St. Basil’s Cathedral is one of Moscow’s oldest churches, whose silhouette is well-known all around the world. Its colourful onion-shaped domes have become the symbol of Russia and most tourists who arrive in Moscow take time to pay tribute to its unusual architecture and amazing interiors. Known worldwide for its fairytale-like appearance, it attracts around 400,000 visitors a year. St. Basil’s Cathedral was constructed in 1555, under the orders of Tsar Ivan IV (also known as Ivan the Terrible) to honor Saint Basil the Blessed – Moscow’s holy fool who chose a simple life, walked barefoot and abandoned his clothes, for which God granted him the gift of performing miracles. He was well-loved by the people of Moscow and was, reportedly, feared by the Tsar himself. It remains the most unusual church in Russia, which survived Napoleon’s invasion, the Revolution and Soviet times. In 1990, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
St. Basil’s: An icon of Russia
