St Basil’s Cathedral, A fairytale of colors and domes
Red Square (Krasnaya Ploschad)
4.6
Introduction
St. Basil's Cathedral is located at the southern end of Red Square, adjacent to the Kremlin. It was designed and built by Russian architects "Barma" and "Postnik" under the orders of Ivan the Terrible and Archbishop Makariy. The cathedral consists of seven wooden chapels and was started in 1555 and completed in 1560. It has nine golden onion-shaped domes, cleverly combined with nine interconnected octagonal towers.
The cathedral was once used as a treasury. Legend has it that when two nobles found out about it, they decided to rob the treasure in 1595. Their plot failed and they were eventually executed. In 1912, the cathedral was considered a dilapidated building by the Russian Society for the Preservation of Monuments of History and Culture. After the October Revolution, the government began restoration work. In 1980, the main entrance and exterior galleries were repaired. St. Basil's Cathedral has only been used for a short period of time in its history and is now a branch of the State Historical Museum of Russia for visitors.
The eight domes of the cathedral represent eight saints, while the central dome symbolizes the highest position of God. Ivan the Terrible ordered the eyes of all the architects and craftsmen involved in building the cathedral to be gouged out to prevent similar cathedrals from appearing in other countries. Ivan the Terrible was also known as the "Terrible Tsar" due to his cruel nature.
The construction of the cathedral marked Moscow as the religious and political center of Russia. It is a milestone in the Russian nation's efforts to rid itself of foreign rule, achieve unity, and gradually become powerful. Address Red Square (Krasnaya Ploschad)
Opening hours From June to August, open every day from 10:00-19:00. From May, September to October, open every day from 11:00-18:00. From November to April of the following year, open every day from 11:00-17:00.
Transportation Take subway Line 1 to Okhotny Ryad Station (Охотный ряд), Line 2 to Teatralnaya Station (Театральная), Line 3 to Ploshchad Revolyutsii Station (Площадь Революции), Lines 6 and 7 to Kitay-gorod Station (Китай-город); or take Bus Route 25, Trams 1, 2, 8, 12, 16, 25, 33.
Onion-shaped domes are a symbol of Russian architecture
