The cathedral, named after St. Basil, in the capital of Russia, Moscow, is located on its main square - Red Square. Throughout the world, it is considered a symbol of Russia, just as the symbol for residents of the United States is the Statue of Liberty, for Brazilians - the statue of Christ with outstretched arms, and for the French - the Eiffel Tower, located in Paris. Nowadays, the temple is one of the divisions of the Russian Historical Museum. In 1990, it was included in the UNESCO architectural heritage list.

Description of appearance

The cathedral is a unique architectural ensemble consisting of nine churches located on a single base. It reaches 65 meters in height and has 11 domes - these are nine church domes, one dome crowning the bell tower, and one rising above the chapel. The cathedral unites ten chapels (churches), some of them are consecrated in honor of revered saints. The days on which their memory was celebrated coincided with the time of the decisive battles for Kazan.

Around the temple, churches were built dedicated to:

• Holy Trinity.
• The entry of the Lord into the borders of Jerusalem.
• Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker.
• Gregory of Armenia - enlightener, Catholicos of all Armenians.
• Holy Martyrs Cyprian and Ustinia.
• Alexander Svirsky - reverend Orthodox saint, abbot.
• Varlaam Khutynsky - Novgorod miracle worker.
• Patriarchs of Constantinople, Saints Paul, John and Alexander.
• Saint Basil - Moscow's holy fool.

Construction cathedral on Red Square in Moscow, by decree of Ivan the Terrible, began in 1555, it lasted until 1561. According to one version, it was erected in honor of the capture of Kazan and the final conquest of the Kazan Khanate, and according to another, in connection with Orthodox holiday- Veils Holy Mother of God.

There are a number of versions of the construction of this beautiful and unique cathedral. One of them says that the architects of the temple were famous architect Postnik Yakovlev from Pskov and master Ivan Barma. The names of these architects were learned in 1895 thanks to the found manuscript collection of the 17th century. in the archives of the Rumyantsev Museum, where there were records about the masters. This version is generally accepted, but is questioned by some historians.

According to another version, the architect of the cathedral, like most of the buildings of the Moscow Kremlin that were erected earlier, was an unknown master from Western Europe, presumably from Italy. It is believed that this is why the unique architectural style, which combines Renaissance architecture and exquisite Russian style. However, to date there is no evidence supported by documents for this version.

The legend of blinding and the second name of the temple

There is an opinion that the architects Postnik and Barma, who built the cathedral by order of Ivan the Terrible, were blinded upon completion construction so that they could not build anything similar again. But this version does not stand up to criticism, since Postnik, after completing the construction of the Intercession Cathedral, was engaged in the construction of the Kazan Kremlin for several years.

As already mentioned, the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is on the Moat, is the correct name of the temple, and St. Basil's Church is a colloquial name that gradually replaced the official one. The name of the Church of the Intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary mentions a moat, which at that time ran along the entire Kremlin wall and served for defense. It was called Alevizov ditch, its depth was about 13 m, and its width was about 36 m. It received its name after the architect Aloisio da Carezano, who worked in Russia at the end of the 15th century. early XVI V. The Russians called him Aleviz Fryazin.

Stages of construction of the cathedral

TO end of the XVI V. New figured domes of the cathedral appear, since the original ones were destroyed by fire. In 1672, a small church was built on the southeastern side of the temple directly above the burial place of St. John the Blessed (the holy fool revered by Moscow residents). In the 2nd half of the 17th century. are being introduced significant changes in appearance cathedral Wooden the canopies over the galleries of churches (gulbischi), which were constantly burned down in fires, were replaced by a roof supported by arched brick pillars.

Above the porch (the porch in front of the main entrance to the church) a church is being built in honor of St. Theodosius the Virgin. Above the white stone stairs that lead to the upper tier of the cathedral, vaulted hipped porches are built, built on “creeping” arches. At the same time, ornamental polychrome painting appeared on the walls and vaults. It is also applied to supporting columns, to the walls of galleries located outside, and to parapets. On the facades of churches there is a painting that imitates brickwork.

