It so happened that each capital has its own architectural symbol, which helps to know the city and love it. In Paris, this is undoubtedly the Eiffel Tower, in New York - a statue of Liberty, in Rio de Janeiro - a statue of Jesus the Redeemer. In the Russian capital, Pokrovsky Cathedral, located in the very center of Moscow, is considered such a symbol. Popularly, this cathedral is better known as St. Basil's Cathedral. The building is like a pile of jewelry, so you can hardly confuse it with any other in the world. Nine church heads form an amazing silhouette. All churches are erected on the same basis and decorated very colorful and joyfully.
St. Basil's Cathedral: history
The history of the cathedral is very interesting, as it, like any other works of art, is surrounded by secrets and riddles. What they don’t tell about the Intercession Cathedral! Despite the fact that everything seems to be known about him, there are many dark moments that attract the attention of historians and art historians.
Many confidently argue that the temple was built in the period from 1555 to 1561 by Russian architects Barma and Postnik Yakovlev. Others are sure that one master named Barma Ivan Yakovlevich worked on the building.
According to one legend, Ivan the Terrible was very angry when the masters assured him that they were able to build another such magnificent temple. In a rage, the king ordered the workers to be blinded so that they would not erect such beauty anywhere else. However, there are a lot of similar stories, therefore it is not necessary to believe in them.
Another story suggests that Ivan the Terrible built the Church of St. Basil the Blessed in part of Vasily III, his father. It is from here, according to legend, that the name of the cathedral went.
Most likely, the temple is named after the most venerated holy fool in St. Basil the Blessed in Russia. He was buried in the temple in the name of the Life-Giving Trinity. This temple stood on the edge of the Moscow River, and over time, according to the order of Ivan the Terrible, other churches began to be erected around it. The complex, which was built on the site of the former temple, was called the Cathedral of the Protection of the Virgin. After some time, a church appeared over the grave of the holy fool and was consecrated by his name. The service here was daily, and it is worth assuming that this was the reason that the Pokrovsky Cathedral had a popular name - St. Basil's Cathedral.
Some facts
This cathedral is a symmetrical architectural complex consisting of eight pillar-shaped buildings surrounding the ninth - the highest. The central church is dedicated to the Protection of the Virgin. Side chapels are interconnected by transitions. Each of the pillar-shaped churches is crowned with an onion-shaped dome. Domes do not repeat each other, and each of them is decorated with kokoshniks, cornices, niches and windows. The temple itself creates a feeling of extraordinary elegance and fabulousness. It has nine iconostases (approximately 400 icons). All works here are the best examples of icon-painting schools in Moscow and Novgorod. The walls of the churches are decorated with paintings and frescoes, there are also various paintings and various church utensils.
Orthodox priests believe that the Cathedral of St. Basil is still intact only thanks to the special Providence of God, since several times the building was a step away from destruction and remained intact (fire in 1737, the desire of some rulers to demolish or blow up the temple, military operations, etc.) . The last time the demolition decision was reversed by Stalin.
In 1918, St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow was taken under state protection as a national and world monument. In 1923, the attraction was opened as a historical museum. Later, the cathedral turned into a branch of the State Historical Museum, after which several global restorations were made. Today, the cathedral is used both as a temple and as a museum.