Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about Saint Basils Cathedral

St. Basil’s Cathedral. Photo by TELLURIDE 749. Wikimedia Commons.

Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about Saint Basils Cathedral

Formally known as the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, Saint Basil’s Cathedral is an Orthodox church in Red Square of Moscow. It is one of the most popular cultural symbols of Russia. It is now officially known as the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, or Pokrovsky Cathedral, a museum.

The cathedral was built from 1555 to 1561 on orders from Ivan the Terrible. Ivan was the grand prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and the first Tsar of all Russia from 1547 to 1584. It commemorates the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan.

The cathedral is extremely beautiful to the extent that legend claims the cathedral’s builder was blinded post-construction so that a structure of its beauty could never be built again. Part of the cathedral’s distinctive appearance can be attributed to the colorful domes and vivid redbrick towers. The domes belong to nine different chapels within the cathedral, and each dome is a symbol for the assault on the city of Kazan. Here are the Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about Saint Basils Cathedral.

1. It was built by order of Ivan the Terrible

Ivan IV of Russia (“Ivan the Terrible”) demonstrates his treasures to the ambassador of Queen Elizabeth I of England. Photo by Alexander Litovchenko. Wikimedia Commons.

The first Tsar of Russia, Ivan Vasilyevich—also known as Ivan Grozny (a nickname meaning “sparking terror or fear,” or “stern”), Ivan IV, and the Grand Prince of Moscow—ordered the construction of the cathedral in 1554. Ivan, grandson of Ivan the Great, saw the cathedral’s completion in 1561, but upon his death was interred at the nearby Archangel Cathedral.

2. The cathedral is made up of nine chapels

Built around the 156-foot high central nave are nine small, separate chapels that are aligned to points on the compass, four of which are raised to designate their position between heaven and earth.

The chapels are dedicated to the Protecting Veil of Mary; the Entry into Jerusalem, Saints Kiprian and Ustinia, the Holy Trinity, St. Nicholas Velikoretsky, St. Gregory of Armenia, St. Barlaam Khutynsky, St. Alexander Svirsky, and the Three Patriarchs. The ninth chapel was added in honor of Saint Basil.

3. It was built to commemorate the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan

Ivan’s goal of military dominance over a central Russian state led to numerous conflicts during his reign. In the 1550s, his armies defeated the independent Tatar khanates of Kazan and Astrakahn, and the church was built in honor of those victories.

4. The original color of the cathedral was plain white and gold

Cathédrale Saint-Basile-le-Bienheureux de Moscou. Photo by Don-Vip. Wikimedia Commons.

The cathedral’s original color was said to be white to match the white stone of the Kremlin, while the domes were gold. Starting in the 17th century, the façade and domes began to be painted in the remarkable colors that are seen today, and the pigment is said to be taken from a Biblical description, in the Book of Revelation, of the Kingdom of Heaven.

5. It now serves as a museum

View of Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square with flags to celebrate Victory Day (Moscow, 2004). Photo by Andrew Shiva. Wikimedia Commons.

Confiscated by the state after the Bolshevik Revolution, Saint Basil’s has been a museum and tourist attraction since 1929. Occasional church services have been held there since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1990, and every October the cathedral hosts a service in honor of the Day of Intercession.

6. The cathedral was almost destroyed by the Soviet union

Upon Joseph Stalin’s ascent to the head of the Soviet Union, Saint Basil’s fell out of favor and was in danger of being destroyed in order to make room on Red Square for larger demonstrations and marches.

Architect Pyotr Baranovsky supposedly sent a telegram to Stalin saying he would rather kill himself than demolish the historic cathedral, and subsequently spent five years in prison. During that time the state’s attitude changed and Saint Basil’s was spared.

7. It is a UNESCO world heritage site

In 1990, the Kremlin and Red Square were named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. It is one of 16 UNESCO cultural sites in Russia. World Heritage Sites are cultural and/or natural sites considered to be of ‘Outstanding Universal Value’, which have been inscribed on the World Heritage List by the World Heritage Committee.

8. The cathedral has had many names

Dedicated to the protection of the Virgin Mary, the church is officially known as the Church of the Intercession, or the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin on the Moat. It has also been called Pokrovsky Cathedral, Pokrovsky Sobor, and Svyatoy Vasily Blazhenny.

Born in 1468, Basil (also called the Blessed, the Beatific, and the Wonderworker of Moscow) was the son of commoners and was trained to be a cobbler. He became known for his prophetic powers and for being a “fool for Christ.” He died in 1557 and was buried in the cathedral. The cathedral was thereafter named after him.

9. There’s legend that the cathedral’s architect was blinded post construction

Stories and myths abound of Ivan’s raging temper, one of which involves him purposefully blinding the cathedral’s (unnamed) Italian architect so that its design could never be replicated. Other legends state that the architects were a pair of Russians named Barma and Posnik, or that they may have been one person.

10. The cathedral is open to the public 6 days a week

Saint Basil’s cathedral on the red square in moscow. Photo by Okruz. Wikimedia Commons.

Saint Basils Cathedral is open to the public 6 days a week. It only closes on Tuesday where it undergoes regular maintenance. It also closes on other days as needed, for additional repairs and maintenance. The entrance costs 700 rubles (it’s free for children up to 16 years old). The cathedral is a striking beauty both during the day and night. The vivacious colors are to behold.