Saint Basil’s Cathedral tour
This cathedral is arguably the most famous portrayal of Moscow. It is impossible to simply walk past it, and few people decline to take the classic photograph with it in the background. Still, we suggest going inside this 8th wonder of the world.
Saint Basil’s Cathedral – (1561, Pokrovsky sobor)
This unique church was built on orders from Ivan the Terrible in honor of the conquest of Kazan. Its outer appearance, with 11 cupolas and an outline typical for Russian architecture, makes it one of Moscow’s most recognizable symbols.
The legend goes that Ivan the Terrible ordered the cathedral’s creators to be rendered blind so that they could never again, anywhere in the world, erect a cathedral as beautiful.
After the Soviet government came to power, the inside was turned into a museum, and services were banned. There was talk of demolishing the cathedral to make Red Square bigger. Happily, the plans never came to pass, and today they held services in the cathedral, while it can also be visited like a museum.