In 1683, a tiled inscription was created along the upper cornice of the entire cathedral, which encircles the temple. Large yellow letters on a dark blue background of tiles told about the history of the creation and renovation of the temple in the 2nd half of the 17th century. Unfortunately, a hundred years later the inscription was destroyed during renovation work. In the eighties of the 17th century. The belfry is being rebuilt. In place of the old belfry, a new, two-level bell tower with an open area for bell ringers is being built on the second tier. In 1737, during a severe fire, the cathedral was significantly damaged, especially its South part and the church that was there.

Significant changes during the renovation of the cathedral in 1770-1780. The painting program was also affected. The thrones from the cathedral were moved under the arches of the cathedral and onto its territory. wooden churches located on Red Square. These churches were dismantled to avoid fires, which happened very often at that time. In the same period, the throne of the Three Patriarchs of Constantinople was renamed in honor of John the Merciful, and the temple of Cyprian and Justina was named after Saints Adrian and Natalia. The original names of the temples were returned to them with the onset of the twentieth century.

WITH early XIX V. The following improvements were made to the temple:

• The inside of the church was painted with “storyline” oil painting, depicting the faces of saints and scenes from their lives. The painting was updated in the middle and at late XIX V.
• On the front side, the walls were decorated with a pattern similar to masonry made of large wild stones.
• The arches of the non-residential lower tier (basement) were laid, and in its western part housing was arranged for the temple servants (clergy).
• The cathedral building and the bell tower were combined with an extension.
• The Church of Theodosius the Virgin, which is the upper part of the chapel of the cathedral, was converted into a sacristy - a place in which shrines and church valuables were kept.

During the war in 1812, the soldiers of the French army, who occupied Moscow and the Kremlin, kept horses in the basement of the Intercession Church. Later, Napoleon Bonaparte, amazed by the extraordinary beauty of the cathedral, wanted to transport him to Paris, but making sure that this was impossible, the French command ordered its artillerymen to blow up the cathedral.

Consecration after the War of 1812

But Napoleon’s troops only plundered the cathedral, they failed to blow it up, and immediately after the end of the war it was repaired and consecrated. The area around the cathedral was landscaped and surrounded by a cast-iron lattice fence designed by the famous architect Osip Bove.

At the end of the 19th century. for the first time the question of recreating the cathedral in its original form was raised. A special commission was appointed to restore the unique architectural and cultural monument. It included famous architects, talented painters and famous scientists, who developed a plan for the study and further restoration of the cathedral. However, due to lack of funding, the First World War and October revolution It was not possible to implement the developed recovery plan.

Cathedral at the beginning of the twentieth century

In 1918, the cathedral was practically the first to be taken under state protection as a monument to world and national importance. And since May 1923, the cathedral was opened to everyone who wanted to visit it as a historical architectural museum. Divine services in the Church of St. Basil the Blessed were held until before 1929. In 1928 the cathedral became a branch historical museum, which is still the case today.

After the October Revolution, the new authorities found funds and large-scale work began, which was not only restoration in nature, but also scientific. Thanks to this, it becomes possible to restore the original image of the cathedral and reproduce the interiors and decorations of the 16th-17th centuries in some churches.

From that moment until our time, four large-scale restorations have been carried out, which included both architectural and pictorial works. The original painting, stylized as brickwork, was recreated on the outside of the Intercession Church and the Church of Alexander Svirsky.

Restoration work in the mid-twentieth century

In the mid-twentieth century, a number of unique restoration works were carried out:

• In one of the interiors of the central temple, a “temple chronicle” was discovered; it was in it that the architects indicated exact date completion of the construction of the Intercession Cathedral, it is the date 07/12/1561 (in Orthodox calendar- day of Equal-to-the-Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul).
• For the first time, the iron sheet covering on the domes is being replaced with copper. As time has shown, the choice of replacement material turned out to be very successful; this covering of the domes has survived to this day and is in very good condition.
• In the interiors of four churches, the iconostasis was reconstructed, which almost entirely consisted of unique ancient icons of the 16th - 17th centuries. Among them there are real masterpieces of the school of icon painting Ancient Rus', for example, “Trinity”, written in the 16th century. Collections of icons from the 16th - 17th centuries are considered a special pride. - “Nikola Velikoretsky in the Life”, “Visions of the Sexton Tarasius”, “Alexander Nevsky in the Life”.

