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What is the other name of St. Basil's Cathedral? St. Basil's Cathedral - history and mysteries

Message quote His Majesty the Moscow Kremlin. Part 4. St. Basil's Cathedral

St. Basil's Cathedral, or the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Mother of God on the Moat, is its canonical full name. This cathedral is rightfully considered one of the main symbols not only of Moscow, but of all of Russia. And it’s not just that it was built in the very center of the capital and in memory of a very important event. St. Basil's Cathedral is also simply extraordinarily beautiful. In the place where the cathedral now stands, in the 16th century there stood the stone Trinity Church, “which is on the Moat.” There really was a defensive ditch here, stretching along the entire Kremlin wall along Red Square. This ditch was filled in only in 1813. Now in its place is a Soviet necropolis and Mausoleum. .

N. Dubovsky

Currently, the Intercession Cathedral is a branch of the State Historical Museum. Included in the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Russia.

The Intercession Cathedral is one of the most famous landmarks in Russia. For many, it is a symbol of Moscow and the Russian Federation.

Versions about creation

The Intercession Cathedral was built in 1555-1561 by order of Ivan the Terrible in memory of the capture of Kazan and the victory over the Kazan Khanate. There are several versions about the creators of the cathedral. According to one version, the architect was the famous Pskov master Postnik Yakovlev, nicknamed Barma. According to another, widely known version, Barma and Postnik are two different architects, both involved in the construction; this version is now outdated

Zworykin.Boris Godunov

According to the third version, the cathedral was built by an unknown Western European master (presumably an Italian, as before - a significant part of the buildings of the Moscow Kremlin), hence such a unique style, combining the traditions of both Russian architecture and European architecture of the Renaissance, but this version is still I never found any clear documentary evidence
.

K. Korovin

According to legend, the architect(s) of the cathedral were blinded by order of Ivan the Terrible so that they could not build another similar temple. However, if the author of the cathedral is Postnik, then he could not have been blinded, since for several years after the construction of the cathedral he participated in the creation of the Kazan Kremlin

St. Basil's Cathedral in a 17th-century engraving.

Cathedral at the end of the 16th - 19th centuries

In 1588, St. Basil's Church was added to the temple, for the construction of which arched openings were laid in the northeastern part of the cathedral. Architecturally, the church was an independent temple with a separate entrance
.

At the end of the 16th century, figurative domes of the cathedral appeared - to replace the original covering, which burned down during another fire.

In the second half of the 17th century, significant changes took place in the external appearance of the cathedral - the open gallery surrounding the upper churches was covered with a vault, and porches decorated with tents were erected above the white stone stairs.
The external and internal galleries, platforms and parapets of the porches were painted with grass patterns. These renovations were completed by 1683, and information about them was included in the inscriptions on the ceramic tiles that decorated the façade of the cathedral.

Restoration

Fires, which were frequent in wooden Moscow, greatly damaged the Intercession Cathedral, and therefore, from the end of the 16th century. renovation work was carried out on it. Over the course of more than four centuries of history of the monument, such works inevitably changed its appearance in accordance with the aesthetic ideals of each century

In the documents of the cathedral for 1737, the name of the architect Ivan Michurin is mentioned for the first time, under whose leadership work was carried out to restore the architecture and interiors of the cathedral after the so-called “Trinity” fire of 1737. The following comprehensive repair work was carried out in the cathedral by order of Catherine II in 1784 - 1786.

They were led by the architect Ivan Yakovlev. In the 1900s - 1912, the restoration of the Temple was carried out by the architect S. U. Solovyov. In the 1920s, repair and restoration work in the temple was carried out by architects N. S. Kurdyukov and A. A. Zhelyabuzhsky

Soviet years. Museum

In 1918, the Intercession Cathedral became one of the first cultural monuments taken under state protection as a monument of national and world significance. From that moment on, its museumification began. The first caretaker was Archpriest John Kuznetsov. In the post-revolutionary years, the cathedral was in dire straits. In many places the roof was leaking, windows were broken, and in winter there was even snow inside the churches. Ioann Kuznetsov single-handedly maintained order in the cathedral
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In 1923, it was decided to create a historical and architectural museum in the cathedral. Its first head was a researcher at the Historical Museum E.I. Silin. On May 21, the museum was opened to visitors. Active acquisition of funds has begun

Exhibits to the muse

In 1928, the Intercession Cathedral Museum became a branch of the State Historical Museum. Despite the constant restoration work that has been going on in the cathedral for almost a century, the museum is always open to visitors.

It was closed only once - during the Great Patriotic War. In 1929, services were banned in the temple and the bells were removed. In the mid-1930s. The temple was threatened with demolition, but it escaped destruction. Immediately after the war, systematic work began to restore the cathedral, and on September 7, 1947, on the day of the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Moscow, the museum reopened. The cathedral became widely known not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders.

Since 1991, the Intercession Cathedral has been jointly used by the museum and the Russian Orthodox Church. After a long break, services were resumed in the temple
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Temple structure

Cathedral domes

The height of the temple is 65 meters. There are only 10 domes. Nine domes over the temple (according to the number of thrones):
Intercession of the Virgin Mary (central),
Holy Trinity (East),
Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (zap.)
Gregory of Armenia (north-west),
Alexander Svirsky (southeast),
Varlaam Khutynsky (southwest),
John the Merciful (formerly John, Paul and Alexander of Constantinople) (north-east),
Nicholas the Wonderworker of Velikoretsky (south)
Adrian and Natalia (formerly Cyprian and Justina) (northern))
plus one dome over the bell tower.

