St. Basil's Cathedral
St. Basil's Cathedral is Russia's calling card, an architectural marvel of the 16th century. Nine churches beneath multicolored domes, no two alike. Ivan the Terrible built it to commemorate the capture of Kazan, and legend says the architects were blinded afterward so they could never repeat their masterpiece.
Construction History
1552—Russian forces capture Kazan, the last stronghold of the Tatar khanate. Ivan the Terrible orders a cathedral built to celebrate the victory. Construction is completed in 1561.
The architects were Barma and Postnik (possibly the same person: Postnik Barma). T...