Completion of restoration

In the 1970s, on the bypass external gallery, under later inscriptions, a fresco dating from the 17th century was discovered. The found painting was the basis for reproducing the original ornamental painting on facades St. Basil's Cathedral. Last years XX century became very important in the history of the museum. As mentioned earlier, the cathedral was included in the UNESCO heritage list. After a significant break, services in the temple resume.

In 1997, the restoration of all interior spaces, easel and monumental paintings was completed in the temple, which was closed in 1929. The temple is introduced into the general exposition of the cathedral on the moat and services begin in it. IN beginning of XXI V. seven cathedral churches were completely restored, facade paintings were updated, and tempera painting was partially recreated.

Once in Moscow, you should definitely visit Red Square and enjoy the extraordinary beauty of St. Basil's Cathedral: both its external exquisite architectural elements and its interior decoration. And also take a photo as a keepsake against the backdrop of this beautiful ancient structure, capturing it in all its majestic beauty.

July 12, 2016 marks the 455th anniversary of one of the most famous architectural monuments of Moscow - the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin on the Moat, which we know as St. Basil's Cathedral.

This famous cathedral, with its powerful walls and vaults, used to be used for hiding places. Deep niches were built in the walls of the basement, the entrance to which was closed by metal doors. There were heavy forged chests in which rich townspeople kept their valuable property - money, jewelry, utensils and books. The royal treasury was also kept there. What other legends and secrets does the temple that we call St. Basil’s Cathedral keep today?

Where did the name "St. Basil's Cathedral" come from?

Despite the fact that the cathedral was built in 1554 in honor of the victories of Ivan the Terrible over the Golden Horde, it was popularly named St. Basil's, after the name of the chapel added to the cathedral on the north-eastern side in 1588. It was built by order of the son of Ivan the Terrible - Fyodor Ioannovich over the grave of Blessed Vasily, who died in 1557, and was buried near the walls of the cathedral under construction. The holy fool walked naked in winter and summer, wearing iron chains; Muscovites loved him very much for his gentle disposition. In 1586, under Fyodor Ioannovich, the canonization of St. Basil took place. With the addition of St. Basil's Church, services in the cathedral became daily. Previously, the cathedral was not heated, since it was largely a memorial, and services were held in it only in the warm season. And the chapel of St. Basil's was warm and more spacious. Since then, the Intercession Cathedral has been known more as St. Basil's Cathedral.

Is it true that Ivan the Terrible gouged out the eyes of the temple builders?

The most common myth about the cathedral is the chilling story of gullible souls that Tsar Ivan IV allegedly ordered its builders, Postnik and Barma, to be blinded so that they would never be able to build anything else that could surpass and eclipse the newly erected architectural masterpiece. Meanwhile, there is no real historical evidence. Yes, the builders of the temple were really called Postnik and Barma. In 1896, Archpriest John Kuznetsov, who served in the temple, discovered a chronicle in which it was said that “The pious Tsar John came from the victory of Kazan to the reigning city of Moscow... And God gave him two Russian masters named Postnik and Barma and was wise and convenient for such a wonderful work ..." This is how the names of the cathedral’s builders became known for the first time. But there is not a word about blindness in the chronicles. Moreover, after completing the work in Moscow, Ivan Yakovlevich Barma took part in the construction of the Annunciation Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin, the Kazan Kremlin and other iconic buildings, which are mentioned in the chronicles.

Is it true that the cathedral was originally intended to be so colorful?

No, it's erroneous opinion. The current appearance of the Intercession Cathedral is very different from its original appearance. It had white walls, strictly painted to resemble brick. All the polychrome and floral painting of the cathedral appeared only in the 1670s. By this time, the cathedral had already undergone significant reconstruction: two large porches were added - on the north and south sides. The external gallery was also covered with vaults. Today in the decoration of the Intercession Cathedral you can see frescoes of the 16th century, tempera painting of the 17th century, monumental oil painting XVIII-XIX centuries, rare monuments of Russian icon painting.

Is it true that Napoleon wanted to move the temple to Paris?