The cathedral consists of churches, the thrones of which were consecrated in honor of the holidays that occurred on the days of the decisive battles for Kazan:

Trinity,

In honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (in honor of his Velikoretskaya icon from Vyatka),

Entry into Jerusalem

In honor of the torment. Adrian and Natalia (originally - in honor of St. Cyprian and Justina - October 2),

St. John the Merciful (until XVIII - in honor of St. Paul, Alexander and John of Constantinople - November 6),

All these eight churches (four axial, four smaller ones between them) are crowned with onion domes and grouped around the ninth pillar-shaped church rising above them in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God, completed with a tent with a small dome. All nine churches are united by a common base, a bypass (originally open) gallery and internal vaulted passages.

In 1588, a tenth chapel was added to the cathedral from the northeast, consecrated in honor of St. Basil the Blessed (1469-1552), whose relics were located on the site where the cathedral was built. The name of this chapel gave the cathedral a second, everyday name. Adjacent to the chapel of St. Basil's is the chapel of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in which Blessed John of Moscow was buried in 1589 (at first the chapel was consecrated in honor of the Deposition of the Robe, but in 1680 it was reconsecrated as the Nativity of the Theotokos). In 1672, the discovery of the relics of St. John the Blessed took place there, and in 1916 it was reconsecrated in the name of Blessed John, the Moscow wonderworker. A tented bell tower was built in the 1670s.

The cathedral has been restored several times. In the 17th century, asymmetrical extensions were added, tents over the porches, intricate decorative treatment of the domes (originally they were gold), and ornamental paintings outside and inside (originally the cathedral itself was white).

In the main, Intercession, church there is an iconostasis from the Kremlin Church of the Chernigov Wonderworkers, dismantled in 1770, and in the chapel of the Entrance to Jerusalem there is an iconostasis from the Alexander Cathedral, dismantled at the same time.

The last (before the revolution) rector of the cathedral, Archpriest John Vostorgov, was shot on August 23 (September 5), 1919. Subsequently, the temple was transferred to the disposal of the renovation community
.

First floor

“Our Lady of the Sign” in the basement

There are no basements in the Intercession Cathedral. Churches and galleries stand on a single foundation - a basement, consisting of several rooms. The strong brick walls of the basement (up to 3 m thick) are covered with vaults. The height of the premises is about 6.5 m.

The design of the northern basement is unique for the 16th century. Its long box vault has no supporting pillars. The walls are cut with narrow openings - vents. Together with the “breathable” building material - brick - they provide a special indoor microclimate at any time of the year.

Previously, the basement premises were inaccessible to parishioners. The deep niches in it were used as storage. They were closed with doors, the hinges of which are now preserved
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Salary of the Intercession

Until 1595, the royal treasury was hidden in the basement. Wealthy townspeople also brought their property here.

One entered the basement from the upper central Church of the Intercession of Our Lady via an internal white stone staircase. Only the initiated knew about it. Later this narrow passage was blocked. However, during the restoration process of the 1930s. a secret staircase was discovered.
In the basement there are icons of the Intercession Cathedral. The oldest of them is the icon of St. St. Basil's at the end of the 16th century, written specifically for the Intercession Cathedral.

Two 17th-century icons are also on display. - “Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos” and “Our Lady of the Sign”.
The icon “Our Lady of the Sign” is a replica of the façade icon located on the eastern wall of the cathedral. Written in the 1780s. In the XVIII-XIX centuries. The icon was located above the entrance to the chapel of St. Basil the Blessed.

Church of St. Basil the Blessed

Canopy over the tomb of St. Basil the Blessed

The lower church was added to the cathedral in 1588 over the burial place of St. St. Basil's. A stylized inscription on the wall tells about the construction of this church after the canonization of the saint by order of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich.

The temple is cubic in shape, covered with a cross vault and crowned with a small light drum with a dome. The roof of the church is made in the same style as the heads of the upper churches of the cathedral
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The oil painting of the church was done for the 350th anniversary of the start of construction of the cathedral (1905). The dome depicts the Savior Almighty, the forefathers are depicted in the drum, the Deesis (Savior Not Made by Hands, the Mother of God, John the Baptist) is depicted in the crosshairs of the vault, and the Evangelists are depicted in the sails of the vault.
On the western wall is the temple image of the “Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary”. In the upper tier there are images of the patron saints of the reigning house: Fyodor Stratelates, John the Baptist, Saint Anastasia, and the Martyr Irene.

On the northern and southern walls there are scenes from the life of St. Basil: “The Miracle of Salvation at Sea” and “The Miracle of the Fur Coat.” The lower tier of the walls is decorated with a traditional ancient Russian ornament in the form of towels.
The iconostasis was completed in 1895 according to the design of the architect A.M. Pavlinova. The icons were painted under the guidance of the famous Moscow icon painter and restorer Osip Chirikov, whose signature is preserved on the icon “The Savior on the Throne”.

The iconostasis includes earlier icons: “Our Lady of Smolensk” from the 16th century. and the local image of “St. Saint Basil against the backdrop of the Kremlin and Red Square" XVIII century.

Above the burial place of St. St. Basil's Church has an arch decorated with a carved canopy. This is one of the revered Moscow shrines.

On the southern wall of the church there is a rare large-sized icon painted on metal - “Our Lady of Vladimir with selected saints of the Moscow circle “Today the most glorious city of Moscow flaunts brightly” (1904)

The floor is covered with Kasli cast iron slabs.

St. Basil's Church was closed in 1929. Only at the end of the 20th century. its decorative decoration was restored. On August 15, 1997, on the day of remembrance of St. Basil the Blessed, Sunday and holiday services were resumed in the church.

