In the center of Moscow on Red Square stands one of the main symbols of the capital and our country - St. Basil's Cathedral. Almost every day, many Russian and foreign tourists can be seen at the walls of the temple. They are attracted not only by the beautiful and unique architecture of the building, but also by its rich almost half-century history. Let’s turn to her and find out how the temple was created, by whom and in honor of whom it was built, as well as other interesting facts. Let's talk about its current status and condition. You will also receive information about the ticket price and opening hours of St. Basil's Cathedral.
The history of the Temple and its name
After 2 years, the cathedral will celebrate a half-century anniversary. How did his story begin? It was built on the orders of Ivan the Terrible, who promised to build a temple in the event of a successful capture of Kazan. This important historical event happened on October 1, 1552, on Intercession Day according to the Orthodox calendar. Therefore, the Cathedral received the name, which is official even today - the Cathedral of the Protection of the Holy Virgin, "which is on the Moat." It was also called the Trinity Cathedral - the so-called wooden church, next to which it was built.
In the XVII century, the Temple acquired its current "folk" name - St. Basil's Cathedral. In 1588, a church dedicated to St. Basil was attached to it. At first it was the only heated room in which services were held at any time of the year or day. That is why the name of a separate chapel passed to the entire temple.
The construction of the cathedral took almost 6 years - from 1555 to 1561. The exact time and even the year of its completion became known only in the middle of the 20th century, when an engraved date of illumination of the Temple was discovered under the layers of paint during restoration work - July 12, 1561.
What does the cathedral look like?
The cathedral consists of 8 churches that are grouped around the central church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Four of them are devoted to Christian holidays, which accounted for the main battles for Kazan. But what about the rest? St. Basil’s Church was erected in honor of the holy fool, whose relics are there. The Holy Trinity Church was built on the site of the old wooden Trinity Church. Varlaam Khutynsky, who is also dedicated to one of the chapels, was considered the patron saint of the royal dynasty. The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was built in honor of this saint, and the temple of the Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem is dedicated to the corresponding Christian holiday.
The height of the cathedral is 55 meters, and at its peak point it reaches 65 meters.
All parts of the temple are built of brick, which was innovative material for that time.
The domes of the churches are in the shape of a bulb, although it is believed that they were originally helmet-shaped. Most surprising and striking is their bright and unusual colors. There is still no exact explanation for her, but, according to legend, that is exactly what Heavenly Jerusalem looked like, which Andrei the Foolish dreamed of. If you look at the temple from above, you can see that its domes form an eight-pointed star - in Orthodoxy it symbolizes the Virgin.
At the entrance to the cathedral is a monument to Minin and Pozharsky - the organizers of the uprising against the Polish invaders.
Inside the temple is not as spacious as it seems from the outside. However, the interior is striking in its splendor: the walls and ceiling are decorated with icons and frescoes of the 16th-19th centuries. You can see the building from the inside during hours of visiting St. Basil's Cathedral.
Who is St. Basil
Basil the Blessed was a famous Russian holy fool who lived in Moscow in the era of Ivan the Terrible. He was born in the 1460s in the village of Elokhovo, which at that time was in the Russian capital. At the insistence of his father, he went to study boot-making, it was during this period that he discovered the gift of a visionary in himself - the ability to see future events both in the life of an individual person, and on the scale of the city and even the country. So, for example, he predicted a grandiose Moscow fire of 1547, which destroyed 1/3 of the capital’s buildings and claimed nearly 2,000 lives.
When St. Basil was 16 years old, he finally understood his calling and broke with worldly life. The young man began to walk along the streets of Moscow, barefoot and almost naked, prayed relentlessly and, with whatever he could, helped the suffering and the poor.
Rumors of an eccentric holy fool reached Ivan the Terrible. Once the king gave him alms, which he then gave to the ruined merchant.
Vasily died in 1552 at the age of 88 years. They say that Ivan the Terrible himself carried the coffin with the body of the holy fool to the burial place - a cemetery at the base of the future Pokrovsky Cathedral.