During the War of 1812, when Napoleon occupied Moscow, the Emperor liked the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary so much that he decided to move it to Paris. The technology of that time did not allow this to happen. Then the French first built stables in the temple, and later simply planted explosives in the base of the cathedral and lit the fuse. The assembled Muscovites prayed for the salvation of the temple, and a miracle happened - heavy rain began, which extinguished the wick.

Is it true that Stalin saved the Cathedral from destruction?

The temple miraculously survived the October Revolution - marks from shells remained on its walls for a long time. In 1931, it was moved to the cathedral bronze monument Minin and Pozharsky - the authorities cleared the area of ​​unnecessary buildings for parades. Lazar Kaganovich, who was so successful in destroying the Kazan Cathedral of the Kremlin, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and a number of other churches in Moscow, proposed completely demolishing the Intercession Cathedral in order to further clear the place for demonstrations and military parades. Legend has it that Kaganovich ordered the production of a detailed model of Red Square with a removable temple and brought it to Stalin. Trying to prove to the leader that the cathedral interfered with cars and demonstrations, he unexpectedly tore off the model of the temple from the square. The surprised Stalin allegedly at that moment uttered the historical phrase: “Lazarus, put him in his place!”, so the question of demolishing the cathedral was postponed. According to the second legend, the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary owes its salvation to the famous restorer P.D. Baranovsky, who sent telegrams to Stalin calling not to destroy the temple. Legend has it that Baranovsky, who was invited to the Kremlin on this issue, knelt before the assembled members of the Central Committee, begging to preserve the iconic building, and this had an unexpected effect.

Is it true that the Cathedral now serves only as a museum?

The historical and architectural museum in the cathedral was founded in 1923. However, even then, in Soviet time, services in the cathedral continued anyway. They continued until 1929, and resumed again in 1991. Today the cathedral is jointly used by the State Historical Museum and the Russian Orthodox Church. Divine services are held in St. Basil's Cathedral weekly on Sundays, as well as on patronal holidays - August 15, the day of remembrance of St. Basil, and October 14, the day of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

One of the most interesting and beautiful sights of the Russian capital is St. Basil's Cathedral (photo below), also known as the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, built in the 16th century by order of Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible. Almost every person in the country knows that it is located on Red Square, but not everyone knows the history of its construction and the legends associated with it. But it will still not be enough to learn only about the cathedral. The saint, in whose honor the chapel was built, and later the temple itself began to be called, bore the name St. Basil the Blessed. The story of his life, deeds and death is no less interesting than the story of the construction of the cathedral.

Versions about the creators

(its photo adorns many postcards for tourists) was erected between 1555 and 1561 in memory of the capture of the fortress city of Kazan by Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich. There are many versions of who was the true creator of this architectural monument. Let's consider only three main options. The first of them is the architect Postnik Yakovlev, who bore the nickname Barma. This was a well-known Pskov master at that time. The second option is Barma and Postnik. These are the two architects who participated in the construction of this temple. And the third - the cathedral was erected by some unknown Western European master, presumably from Italy.

In favor latest version This is evidenced by the fact that most of the Kremlin buildings were built by immigrants from this country. The unique style in which St. Basil's Cathedral was created (photos perfectly demonstrate it) harmoniously combines the traditions of Russian and European architecture. But it’s worth noting right away that this version has absolutely no documentary evidence.

There is also a legend according to which all the architects who worked on the temple project were deprived of their sight by order of Ivan the Terrible - with the aim that they would never be able to build anything similar again. But there is one problem. If the author of the temple is still Postnik Yakovlev, then there is no way he could have been blinded. Just a few years later, he also worked on the creation of the Kremlin in Kazan.

Temple structure

The cathedral has only ten domes: nine of them are located above the main building, and one is above the bell tower. It consists of eight temples. Their thrones were consecrated only in honor of those holidays on whose days the decisive battles for Kazan took place. All eight churches are located around the tallest ninth, which has a pillar-shaped structure. It was built in honor of the cover Mother of God and ends with a tent with a small dome. The remaining domes of St. Basil's look traditional at first glance. They have a bulbous shape, but differ from each other in their design. All nine temples stand on a common foundation and are connected to each other by vaulted internal passages and a bypass gallery, which in the original version was open.

