A rather popular subject: St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. We were lucky because the sun was shining that day, which made the structure more colorful! The photo was taken with my small pocket camera when I was 17, so the quality's not the best but I think it really highlights some of the changes that have occurred over the years... if you view some more recent photos here on TE you will really notice a difference! Reconstruction efforts have continued to the present; hence, the structure looks quite a bit different in this photo than it appears now, almost 15 years later (hard to believe!) The colors are somewhat more subdued here (which I personally like better!).
A picture taken in the labyrenth which consists of the galleries connecting the chapels of St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. The floral tile decorations date from the late 18th century while the church itself, as everybody already knows, was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible around 1554.
Now the picture, was taken with a high ISO of course since the place was quite dark. Finding two nuns in such a place is quite a feat, and it seems as if they were also touring the place like dozens of tourists who were roaming at the time I was there. One of the nuns sounded as if she was explaining something to the younger one.
This world-famous church, often seen as an icon of the country of Russia, was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible to commemorate his victory over the Tartar Mongols in 1552. It was built from 1555-1561 and was later named for St. Basil the Blessed; it replaced an earlier structure on the same site, Trinity Cathedral. According to legend, Ivan had the architect blinded to prevent him from creating anything as magnificent as this structure in the future. The design is said to commemorate the seige of Kazan: eight small towers surround one larger one, each representing a day of the seige. Its namesake was later interred in the central chapel. The interior consists of a series of small, dimly lit chapels that can barely accomodate a few visitors; events such as special feast days at the cathedral often had to be held outdoors. Each brightly colored "onion dome" is unique.
Despite its overwhelming popularity (Napoleon reportedly wanted to take the whole building back to France but was unable to do so; much of it is constructed of brick), the Cathedral barely escaped Stalin's regime: in the 1930s, the director of the Red Square reconstruction efforts suggested that it be knocked down to create more space for public parades in the popular Red Square, but the proposal was rejected. A second plan was thwarted by an architect who reportedly spent 5 years in prison for his efforts, which fortunately were successful! Barely visible in the photo is the bronze statue to Minin and Pozharsky, leaders of Russia's volunteer army; the statue was one of the first monumental sculptures in the city and was first placed in the center of the square in 1818, but it was later moved to its present location in 1936.
St. Basil's Cathedral (Khram Vasiliya Blazhennogo or Pokrovsky Sobor), Moscow
Hours:
Wed-Mon 11am-5pm
Location:
Red Square
Transportation:
Metro: Ploshchad Revolutsii
Phone:
095/298-3304
Prices:
Admission $3.50 adults, $1.75 students and children over 7. Joint ticket with Historical Museum $8 adults, $4 students and children