Second floor
Galleries and porches

An external bypass gallery runs along the perimeter of the cathedral around all the churches. Initially it was open. In the middle of the 19th century. the glazed gallery became part of the cathedral's interior. Arched entrance openings lead from the external gallery to the platforms between the churches and connect it with internal passages.

The central Church of the Intercession of Our Lady is surrounded by an internal bypass gallery. Its vaults hide the upper parts of the churches. In the second half of the 17th century. the gallery was painted with floral patterns. Later, narrative oil paintings appeared in the cathedral, which were updated several times. Tempera painting is currently unveiled in the gallery. Oil paintings from the 19th century have been preserved on the eastern section of the gallery. — images of saints in combination with floral patterns.

Carved brick entrances leading to the central church organically complement the decor. The portal has been preserved in its original form, without late coatings, which allows you to see its decoration. The relief details are laid out from specially molded pattern bricks, and the shallow decoration is carved on site.

Previously, daylight penetrated into the gallery from windows located above the passages in the walkway. Today it is illuminated by mica lanterns from the 17th century, which were previously used during religious processions. The multi-domed tops of the outrigger lanterns resemble the exquisite silhouette of a cathedral.

The floor of the gallery is made of brick in a herringbone pattern. Bricks from the 16th century have been preserved here. - darker and more resistant to abrasion than modern restoration bricks.

Gallery painting

The vault of the western section of the gallery is covered with a flat brick ceiling. It demonstrates a unique for the 16th century. engineering technique for constructing a floor: many small bricks are fixed with lime mortar in the form of caissons (squares), the edges of which are made of figured bricks.

In this area, the floor is laid out with a special “rosette” pattern, and on the walls the original painting has been recreated, imitating brickwork. The size of the drawn bricks corresponds to the real ones.

Two galleries unite the chapels of the cathedral into a single ensemble. Narrow internal passages and wide platforms create the impression of a “city of churches.” After passing through the labyrinth of the internal gallery, you can get to the porch areas of the cathedral. Their vaults are “carpets of flowers,” the intricacies of which fascinate and attract the attention of visitors.

On the upper platform of the right porch in front of the Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, the bases of pillars or columns have been preserved - the remains of the decoration of the entrance. This is due to the special role of the church in the complex ideological program of the cathedral’s dedications.

Church of Alexander Svirsky

The southeastern church was consecrated in the name of St. Alexander of Svirsky

In 1552, on the day of memory of Alexander Svirsky, one of the important battles of the Kazan campaign took place - the defeat of the cavalry of Tsarevich Yapancha on the Arsk field
.

This is one of four small churches 15 m high. Its base - a quadrangle - turns into a low octagon and ends with a cylindrical light drum and a vault.

The original appearance of the church interior was restored during restoration work in the 1920s and 1979-1980s: a brick floor with a herringbone pattern, profiled cornices, stepped window sills. The walls of the church are covered with paintings imitating brickwork. The dome depicts a “brick” spiral - a symbol of eternity.

The iconostasis of the church has been reconstructed. Icons from the 16th - early 18th centuries are located between the wooden beams (tyablas) close to each other. The lower part of the iconostasis is covered with hanging shrouds, skillfully embroidered by craftswomen. On velvet shrouds there is a traditional image of the Calvary cross
.

Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

Royal doors of the iconostasis of the Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

The southwestern church was consecrated in the name of St. Varlaam of Khutyn
.

This is one of the four small churches of the cathedral with a height of 15.2 m. Its base has the shape of a quadrangle, elongated from north to south with the apse shifted to the south. The violation of symmetry in the construction of the temple is caused by the need to create a passage between the small church and the central one - the Intercession of the Mother of God.

The four turns into a low eight. The cylindrical light drum is covered with a vault. The church is illuminated by the oldest chandelier in the cathedral from the 15th century. A century later, Russian craftsmen supplemented the work of the Nuremberg masters with a pommel in the shape of a double-headed eagle.

The Tyablo iconostasis was reconstructed in the 1920s. and consists of icons from the 16th - 18th centuries. A feature of the church’s architecture—the irregular shape of the apse—determined the shift of the Royal Doors to the right.

Of particular interest is the separately hanging icon “The Vision of Sexton Tarasius”. It was written in Novgorod at the end of the 16th century. The plot of the icon is based on the legend about the vision of the sexton of the Khutyn monastery of disasters threatening Novgorod: floods, fires, “pestilence”.

The icon painter depicted the panorama of the city with topographical accuracy. The composition organically includes scenes of fishing, plowing and sowing, telling about the daily life of the ancient Novgorodians.

Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem

One of the four large churches is an octagonal two-tier pillar covered with a vault. The temple is distinguished by its large size and the solemn nature of its decorative decoration.
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During the restoration, fragments of architectural decoration from the 16th century were discovered. Their original appearance has been preserved without restoration of damaged parts. No ancient paintings were found in the church. The whiteness of the walls emphasizes the architectural details, executed by architects with great creative imagination. Above the northern entrance there is a trace left by a shell that hit the wall in October 1917.

The current iconostasis was moved in 1770 from the dismantled Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. It is richly decorated with openwork gilded pewter overlays, which add lightness to the four-tier structure. In the middle of the 19th century. The iconostasis was supplemented with wooden carved details. The icons in the bottom row tell the story of the Creation of the world. The church displays one of the shrines of the Intercession Cathedral - the icon “St. Alexander Nevsky in the Life of the 17th century. The icon, unique in its iconography, probably comes from the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

In the middle of the icon the noble prince is represented, and around him there are 33 stamps with scenes from the life of the saint (miracles and real historical events: the Battle of the Neva, the prince’s trip to the Khan’s headquarters, the Battle of Kulikovo).