In 1558, a chapel was added to the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Mother of God, which was consecrated in honor of St. Basil. It was erected on the spot where the relics of this saint were previously located. His name also gave the cathedral its second name. About 20 years later, the temple acquired its own tented bell tower.

First floor - basement

It must be said that St. Basil's Cathedral (the photos, of course, do not show this) does not have a basement. All its constituent churches stand on one foundation, called the basement. It is a structure with fairly thick (up to 3 m) walls, divided into several rooms, the height of which is more than 6 m.

The northern basement has, one might say, a unique design for the 16th century. Its vault is made in the form of a box without supporting pillars, despite the fact that it is long. In the walls of this room there are narrow openings called vents. Thanks to them, a special microclimate is created here, which remains unchanged throughout the year.

Once upon a time, all the basement rooms were inaccessible to parishioners. These deep recesses in the form of niches were used as storage. Previously, they were closed with doors. But now all that remains are loops. Until 1595, the royal treasury and the most valuable property of wealthy townspeople were kept in the basement.

To get to these previously secret rooms of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, one had to walk along a white stone staircase inside the walls, which only initiates knew about. Later, as unnecessary, this move was laid down and forgotten about, but in the 30s of the last century it was accidentally discovered.

Chapel organized in honor of St. Basil the Blessed

It is a cubic-shaped church. It is covered with a cross vault with a small light drum topped with a dome. The covering of this temple itself is made in the same style as the upper churches of the cathedral. There is a stylized inscription on the wall here. She reports that St. Basil's Church was built in 1588 directly above the burial of the saint immediately after his canonization by order of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich.

In 1929, the temple was closed for worship. Only at the end of the last century it decorative decoration finally restored. The memory of St. Basil is venerated on August 15. It was this date of 1997 that was the starting date for the resumption of services in his church. Nowadays, above the saint’s burial itself there is a shrine with his relics, decorated with fine carvings. This Moscow shrine is the most revered among parishioners and guests of the temple.

Church decoration

It must be admitted that it is impossible in one article to reproduce in words all the beauties for which St. Basil's Cathedral is famous. Describing them would take more than one week, and possibly months. Let us dwell only on the details of the decoration of the church, consecrated in honor of this particular saint.

Her oil painting was timed just in time for the 350th anniversary of the start of construction of the cathedral. St. Basil is depicted on the southern and northern walls. Pictures from his life represent episodes about the miracle of the fur coat and salvation at sea. Below them, on the lower tier, is an ancient Russian ornament made of towels. In addition, on the south side of the church hangs a large icon, the drawing of which is made on a metal surface. This masterpiece was painted in 1904.

The western wall is decorated with a temple image of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The upper tier contains images of saints who patronize the royal house. These are the martyr Irene, John the Baptist, and Fyodor Stratilates.

The sails of the vault are occupied by the image of the Evangelists, the crosshairs are occupied by the Savior Not Made by Hands, John the Baptist and the Mother of God, the drum is decorated with figures of the forefathers, and the dome is decorated with the Savior Almighty.

As for the iconostasis, it was made according to the design of A. M. Pavlinov in 1895, and the painting of the icons was supervised by the famous Moscow restorer and icon painter Osip Chirikov. His original autograph is preserved on one of the icons. In addition, the iconostasis also has more ancient images. The first is the icon “Our Lady of Smolensk”, relating to XVI century, and the second is the image of St. Basil, where he is depicted against the backdrop of Red Square and the Kremlin. The latter dates back to the 18th century.

Bell tower

In the middle XVII century The previously built belfry was in terrible condition. Therefore, they decided to replace it with a bell tower in the 80s of the same century. By the way, it still stands. The base for the bell tower is a tall and massive quadrangle. A more elegant and openwork octagon was erected on top of it, made in the form of an open area, which is fenced with eight pillars, and they, in turn, are connected at the top by arched spans.

