Top 10 Facts about the St. Basil Cathedral in Moscow

By Petar Milošević – Wikimedia

Top 10 Facts about the St. Basil Cathedral in Moscow

Saint Basil Cathedral was constructed in the mid-16th century. It stands out near the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia.

The Cathedral has silently watched over several historical and political events in the country. This building has become synonymous with Russia.

It is an important landmark on Moscow’s skyline. It not only boasts of being a successful Russian architecture of ancient times but also a combination of more than nine chapels into one.

The building, a popular cultural symbol of Russia, is a museum of history and architecture. It used to be the tallest building in Russia before the Great Tower Bell in 1600.

The architectural design of this magnificent building remains a mystery. I have put together the top 10 facts about St. Basil Cathedral in Moscow, read them below.

1. The St. Basil Cathedral was commissioned by Ivan, the first Russian Tsar

By Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov – Wikimedia

Ivan Vasilyevich, the first Tsar of Russia, ordered the construction of the cathedral in 1555. This was after Russia’s capture of the independent Khanate of Kazan.

Ivan’s reputation as a cruel and stern leader earned him the nickname Ivan the Terrible. He was the grandson of Ivan the Great.

Contrary to customs, Ivan the Terrible was not buried in St. Basil Cathedral but in the nearby Archangel Cathedral.

The architects commissioned for this job are not known. Their identity has been kept a secret for fears of building a better-looking Cathedral than this one.

The fact is this is the most unique and beautiful Cathedral. Legend has it that one of the architects built the Annunciation Cathedral as well as the walls and towers of the Kazan Kremlin. 

2. The architect was allegedly blinded by Ivan the terrible

There are several legends talked about the fate of the two architects tasked with designing and constructing Saint Basil Cathedral.

Known for his rage and ill-temper, Ivan the Terrible is said to have intentionally blinded the architects.

The blinding was to stop the two from replicating the design or building a much more magnificent building.

It is believed that one of the architects was Italian while others believe they were Russian. The two Russians were Barma and Posnik.

King Ivan blinded the architects right after the completion of the Cathedral, how evil right?    

3. There was no design drawn for this architectural wonder

A portrait of the Cathedral under construction in 1902 By Apollinary Vasnetsov – Wikimedia

The architecture of St. Basil Cathedral is still some kind of a mystery. The design of the Cathedral is said to be complex and impossible to achieve without a floor plan.

Considering the Cathedral was built in the 16^th century, the many spires and entire design must have had a design that remains hidden to date.

 Historians have however been able to get a rough idea of what the design of the floor plan looked like. This was after the building was restored between 1953 and 1955.

From the images that they drew, they were able to tell how a 3-dimensional blueprint would look like.         

4. Basil Cathedral is not its original name

This building is popularly known as Saint Basil’s Cathedral. This however is not its original name.

The church was called the Cathedral of Intercession of the Virgin by the moat. This name was given to commemorate the capture of Kazan which occurred on the same day as the Feast of the Intercession of the Virgin in 1552.

The Cathedral was built on the moat which previously surrounded the Kremlin but was later covered up.

It was later named after Saint Basil, the fool for Christ. He had correctly prophesied about a fire breaking out in Moscow in the year 1547. After his death, Saint Basil was buried in the vaults of the church.

5. The Cathedral is made up of nine chapels

By Fyodor Alekseyev – Wikimedia

The original building that stood on the same foundation as the Cathedral had nine chapels.

It was known as Trinity Church and later Trinity Cathedral. There were eight chapels arranged around a ninth, central chapel dedicated to the Intercession.

The tenth chapel was constructed in 1588 above the grave of the venerated local saint Basil.

This cathedral was perceived to be the earthly symbol of Jerusalem, the heavenly city, and a symbol of the city during the annual Palm Sunday.

Four of the cathedral’s eight chapels were named after religious holidays that concurred with the key events in the Kazan campaign.

The exterior of the cathedral was made to look like brickwork.

6. This Cathedral was once a museum

As part of state atheism, the church was impounded by the Russian Orthodox community. This was part of the Soviet Union’s antireligious campaigns.

The Cathedral has operated as a division of the State Historical Museum since 1928 with exhibitions about architecture, history, politics, and religion. In 1929, the building was completely secularized.

It has been part of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990.

There are however weekly Orthodox Christian services held at the Cathedral since 1997.

7. The exterior of the Cathedral was not always this colourful

Photo by Anton Zelenov – Wikimedia

Today, Saint Basil’s Cathedral is recognized for its vibrant palette. This was however not its original colour; the beautiful colours were added about 200 years after the building was completed.

The original colour of the Cathedral is said to have been white with the dome painted in gold.

In the 17^th century, Russian architectural styles started to include vibrant colours in their work.

It is said that Saint Basil colours were inspired by a passage in the Book of Revelation that describes a heavenly city.

These modifications were done by emperors and empresses that succeeded the throne. The Cathedral was initially made of wood but they added brick porches and galleries.

8. There were threats to destroy the Cathedral

St. Basil’s Cathedral Church almost got destroyed twice. The first time was in 1812 when the French forces occupied Moscow and Napoleon Bonaparte wanted to destroy the church.

The Cathedral was saved when the French army retreated.

The second time was during the Soviet period. It is alleged that Stalin wanted to burn down the cathedral to mark an end to the Tsardom in Russia and signify the new regime.

However, Pyotr Baranovsky, an architect and restoration artist pleaded with him through a letter to spare the architectural.  

The Cathedral was saved and Pyotr was instead imprisoned for five years.

9. Only one bell functions

There are only one of the original bells from the several in the belfry that has survived and continues to function.

All the bronze bells were melted after an order from the Soviet authorities in 1929. This was after they had occupied the cathedral.

The lone bell has however preserved the sound of the 16^th century.

10. The interiors of St. Basil Cathedral are stunning

By Meihe Chen – Wikimedia

St Basil is uniquely enthralling for the variety of architectural and artistic styles in its interior.

A walk inside the cathedral will introduce you to oil paintings, frescoes, portraits, and landscape painting.

There are also valuable exhibits belonging to the church and imperial family.

The cathedral’s ten chapels are connected by a web of arched internal passages and galleries. They are adorned from floor to ceiling with colourful geometric designs and natural motifs.