Church of Gregory of Armenia

The northwestern church of the cathedral was consecrated in the name of St. Gregory, the enlightener of Great Armenia (died in 335). He converted the king and the entire country to Christianity, and was the bishop of Armenia. His memory is celebrated on September 30 (October 13 n.st.). In 1552, on this day, an important event in the campaign of Tsar Ivan the Terrible took place - the explosion of the Arsk Tower in Kazan.

One of the four small churches of the cathedral (15m high) is a quadrangle, turning into a low octagon. Its base is elongated from north to south with a displacement of the apse. The violation of symmetry is caused by the need to create a passage between this church and the central one - the Intercession of Our Lady. The light drum is covered with a vault
.

The architectural decoration of the 16th century has been restored in the church: ancient windows, half-columns, cornices, brick floor laid out in a herringbone pattern. As in the 17th century, the walls are whitewashed, which emphasizes the severity and beauty of the architectural details.

The tyablovy (tyabla are wooden beams with grooves between which icons were attached) iconostasis was reconstructed in the 1920s. It consists of windows from the 16th-17th centuries. The Royal Doors are shifted to the left - due to a violation of the symmetry of the internal space
.

In the local row of the iconostasis is the image of St. John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria. Its appearance is connected with the desire of the wealthy investor Ivan Kislinsky to re-consecrate this chapel in honor of his heavenly patron (1788). In the 1920s the church was returned to its former name.

The lower part of the iconostasis is covered with silk and velvet shrouds depicting Calvary crosses. The interior of the church is complemented by the so-called “skinny” candles - large wooden painted candlesticks of an antique shape. In their upper part there is a metal base in which thin candles were placed.

The display case contains items of priestly vestments from the 17th century: a surplice and a phelonion, embroidered with gold threads. The 19th century candilo, decorated with multi-colored enamel, gives the church a special elegance.
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Church of Cyprian and Justina

Dome of the Church of Cyprian and Justina
The northern church of the cathedral has an unusual dedication for Russian churches in the name of the Christian martyrs Cyprian and Justina, who lived in the 4th century. Their memory is celebrated on October 2 (15). On this day in 1552, the troops of Tsar Ivan IV took Kazan by storm.

This is one of the four large churches of the Intercession Cathedral. Its height is 20.9 m. The high octagonal pillar is completed with a light drum and a dome, which depicts Our Lady of the Burning Bush. In the 1780s. Oil painting appeared in the church. On the walls are scenes of the lives of saints: in the lower tier - Adrian and Natalia, in the upper - Cyprian and Justina. They are complemented by multi-figure compositions on the theme of Gospel parables and scenes from the Old Testament.

The appearance of images of martyrs of the 4th century in painting. Adrian and Natalia is associated with the renaming of the church in 1786. Rich investor Natalya Mikhailovna Khrushcheva donated funds for repairs and asked to consecrate the church in honor of her heavenly patrons. At the same time, a gilded iconostasis was made in the style of classicism. It is a magnificent example of skillful wood carving. The bottom row of the iconostasis depicts scenes of the Creation of the World (days one and four).

In the 1920s, at the beginning of scientific museum activities in the cathedral, the church was returned to its original name. Recently, it appeared before visitors updated: in 2007, the wall paintings and iconostasis were restored with the charitable support of the Russian Railways Joint Stock Company.

Church of St. Nicholas Velikoretsky

Iconostasis of the Church of St. Nicholas of Velikoretsky
The southern church was consecrated in the name of the Velikoretsk Icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The icon of the saint was found in the city of Khlynov on the Velikaya River and subsequently received the name “Nicholas of Velikoretsky”.

In 1555, by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the miraculous icon was brought in a religious procession along the rivers from Vyatka to Moscow. An event of great spiritual significance determined the dedication of one of the chapels of the Intercession Cathedral under construction.
One of the large churches of the cathedral is a two-tier octagonal pillar with a light drum and a vault. Its height is 28 m.

The ancient interior of the church was badly damaged during the fire of 1737. In the second half of the 18th - early 19th centuries. a single complex of decorative and fine arts emerged: a carved iconostasis with full ranks of icons and monumental plot painting of the walls and vault. The lower tier of the octagon presents the texts of the Nikon Chronicle about the bringing of the image to Moscow and illustrations to them.

In the upper tier the Mother of God is depicted on a throne surrounded by prophets, above are the apostles, in the vault is the image of the Savior Almighty.

The iconostasis is richly decorated with stucco floral decoration and gilding. The icons in narrow profiled frames are painted in oil. In the local row there is an image of “St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the Life” of the 18th century. The lower tier is decorated with gesso engraving imitating brocade fabric.

The interior of the church is complemented by two external double-sided icons depicting St. Nicholas. They made religious processions around the cathedral.

At the end of the 18th century. The floor of the church was covered with white stone slabs. During restoration work, a fragment of the original covering made of oak checkers was discovered. This is the only place in the cathedral with a preserved wooden floor.
In 2005-2006 The iconostasis and monumental paintings of the church were restored with the assistance of the Moscow International Currency Exchange.

Holy Trinity Church

The eastern one is consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity. It is believed that the Intercession Cathedral was built on the site of the ancient Trinity Church, after which the entire temple was often named.