The bell tower is topped with an octagonal rather high tent with ribs decorated with multi-colored tiles with blue, white, brown and yellow glaze. Its edges are covered with green figured tiles and small windows, which, when the bells ring, can significantly enhance their sound. At the very top of the tent there is a small onion dome with a gilded cross. Inside the platform, as well as in the arched openings, bells are suspended, which were cast back in the 17th-19th centuries by famous Russian craftsmen.

Museum

In 1918, the Intercession Cathedral was recognized by the Soviet authorities as a historical architectural monument of not only national but also international significance and was taken under state protection. It was then that it began to be considered a museum. Its first caretaker was John Kuznetsov (archpriest). It must be said that after the revolution, the temple was, without exaggeration, in a very disastrous situation: almost all the windows were broken, the roof was full of holes, and in winter there were snowdrifts right inside the premises.

Five years later, it was decided to create a historical and architectural complex on the basis of the cathedral. Its first head was E.I. Silin, a researcher at the Moscow Historical Museum. Already on May 21, the first visitors inspected the temple. From that time on, work began to complete the fund.

The museum, called the Intercession Cathedral, became a branch of the Historical Museum in 1928. A year later, the temple was officially closed for worship and all the bells were removed. In the 30s of the last century, rumors spread that they planned to demolish it. But he was still lucky enough to avoid such a fate. Despite the fact that construction has been going on here for almost a century, the temple is always open to Muscovites and guests of the capital. For all this time, the museum was closed only once, when the Great Patriotic War was going on.

After the end of the war, all measures were immediately taken to restore the cathedral, so by the day of the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the capital, the museum was open again. He gained wide fame back in the days Soviet Union. It should be noted that the museum was well known not only in the USSR, but also in many other countries. Since 1991, the temple has been in use as Orthodox Church, and the State Historical Museum. After a long break, worship services have finally resumed here.

Childhood of a Saint

Future Moscow miracle worker Blessed Basil born at the very end of 1468. According to legend, this happened right on the porch of the Elokhovsky Temple, erected in honor of Vladimir icon Holy Mother of God. His parents were ordinary people. When he grew up, he was sent to study shoemaking. Over time, his mentor began to notice that Vasily was not like all the other children.

An example of his originality is the following case: once a merchant brought bread to Moscow and, seeing the workshop, went to order boots for himself. At the same time, he asked that he could not wear off the shoes for a year. Hearing these words, Blessed Basil began to cry and promised that the merchant would not even have time to wear down these boots. When the master, who did not understand anything, asked the boy why he thought so, the child explained to his teacher that the customer would not be able to put on the boots, as he would soon die. This prophecy came true just a few days later.

Recognition of holiness

When Vasily turned 16 years old, he moved to Moscow. It was here that his thorny path as a holy fool began. According to eyewitnesses, Blessed Basil walked the streets of the capital barefoot and practically naked all year round, regardless of whether there was a bitter biting frost or a scorching summer heat.

Not only his actions, but also his actions were considered strange. For example, when passing by market stalls, he could spill a vessel filled with kvass, or knock over a counter with kalachi. For this, St. Basil the Blessed was often beaten by angry merchants. Strange as it may sound, he always gladly accepted beatings and even thanked God for them. But as it turned out later, the spilled kvass was unusable, and the rolls were poorly baked. Over time, he was recognized not only as an exposer of untruth, but as a man of God and a holy fool.

Here is another incident from the life of a saint. Once a merchant decided to build stone church in Moscow, on Pokrovka. But for some reason its vaults collapsed three times. He came to St. Basil to ask for advice on this matter. But he sent him to Kyiv, to poor John. Upon arrival in the city, the merchant found the person he needed in a poor house. John sat and rocked the cradle, in which there was no one. The merchant asked him who he was pumping after all. He answered him that he was lulling his mother to sleep for his birth and upbringing. Only then did the merchant remember his mother, whom he had once kicked out of the house. It immediately became clear to him why he was unable to complete the church. Returning to Moscow, the merchant found his mother, asked her forgiveness and took her home. After that, he easily managed to complete the church.

Acts of a miracle worker

Blessed Basil always preached mercy towards others and helped those who were ashamed to ask for alms, while needing help more than others. In this regard, there is a description of one case when he gave all the royal things presented to him to a visiting foreign merchant, who, by chance, lost absolutely everything. The merchant had not eaten anything for several days, but could not ask for help, since he was wearing expensive clothes.

