St. Basil's Cathedral

St. Basil's Cathedral

St. Basil's Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed or translated as the Church of Intercession on the Moat, is a multi-domed church located on Moscow's Red Square. It is often regarded as a symbol of Russia's unique position between Europe and Asia. The church was commissioned by Ivan IV to commemorate his conquest of the Khanate of Kazan and was built between 1555 and 1561.

In 1588, Tsar Feodor Ivanovich added a small chapel on the eastern side above the tomb of St. Basil the Blessed, a Russian Orthodox saint, within the building. Since then, the church has been commonly known as "St. Basil's Cathedral." The exterior of St. Basil's Cathedral resembles an arrangement of onion domes, and its creative form, vibrant colors, and exquisite structure combine perfectly to create a breathtaking sight, earning it the reputation of "a stone fairy tale."

St. Basil's Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox church that showcases the 16th-century folk architectural style of Russia. The entire church is ingeniously composed of nine towers; eight brightly colored, bulbous towers rise from a high base and encircle a central tower. The central tower stands 47.5 meters high from foundation to tip, topped with a gleaming golden drum dome; the upper part of its prism-shaped tower features deep niches, while the lower part consists of a ring of tall, elongated windows. The main entrances of the eight towers all face the corridor inside the central church, so entering from any door allows one to view the entire interior of the church. The exterior of the church is surrounded by corridors and staircases on all sides. Inside, almost all passageways and the blank walls around the doors and windows of the chapels are adorned with frescoes from the 16th to 17th centuries.

Saint Basil's Cathedral

Reason to visit: One of the most uniquely shaped churches

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: Russia[Russia]

Province/State: Moscow Autonomous City [Moscow]

City: Moscow [Moscow]