Possibly the most iconic image there is for Moscow or Russia itself.

This unique building is supposedly shaped like the flame of a bonfire rising into the sky. The fabric of the building has suffered badly over the centuries and what we see now is the result of restoration works which finished in 2008.

St Basil’s from the South

Monument to Minin and Pozharsky. This statue by the entrance has nothing to do with the Cathedral itself. Originally it stood in the centre of Red Square. However, after the 1917 Revolution, the Communist authorities found the monument was obstructing parades on the square and so was moved to its present position. It shows two generals credited with saving the city from Polish invasion in the 17th century.

Even though a lot of the interior is not original, it still has the power to recreate an intense religious, Russian Orthodox atmosphere.

The Cathedral was built in the mid-16th century on the orders of Ivan the Terrible to commemorate his military successes. The original building contained eight churches (not chapels) arranged around the ninth, central Church of Intercession (he had lots of victories!). As if that was not enough a 10th church was subsequently added to the group over the grave of St Basil himself.

The building’s unique shape supposedly represents a flame of a bonfire rising into the sky.

Legend has it that Ivan the Terrible blinded the architect so that he could not re-create such a beautiful masterpiece again. This is unlikely as apparently the architect (Postnik Yakovlev) was still working well after the Tsar’s death in 1584.

The photos below show many of the iconostases (screens bearing icons, separating the sanctuary of an Orthodox church from the nave) of some of the churches. I am not sure which are original (surviving the communist atheist purges) and which have been recreated. Whichever, they are very colourful and distinctive.

Periodically this quartet sing traditional Russian hymns inside St Basil’s. Amazing acoustics. I have a short clip here.