Saint Basil's Cathedral is a famous Orthodox church located in Red Square, Moscow. It is one of the most recognized symbols of Russia. Today, it is a museum, but it was originally built between 1555 and 1561 under the orders of Ivan the Terrible to celebrate the capture of two cities, Kazan and Astrakhan. The cathedral’s official name is the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, also called Pokrovsky Cathedral. Its colorful appearance was finished in 1683.

The original building was called Trinity Church and had eight smaller chapels surrounding a larger, central one. This central chapel was dedicated to the Intercession, and a tenth chapel was later added in 1588 to honor a local saint named Basil. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the cathedral was thought to represent the Heavenly City and was often called "Jerusalem." It played an important role in Moscow’s Palm Sunday parades, which were attended by the Patriarch of Moscow and the Tsar.

The cathedral has nine domes, and each one represents a different church. Its shape is said to resemble the flame of a bonfire rising into the sky. The cathedral’s design is unique, unlike anything in Russian or Byzantine architecture. The structure amazed people because of its complexity and beauty.

In 1928, during the Soviet Union's period of state atheism, the cathedral was taken from the Russian Orthodox Church and turned into a part of the State Historical Museum. By 1929, it was completely secular, meaning it was no longer used for religious purposes. The cathedral is now federal property of Russia and has been part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990. After the Soviet Union fell in 1991, Orthodox Christian services were brought back to the cathedral in 1997, allowing people to pray there once again.

Source: St. Basil’s Cathedral
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