In 1588, he was elevated to the face of saints by the Russian Orthodox Church, and a limit dedicated to St. Basil the Blessed Virgin appeared at the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Cathedral builders
It is not known for certain who erected the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed. There are several versions on this score. One of the most popular says that the Cathedral was created by the efforts of Russian architects Ivan Barma and Postnik Yakovlev. Some sources claim that this is not about two, but about one man, whose name was Ivan Yakovlevich Barma, nicknamed Postnik.
There is a terrible legend that the king ordered after the construction of the Intercession Cathedral to blind his masters, so that they could not create structures equal in beauty and grandeur. However, documentary sources refute this story. For example, Postnik Yakovlev is mentioned in later Kazan books as the builder of the Kazan Kremlin, and he is also credited with other architectural, mainly church, objects.
Some researchers are inclined to the version that the Pokrovsky Cathedral was built not by Russians, but by Western European, most likely Italian masters. You can appreciate the beauty and splendor of the building during excursions around St. Basil's Cathedral, the hours of which we will discuss later.
"Vitality" of the Cathedral
Several times the temple was at risk of being destroyed.
Severe damage to the temple caused a fire in 1737, after which the building underwent a major reconstruction.
The first deliberate attempt to destroy the cathedral was made by Napoleon Bonaparte, who placed his stables on its territory. Leaving Moscow, he gave the order to burn the building. However, the sudden onset of rain prevented these plans, extinguishing the already lit cannon wicks.
During the Soviet period, the temple could also disappear from the face of the earth and the map of Moscow. In the 30s, the architectural modernization of the capital was carried out, it was led by Lazar Kaganovich. He wanted to demolish the temple in order to free up additional space for military parades and demonstrations. Kaganovich presented to Stalin a model of Red Square, on which St. Basil's Cathedral was not. However, the "father of the peoples" ordered the building to be returned back.
Also, according to rumors, the architect "stood up" and the architect Peter Baranovsky, refusing to measure its area for subsequent demolition. For this, he paid several years in prison, but the goal was achieved - the cathedral remained standing on Red Square.
The current status of the cathedral, and how it changed
Today, the right to use the cathedral is shared between the Russian Orthodox Church and the State Historical Museum. Church services are held there on Sundays, and to visit the temple as a museum object, you must know the opening hours of St. Basil's Cathedral.
Throughout its long history, the temple has been used for various purposes.
In addition to the main function - holding services - the cathedral also served as a storehouse: it contained the royal treasury and property of privileged citizens. The riches were hidden in the lower rooms of economic purpose.
In 1923, church services ceased to be held in the cathedral, and it received the status of a branch of the State Historical Museum, which it still retains. Also, from Soviet times, St. Basil's Cathedral was recognized as a national historical monument, which is under the protection of the state. In its archives are stored ancient church books (both handwritten and printed).
And since 1991, when the Soviet system fell, divine services have resumed in the church, which continue to this day.
Opening hours of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow
Hours of St. Basil's Cathedral vary depending on the season. In the summer from June 1 to August 31, the museum is open to visitors from 10:00 to 19:00 every day. From November 8 to April 30, the work schedule is reduced from 11:00 to 17:00. And finally, in May, and also from September 1 to November 7, the opening hours of St. Basil's Cathedral are from 11:00 to 18:00, except for the first Wednesday of the month, which is a sanitary day.
If the thermometer shows a value below 15 degrees below zero, then Pokrovsky Cathedral, as a rule, closes earlier. When any festive events are held on Red Square, the regime for visiting the museum is also adjusted.
How much is a ticket to the cathedral
Like the opening hours of St. Basil's Cathedral, the price for visiting it also varies, but it does not depend on the time of year, but on age. Adults need to pay 500 rubles for the right to see the temple from the inside. For adolescents from 16 to 18 years, the cost is lower - only 150 rubles. And children under 16 years old are generally skipped for free.
In addition, preferential categories of citizens (full-time students, pensioners, etc.) can rely on a discount if they have a document confirming their status.
Also note that there is a separate fee for excursions, which is not included in the price of the admission ticket.
About an hour before the museum closes, the ticket offices stop working and cease to let in new visitors.
Surely, after acquaintance with the history and time of St. Basil’s Cathedral, many had the desire to personally see this magnificent monument of architecture. We wish you to implement it!