St. Basil always strictly condemned those who gave alms based on selfish motives, and not out of compassion for poverty and misfortune. For the sake of saving his neighbors, he even went into taverns, where he consoled and tried to encourage the most degraded people, seeing grains of kindness in them. He purified his soul so much with prayers and great deeds that the gift of foresight was revealed to him. In 1547, the Blessed One was able to predict the great fire that happened in Moscow, and with his prayer he extinguished the flames in Novgorod. Also, his contemporaries claimed that Vasily once reproached Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible himself, since during a service he was thinking about building his palace on the Sparrow Hills.

The saint died on August 2, 1557. The then Moscow Metropolitan Macarius and his clergy performed the burial of Vasily. He was buried near the Trinity Church, where in 1555 they began to build the Intercession Church in memory of the conquest of the Kazan Khanate. 31 years later, on August 2, this saint was glorified by the Council, headed by Patriarch Job.

Contemporaries described him in approximately the same way, and always mentioned three features: he was extremely thin, wore a minimum of clothing, and always had a staff in his hand. This is exactly how St. Basil appears before us. Photos of icons and paintings with his image are presented in this article.

The veneration of this holy wonderworker among the people was so great that the Intercession Cathedral began to be called by his name. By the way, his chains are still preserved in the Theological Academy of the capital. Anyone who wants to admire a beautiful monument of medieval architecture can find it at the address: St. Basil's Cathedral.

St. Basil's Cathedral- popular monument Orthodox Christianity and Russian architecture. It rises in the center of Moscow. Dates from the 16th century.

The canonical name of the building is the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Mother of God on the Moat. Another naming option is the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Also known to many as Pokrovsky.

Interesting! The link “on the ditch” in the name is also not accidental. Until 1813, a defensive ditch was dug next to the Kremlin wall.

In fact, the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Mother of God is not one, but several churches united into a single architectural ensemble.

Construction of St. Basil's Cathedral

The temple appeared during the time of Ivan the Terrible. Dates of construction work: from 1555 to 1561. The tsar promised to build a cathedral in the event of the conquest of the Kazan khans. In honor of every major victory, a church was built. The name was given to the buildings after the saint on whose calendar day the battle was won. This is how eight wooden churches appeared. The main victory came on the day of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary. Hence the name of the main cathedral, made of stone.

The building survived fires, several wars and revolutions. Over its history, the cathedral has been modified, repainted, and reconstructed many times. It has become “overgrown” with a bell tower, a gallery, a fence and other elements. Among the famous architects of the temple: Osip Bove (1817), Ivan Yakovlev (1784-1786), Sergei Solovyov (1900-1912)

In 1918, the cathedral received the status of world-class architectural value and began to be protected by the state. In the early 90s of the last century it was used simultaneously as a church and a museum.

Cathedral during the Empire

There are various legends about the creators of the structure. One reliable version No. Most researchers agree with the idea that construction the temple is the “work of the hands” of a master nicknamed Postnik. Full name- Barma Ivan Yakovlevich.

Some believe that Moscow's St. Basil's Cathedral was designed by an unknown Italian architect.

Previously, there was a version that the temple was built by Postnik and Barma, that is, there were two masters at once. But historians have found too many inconsistencies in it.

Interesting! A popular legend says: Ivan IV ordered the architects Postnik and Barma to be blinded upon completion of construction. He did not want the masters to repeat their creation anywhere. This fact is most likely fictitious, since it does not coincide with historical events.

Why is St. Basil's Cathedral called that?

This name for the cathedral has taken root among the people for a reason. The name of the temple was given by the name of the holy fool who lived under Ivan the Terrible. The king himself was afraid of the blessed one for his gift of clairvoyance. The people loved Vasily. When he died, he was buried near Trinity Church.

Saint Basil was canonized 29 years after his death. One of the churches of the temple was named after him. The relics of the holy fool, now a saint, are kept here.

Structure and parameters of the cathedral

A distinctive feature of the temple is that it does not have a distinct facade. Each side looks like a “front door”.

The Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God reaches a height of 65 meters.

Interesting! For two centuries after its appearance, it was the tallest building in Moscow.

The entire complex consists of eleven buildings. Around the central church there are eight more, four of which are grouped exactly according to the cardinal directions. The structure resembles an eight-pointed star. The tenth church is the “lower” one. The eleventh building is the bell tower.

All churches have a single foundation, united by a closed gallery and internal common passages.

How many domes are there on St. Basil's Cathedral

The correct answer is 11. Of these, nine are onion church, two are tent-shaped with small domes. The domes of the central temple and the bell tower end with a tent. All of them are colorful colors and decorated with patterns. This festive decoration is explained by the fact that the domes of the temple symbolize the image of the Heavenly City of Jerusalem.

Thrones of the Intercession on the Moat

The cathedral is represented by ten independent churches with altars:

• Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Central Throne is located here.
• Adrian and Natalia. The church was previously named in honor of Saints Cyprian and Justina (northern direction). The height of the building is 20.9 m. The “Burning Bush” is located here.
• Three Patriarchs of Constantinople (northeast). The church rises 14.9 m.
• Holy Trinity (east). The building has a height of 21 m.
• Alexander Svirsky (direction - southeast). The height of the structure is 15 m.
• Nicholas the Wonderworker (southern throne). Height - 28 m. Another name is Nikola Velikoretsky.
• Varlaam Khutynsky (southwest). The height is 15.2 m. The church is illuminated by the oldest chandelier in the entire cathedral.
• Entrance to Jerusalem (direction - west). It is distinguished by particularly elegant decoration.
• Gregory of Armenia (stands in the north-west). Height - 15 m.
• St. Basil's. This is the lower extension. Of all the others, it is the only place where regular services are held.

The temple has a common basement. It houses ancient icons and is not accessible to public visitors.

On a note! A 1989 5 ruble coin was issued with the image of the Intercession Cathedral on the reverse. Its circulation is 2 million copies. The circulation of improved quality is 300 thousand units. Now collectors can buy this coin for one and a half to three thousand rubles.

Information for visitors

The cathedral is a branch of the State Historical Museum and is open to the public. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

On Sundays, services are held here.

Opening hours and ticket prices

The cathedral as a museum operates daily:

• in summer - from 10:00 to 19:00;
• September 1 - November 6 and all of May - from 11:00 to 18:00;
• November 8 - April 30 - from 11:00 to 17:00.

Exception: every Wednesday in June, July, August and the first Wednesday of other months. These days there is a sanitary day in the complex.

The museum is open 1 hour longer during school holidays. On some holidays, operating hours may vary. Please clarify these questions in advance.

Note! The ticket office and the entire area close 45 minutes before the end of business hours.

The cost of an adult entrance ticket is 500 RUR. The price is the same for representatives of all countries.

A family ticket (for a couple with children under 16) will cost 600 rubles.

A special category includes persons from 16 to 18 years of age, full-time students, pensioners and beneficiaries (repressed, members large families and etc.). For them, the entrance ticket costs 150 RUR.

Children under 16 years of age, war heroes, blockade survivors, prisoners, disabled people, orphans, museum employees, pilgrims, etc. can enter the museum for free. To obtain the right to a preferential or free entry You must present a supporting document.

How to get there

The main landmark is Red Square; St. Basil's Cathedral cannot be missed. It stands out for its colorful domes.

There are three nearest metro stations. These are Okhotny Ryad, Kitay-Gorod and Revolution Square.

Intercession Cathedral offers various excursion programs. According to them, the museum is open from 11:00 until 16:00. The program depends on the age group, nationality, number and interests of visitors. Duration is two or three hours. The tour is designed for groups of up to 10 or 15 people.

For younger students total cost programs - 2500 RUR, for middle school students - 3000 RUR, for high school students - up to 4500 RUR (depending on the number of hours).

The cost of the excursion for adult groups is from 5000 RUR to 10000 RUR. The price depends on the number of visitors and the chosen program.

At odd hours, it is possible to attend a special excursion for 1000 RUR for groups of 20 people or more with a guide.

On some holidays, themed excursions are organized.