the city of Kazan. The church's design is based on deep religious symbolism. Simultaneously, the architecture of the church combines the traditions of Russian architecture as well as European architecture of the Renaissance. It is not simply a place where people came to pray but is also itself an icon in stone.

The Cathedral of St. Basil is one of the most famous Russian sights. It is a symbol of Russia and Moscow for many people of the Earth.

Photo #118 taken on August 12, 2006
©2006 Arthur Lookyanov (ArtLook), all rights reserved.