The cathedral is world-renowned for its fairytale appearance, but how much do you know about its history?
It was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible.
Ivan’s reputation as a cruel and stern leader led to his more popular nickname,Ivan the Terrible.
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The building is made up of 10 churches.
The exterior was originally painted white.
In fact, it is believed that the cathedral wasoriginally painted whitewith golden domes.
Statue of Ivan the Terrible in Oryol, Russia (Photo:Stock Photosfrom yingko/Shutterstock)
It was only in the17th centurythat Russian architectural styles began including more whimsical color schemes.
Saint Basil’s Cathedral isn’t the official name.
It is also called Pokrovosky Cathedral and the Trinity Cathedral.
Front elevation drawing of the cathedral’s façade and overhead view of floor plan (Photo: Alexei Kouzaev viaWikimedia Commons[ CC BY-SA 2.0])
The cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Like other cultural landmarks, St.
Basil’s Cathedral has survived several different epochs of world history.
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In 1928, the building was confiscated by the Soviet Union and turned into a secular museum.
The building has since returned to its original purpose and began operating as a church.
Since 1997, it has served as an Orthodox cathedral with weekly services.
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