Most people, when asked what is the main architectural symbol of the country, will not hesitate to name St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square. However, there is no such cathedral in Russia. And the one that stands on the main square of the country is called the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat.
It was built as a symbol of memory of the capture of Kazan and unites nine churches (side-altars), standing on a common foundation - the basement. The cathedral was built at the behest of Ivan the Terrible. The central church was consecrated in honor of the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. Some of the eight surrounding churches were consecrated in honor of the saints, whose honor falls on the days of the decisive battles for Kazan.
And only a few decades later, the son of Ivan the Terrible ordered to attach another church to the cathedral and consecrate it in honor of the local holy fool Vasily, who was buried near the walls of the building. According to legend, many miracles happened at the saint's grave and people came to worship him.
I marked the Church of St. Basil the Blessed in red.
The name of the cathedral also mentions a moat. This refers to the fortification moat that existed on Red Square until 1814. It was called Alevizov Rov, after its creator Aleviz Fryazin.
But history has not brought the name of the creator of the cathedral itself to us. Presumably these were architects Ivan Barma and Postnik Yakovlev. However, there is also a version that this is one person.
Whoever it was, according to legend, Ivan the Terrible ordered to blind the creator so that he could not build another such temple. How true this is is unknown. But Postnik then built other buildings in Kazan, and therefore remained sighted.
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If you are in Moscow on Red Square, do not limit yourself to a cursory inspection of the church outside. Take some time and go on a tour of the cathedral. There is a museum inside, and many interesting exhibits. Below are some photos from the cathedral and an explanation of why it is named after the smallest of the churches.
The voice box is one of the vessels walled up in the wall for better acoustics.
The thing is that for a long time the temple was not heated, so in winter services were not conducted there. And the added new church of St. Basil the Blessed was heated, and services began to be held in it. Accordingly, the parishioners began to call the entire temple by the name of the church in which they gathered.