One of the four large churches of the cathedral is a two-tiered octagonal pillar, ending with a light drum and a dome. Its height is 21 m. During the restoration of the 1920s. In this church, the ancient architectural and decorative decoration was most fully restored: half-columns and pilasters framing the entrance arches of the lower part of the octagon, the decorative belt of the arches. In the vault of the dome, a spiral is laid out with small bricks - a symbol of eternity. Stepped window sills in combination with the whitewashed surface of the walls and vault make the Trinity Church especially bright and elegant. Under the light drum, “voices” are built into the walls - clay vessels designed to amplify sound (resonators). The church is illuminated by the oldest chandelier in the cathedral, made in Russia at the end of the 16th century.

Based on restoration studies, the shape of the original, so-called “tyabla” iconostasis was established (“tyabla” are wooden beams with grooves between which the icons were fastened close to each other). The peculiarity of the iconostasis is the unusual shape of the low royal doors and three-row icons, forming three canonical orders: prophetic, Deesis and festive.
“The Old Testament Trinity” in the local row of the iconostasis is one of the most ancient and revered icons of the cathedral of the second half of the 16th century.

Church of the Three Patriarchs

The northeastern church of the cathedral was consecrated in the name of the three Patriarchs of Constantinople: Alexander, John and Paul the New.
In 1552, on the day of remembrance of the Patriarchs, an important event of the Kazan campaign took place - the defeat by the troops of Tsar Ivan the Terrible of the cavalry of the Tatar prince Yapanchi, who was coming from the Crimea to help the Kazan Khanate.

This is one of the four small churches of the cathedral with a height of 14.9 m. The walls of the quadrangle turn into a low octagon with a cylindrical light drum. The church is interesting for its original ceiling system with a wide dome, in which the composition “The Savior Not Made by Hands” is located.
The wall oil painting was made in the mid-19th century. and reflects in its plots the then change in the name of the church. In connection with the transfer of the throne of the cathedral church of Gregory of Armenia, it was reconsecrated in memory of the enlightener of Great Armenia.

The first tier of the painting is dedicated to the life of St. Gregory of Armenia, in the second tier - the history of the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, its bringing to King Abgar in the Asia Minor city of Edessa, as well as scenes from the lives of the Patriarchs of Constantinople.
The five-tier iconostasis combines baroque elements with classical ones. This is the only altar barrier in the cathedral from the mid-19th century. It was made specifically for this church.
In the 1920s, at the beginning of scientific museum activity, the church was returned to its original name. Continuing the traditions of Russian philanthropists, the management of the Moscow International Currency Exchange contributed to the restoration of the interior of the church in 2007. For the first time in many years, visitors were able to see one of the most interesting churches of the cathedral.

Central Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary

Iconostasis

Bell tower

Interior view of the central dome drum

The modern bell tower of the Intercession Cathedral was built on the site of an ancient belfry.
By the second half of the 17th century. the old belfry had become dilapidated and unusable. In the 1680s. it was replaced by a bell tower, which still stands today.

The base of the bell tower is a massive high quadrangle, on which an octagon with an open platform is placed. The site is fenced with eight pillars connected by arched spans and crowned with a high octagonal tent.
The ribs of the tent are decorated with multi-colored tiles with white, yellow, blue and brown glaze. The edges are covered with figured green tiles. The tent is completed by a small onion dome with an eight-pointed cross. There are small windows in the tent - the so-called “rumors”, designed to amplify the sound of the bells.

Inside the open area and in the arched openings, bells cast by outstanding Russian craftsmen of the 17th-19th centuries are suspended on thick wooden beams. In 1990, after a long period of silence, they began to be used again. Gilyarovskaya N. St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow: A monument of Russian architecture of the 16th-17th centuries. - M.-L.: Art, 1943. - 12, Volkov A. M. Architects: A Novel / Afterword: Doctor of Historical Sciences A. A. Zimin; Drawings by I. Godin. - Reprint. - M.: Children's literature, 1986. - 384 p. - (Library series). - 100,000 copies. (1st edition - 1954) Libson V. Ya., Domshlak M. I., Arenkova Yu. I. and others. The Kremlin. China town. Central squares // Architectural monuments of Moscow. - M.: Art, 1983. - P. 398-403

St. Basil's Cathedral (Russia) - description, history, location. Exact address and website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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The unusually beautiful St. Basil's Cathedral, or the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the Moat, flaunting on Red Square, is one of the most famous architectural monuments of Moscow. At the sight of a multi-colored temple, the tops of which are one more beautiful than the other, foreigners gasp in admiration and grab their cameras, while compatriots proudly declare: yes, that’s what it is - majestic, elegant, standing even in the difficult Soviet times for all churches.

There is even a historical story regarding the last fact. Allegedly, when presenting a project for the reconstruction of Red Square to Stalin, Kaganovich swept away the model of the temple from the diagram, making way for demonstrations of workers, to which the Secretary General sternly replied: “Lazarus, put it in its place.” Whether it was so or not, the temple was one of the few that survived and was constantly restored throughout the second half of the 20th century.

History and modernity

The Intercession Cathedral was built in 1565-1561. by decree of Ivan the Terrible, who vowed to build a church in memory of this event in the event of the successful capture of Kazan. The temple consists of nine churches on one foundation and a bell tower. At first glance, it can be difficult to understand the structure of the temple, but once you imagine that you are looking at it from above (or actually look at the temple from this angle on our live map), everything immediately becomes clear. The main pillar-shaped church in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God with a tent crowned with a small dome is surrounded on four sides by axial churches, between which four more smaller ones are built. The tented bell tower was built later, in the 1670s.

