St Basil’s Cathedral

St Basil’s is known as Cathedral of Intercession of Theotokos on the Moat. This Orthodox Church stands in the Red Square of Moscow city in Russia. It was commissioned to be built by Ivan IV. Since the 16th century, the structure has been an important landmark in Russia. The local residents call the original structure the “Trinity Church”.

In 16th century, the church is perceived as one of the main pilgrimage center for Orthodox Christian across the world. It was built to celebrate Ivan IV‘s victory over Kazan and Astrakhan. It was named as the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin by the Moat after the capture.It stood as the tallest building in the Red Square until the Great Bell Tower was constructed.

History of St Basil’s Cathedral

Trinity Cathedral built in 1555 is one of the historic attractions of the place. At this time, the building was one of the most magnificent landmarks in Russia. St Basil forecasted a fire in Moscow and impressed the then ruler Ivan IV. On his death, he was buried in the cathedral cemetery. Tsar Ivanovich added the ninth chapel of the cathedral in 1588 to house the grave of St Basil.
All the nine chapels of the cathedral are built on a single foundation. The churches have onion shaped dome and hold immense popularity among the visitors. The foundation was laid of white stone and the churches were built of red bricks. The present day cathedral has a unique color due to the several stages of renovations and rework since 1680s. The construction of St Basil’s reflect symbolism and power. It represents New Jerusalem. The eight onion domes form eight stars on the top of the churches. It is symbolic of the guiding stars that show the light to human beings on earth.

The church has invariably passed through tumultuous times and escaped major destructions of power and natural calamities. There are also significant damages from weather conditions. An extensive interior and exterior program in on to preserve this great structure in Russia.

Attractions of St Basil’s Cathedral

• Exploring this magnificent monument is one of the main activities for tourists. It also holds great significance among Orthodox Christian conglomerations and is a pilgrimage center. The visitors can take a guided tour through the nine chapels, adjoining gardens, and the grave of St Basil.
• The architecture and design impresses artists, architects, and engineers. The symbolism of the structure is equally interesting to the tourists. The eight assaults on Kazan are represented in the eight dome-like structures. Many Christians also consider them as the eight guiding auspicious stars on the monument.
• The ninth Chapel on the eastern side of the cathedral is St Basil’s burial ground. Many offer prayers at this place. A golden pyramid represents it.
• The interior has many galleries, halls, narrow staircases, and archways. The walls have colorful floral and geometric designs.
• The Trinity Cathedral garden houses a bronze statue. It commemorates the Russian volunteers Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin during the 17th century.