Today the cathedral is both a temple and a branch of the Historical Museum at the same time. In 1990, services were resumed. Architecture, external decorative decoration, monumental painting, frescoes, rare monuments of Russian icon painting - all this makes the cathedral unique in its beauty and significance as a temple in Russia. In 2011, the cathedral turned 450 years old, anniversary events were held throughout the summer, chapels that were previously inaccessible to visitors were opened for the memorable date, and a new exhibition was arranged.

St. Basil's Cathedral

Information

Address: Red Square, 2.

Opening hours: excursions are held daily from 11:00 - 16:00.

Entrance: 250 RUB. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

The central church of the Cathedral is not accessible for inspection due to restoration work.

(St. Basil's Cathedral) is a striking monument of Russian architecture located on Red Square. The magnificent and solemn appearance of the cathedral with unusual multi-colored domes, loved by Muscovites and well remembered by foreigners, made it one of the main symbols not only of Moscow, but of all of Russia.

The temple was built in 1555-1561 by an unknown architect (there are different versions) on the orders of Ivan the Terrible in memory of the victory over the Kazan Khanate and the capture of Kazan, which fell on the day of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. Subsequently it was rebuilt several times.

The peculiarity of the temple is that it is essentially 9 separate churches united by a common foundation. In the center is the pillarless Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, around it are grouped 8 smaller churches: Trinity, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (in honor of the Velikoretsk Icon), Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, Martyrs Adrian and Natalia, St. John the Merciful, Alexander of Svir, Varlaam of Khutyn, Gregory of Armenia . The altars of the churches were consecrated in honor of Orthodox holidays and days of remembrance of saints that fell on the days of the decisive battles for Kazan.

Architecture

The architectural appearance of the Intercession Cathedral is unique. Pretentious and solemn, like a painted gingerbread, at first glance it seems like a chaotic pile of multi-colored domes, but in reality this is not the case. The cathedral building has a clear structure and is a rhombus inscribed in a square, forming an eight-pointed star in plan. In fact, these are 9 separate churches united by a common base (basement): in the center there is a pillarless Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, ending with a high tent with a small gilded dome; around it are grouped 8 smaller churches, crowned with relief onion domes of different colors. On the southern side there is a two-tiered tented bell tower, and on the eastern side there is a chapel in honor of St. Basil the Blessed. The building is surrounded by a closed gallery-gulbische, adjacent to which are two massive porches with a hip roof.

The height of the cathedral is 65 meters.

In total, the Intercession Cathedral is decorated with 11 domes, 9 of which are located above the churches, one above the chapel of St. Basil the Blessed, and another (very small) above the bell tower. Of these, 9 domes are distinguished by a unique relief and coloring: colored spikes, rhombuses, ornaments; The meaning of their colors is not known for certain, but it is believed that the temple symbolizes Heavenly Jerusalem. According to the assumption of the Russian writer Nikolai Chaev (1824 - 1914), the color of the domes is explained by the dream of Blessed Andrei the Fool (of Constantinople), who dreamed of the Heavenly Jerusalem with gardens with many flowering trees and fruits of indescribable beauty.

The decorative design of the temple looks magnificent, but laconic: it includes flies, half-columns, kokoshniks and weights traditional for Russian temple architecture. The entire perimeter of the gallery is painted with images of flowers and floral patterns. The walls are decorated with façade icons of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the upcoming Basil and St. John the Blessed (southern wall of the bell tower) and Our Lady of the Sign with saints in the fields (eastern façade).

History of the Intercession Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is on the Moat, got its name from its location near the city, which passed along Red Square along the eastern wall of the Kremlin in the 16th-19th centuries. However, in colloquial speech the official name of the temple is practically not used: it became better known as St. Basil's Cathedral - in honor of the most famous Moscow holy fool and miracle worker. - legendary personality in the history of Moscow; in the past, on the site of the Intercession Cathedral, there was a wooden Trinity Church (on the Moat), in the cemetery at which the holy fool was buried. After his canonization in 1588, a chapel in his honor was built above the burial place of the wonderworker at the Intercession Cathedral. Subsequently, people began to call the entire cathedral after the miracle worker.

The temple was built in 1555-1561 by order of Ivan the Terrible in memory of the capture of Kazan.

The history of St. Basil's Cathedral is full of mysteries and blank spots: in particular, it is not known for certain who its architect was. According to the most common version, it was built by architects Ivan Barma and Postnik Yakovlev, however, it is considered outdated. There is a version that the legendary Barma and Postnik are the same person (Postnik Yakovlev, nicknamed Barma), as well as a theory that the cathedral could have been built by an unknown Italian architect (since a significant part of the Kremlin buildings were built by Italians), which has not yet been found convincing confirmation. A widespread urban legend says that after construction, Tsar Ivan the Terrible, struck by the beauty of the cathedral, ordered the architects to be blinded so that they would not build anything like it again, however, in reality this is unlikely: if one of the architects was indeed Postnik Yakovlev, then after the Intercession Cathedral he took participation in the construction of the Kazan Kremlin and, obviously, could not be blinded. Although, again, there is a version that these were different Fasters.

The walls of the temple were built of red brick, which was a rather innovative building material for Moscow at that time. To protect the rare material from exposure to precipitation, the outside walls of the building were painted in red and white tones, emphasizing the masonry. In 1588, by order of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, the chapel of St. Basil's was added to the temple, in the form of an independent pillarless church with a separate entrance.

Not much information has been preserved about what the Intercession Cathedral looked like originally. It is known that in the past the bypass gallery surrounding it was open and did not have massive hipped porches and paintings with floral patterns: the vault over the gallery and two porches over the stairs were built in the second half of the 17th century, when the building underwent significant reconstruction. During the same period, new churches were added to the cathedral: the Deposition of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Virgin Theodosius and others. According to the Russian historian Peter Khavsky, by 1722 there were 18 altars in the cathedral: the Life-Giving Trinity, the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, St. Nicholas of Velikoretsky, the Beheading of John the Baptist, Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa, Varlaam of Khutyn, Apostle Andronicus, Gregory of Armenia, Cyprian and Justinia, and the Deposition of the Robe. Theotokos, Sergius of Radonezh, Basil the Great, Alexander of Svirsky, Virgin Theodosius, Mary of Egypt, All Saints, Epiphany and the Three Patriarchs.

The domes also looked different: those colored figured domes for which St. Basil's Cathedral is known today appeared only at the end of the 16th century; the former were probably helmet-shaped, and their covering was destroyed by one of the city fires. Even their original number is questionable: it is known that during the restoration of 1784-1786 under the leadership of the architect Ivan Yakovlev, 8 small domes at the base of the tent were dismantled, which were recognized as later additions.

During the Patriotic War of 1812, the cathedral was plundered by the French, but immediately after the war it was repaired and consecrated. In 1817, when Red Square was reconstructed according to the design of Osip Bove, the retaining wall of the temple from Vasilyevsky Spusk and Moskvoretskaya Street was lined with stone, and a cast-iron fence was installed at the top.

During the Soviet years, St. Basil's Cathedral escaped demolition (although services there were still banned) and became one of the first architectural monuments taken under state protection. Its museumification began in 1918, and in 1923 it was decided to create a historical and architectural museum there, which later became part of the State Historical Museum. Initially, the building was in a deplorable state, but already in the 1920s, repair and restoration work began in it, designed to return the cathedral to its original appearance and partially recreate the interiors of the 16-17 centuries. In 1931, the monument to Minin and Pozharsky, previously installed in the central part of Red Square, was moved to the cathedral.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union - since 1991 - the temple building is in joint use of the museum and the Russian Orthodox Church.

Myths and legends

Being one of the most famous sights of Moscow and having at the same time a rather vague history, St. Basil's Cathedral was simply bound to acquire urban legends.

The most widespread legend concerns the construction of the temple: supposedly Tsar Ivan the Terrible, struck by the incredible beauty of the building, ordered its architects - Barma and Postnik - to be blinded, so that they would never be able to build a more beautiful temple anywhere than in Moscow. In reality, this is unlikely: firstly, it is not known for certain which architects erected the building. In addition, it is not clear whether the legendary Barma and Postnik were different people - Ivan Barma and Postnik Yakovlev - or whether it was one person - Postnik Yakovlev, nicknamed Barma. Be that as it may, after the construction of the Intercession Cathedral, Postnik Yakovlev participated in the construction of the Kazan Kremlin, which means he could not have been blinded - unless, again, these were different people.

There is a legend that the image of the historical Kul-Sharif mosque, destroyed by Russian troops during the capture of Kazan in 1552, is “encrypted” in the structure of St. Basil’s Cathedral: 8 of its chapters supposedly symbolize the 8 minarets of the destroyed mosque, and the 9th dominates them to commemorate the victory .

They say that St. Basil the Blessed, foreseeing victory over Kazan, collected money for the construction of the Intercession Cathedral and, shortly before his death in 1552, transferred it to Ivan the Terrible. However, this legend has no evidence.

Not without the library of Ivan the Terrible! According to one legend, it was hidden precisely in the basements of the Intercession Cathedral. Unfortunately, in reality this is impossible: the building simply does not have basements. The cathedral was built on a massive basement, which rests on an artificial hill, and its foundation is not so deep. However, in the basement there were rooms for storing valuables; another urban legend says that they could have housed the royal treasury.

During the Patriotic War of 1812, when French troops were leaving Moscow, Napoleon ordered the cathedral to be blown up, however, the French were unable to do this: supposedly, the rain that started extinguished the wicks and prevented them from preparing the explosion of the building. They say that Napoleon gave such an order in his hearts: he liked the cathedral so much that he wanted to move it to Paris, but he was informed that this was impossible (what a surprise!).

In the 1930s, Lazar Kaganovich proposed demolishing the Intercession Cathedral to make more space for parades and demonstrations on Red Square. According to urban legend, he made a model of Red Square with a removable cathedral building and brought it for demonstration to Stalin to show how the cathedral interfered with the passage of cars and columns. Showing the model, he unexpectedly tore off the Intercession Cathedral from it to clearly show how much better it would be without it, but the surprised Stalin exclaimed: “Lazarus, put it in its place!” - and the cathedral was saved.

Nowadays, St. Basil's Cathedral is one of the most popular attractions in Moscow, a must-see point on the maps of tourists coming to the capital. Its unusual and memorable appearance has made it one of the wonders and symbols of Russia - and even those who have never been to Moscow can easily recognize its domes, which are often printed on postcards and souvenirs, in books, textbooks and encyclopedias. If somewhere they talk or write about Moscow and Russia, the words will most likely be illustrated with a photograph of the Intercession Cathedral.

At the same time, the townspeople truly love him.

Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the Moat located on Red Square, building 2. You can get to it on foot from the metro stations "Okhotny Ryad" Sokolnicheskaya line, "Revolution square" Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya, "Theatrical" Zamoskvoretskaya and "China town" Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya and Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya lines.

July 12, 2016 marks the 455th anniversary of one of the most famous architectural monuments of Moscow - the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin on the Moat, which we know as St. Basil's Cathedral.

This famous cathedral, with its powerful walls and vaults, used to be used for hiding places. Deep niches were built in the walls of the basement, the entrance to which was closed by metal doors. There were heavy forged chests in which rich townspeople kept their valuable property - money, jewelry, utensils and books. The royal treasury was also kept there. What other legends and secrets does the temple that we call St. Basil’s Cathedral keep today?

Where did the name "St. Basil's Cathedral" come from?

Despite the fact that the cathedral was built in 1554 in honor of the victories of Ivan the Terrible over the Golden Horde, it was popularly named St. Basil's, after the name of the chapel added to the cathedral on the north-eastern side in 1588. It was built by order of the son of Ivan the Terrible - Fyodor Ioannovich over the grave of Blessed Vasily, who died in 1557, and was buried near the walls of the cathedral under construction. The holy fool walked naked in winter and summer, wearing iron chains; Muscovites loved him very much for his gentle disposition. In 1586, under Fyodor Ioannovich, the canonization of St. Basil took place. With the addition of St. Basil's Church, services in the cathedral became daily. Previously, the cathedral was not heated, since it was largely a memorial, and services were held in it only in the warm season. And the chapel of St. Basil's was warm and more spacious. Since then, the Intercession Cathedral has been known more as St. Basil's Cathedral.

Is it true that Ivan the Terrible gouged out the eyes of the temple builders?

The most common myth about the cathedral is the chilling story of gullible souls that Tsar Ivan IV allegedly ordered its builders, Postnik and Barma, to be blinded so that they would never be able to build anything else that could surpass and eclipse the newly erected architectural masterpiece. Meanwhile, there is no real historical evidence. Yes, the builders of the temple were really called Postnik and Barma. In 1896, Archpriest John Kuznetsov, who served in the temple, discovered a chronicle in which it was said that “The pious Tsar John came from the victory of Kazan to the reigning city of Moscow... And God gave him two Russian masters named Postnik and Barma and was wise and convenient for such a wonderful work ..." This is how the names of the cathedral’s builders became known for the first time. But there is not a word about blindness in the chronicles. Moreover, after completing the work in Moscow, Ivan Yakovlevich Barma took part in the construction of the Annunciation Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin, the Kazan Kremlin and other iconic buildings, which are mentioned in the chronicles.

Is it true that the cathedral was originally intended to be so colorful?

No, this is a wrong opinion. The current appearance of the Intercession Cathedral is very different from its original appearance. It had white walls, strictly painted to resemble brick. All the polychrome and floral painting of the cathedral appeared only in the 1670s. By this time, the cathedral had already undergone significant reconstruction: two large porches were added - on the north and south sides. The external gallery was also covered with vaults. Today in the decoration of the Intercession Cathedral you can see frescoes of the 16th century, tempera painting of the 17th century, monumental oil painting of the 18th-19th centuries, and rare monuments of Russian icon painting.

Is it true that Napoleon wanted to move the temple to Paris?

During the War of 1812, when Napoleon occupied Moscow, the Emperor liked the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary so much that he decided to move it to Paris. The technology of that time did not allow this to happen. Then the French first built stables in the temple, and later simply planted explosives in the base of the cathedral and lit the fuse. The assembled Muscovites prayed for the salvation of the temple, and a miracle happened - heavy rain began, which extinguished the wick.

Is it true that Stalin saved the Cathedral from destruction?

The temple miraculously survived the October Revolution - marks from shells remained on its walls for a long time. In 1931, a bronze monument to Minin and Pozharsky was moved to the cathedral - the authorities cleared the area of unnecessary buildings for parades. Lazar Kaganovich, who was so successful in destroying the Kazan Cathedral of the Kremlin, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and a number of other churches in Moscow, proposed completely demolishing the Intercession Cathedral in order to further clear the place for demonstrations and military parades. Legend has it that Kaganovich ordered the production of a detailed model of Red Square with a removable temple and brought it to Stalin. Trying to prove to the leader that the cathedral interfered with cars and demonstrations, he unexpectedly tore off the model of the temple from the square. The surprised Stalin allegedly at that moment uttered the historical phrase: “Lazarus, put him in his place!”, so the question of demolishing the cathedral was postponed. According to the second legend, the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary owes its salvation to the famous restorer P.D. Baranovsky, who sent telegrams to Stalin calling not to destroy the temple. Legend has it that Baranovsky, who was invited to the Kremlin on this issue, knelt before the assembled members of the Central Committee, begging to preserve the iconic building, and this had an unexpected effect.

Is it true that the Cathedral now serves only as a museum?

The historical and architectural museum in the cathedral was founded in 1923. However, even then, during Soviet times, services in the cathedral still continued. They continued until 1929, and resumed again in 1991. Today the cathedral is jointly used by the State Historical Museum and the Russian Orthodox Church. Divine services are held in St. Basil's Cathedral weekly on Sundays, as well as on patronal holidays - August 15, the day of remembrance of St. Basil, and October 14, the day of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

St. Basil's Cathedral- a popular monument of Orthodox Christianity and Russian architecture. It rises in the center of Moscow. Dates from the 16th century.

The canonical name of the building is the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Mother of God on the Moat. Another naming option is the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Also known to many as Pokrovsky.

Interesting! The link “on the ditch” in the name is also not accidental. Until 1813, a defensive ditch was dug next to the Kremlin wall.

In fact, the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Mother of God is not one, but several churches united into a single architectural ensemble.

Construction of St. Basil's Cathedral

The temple appeared during the time of Ivan the Terrible. Dates of construction work: from 1555 to 1561. The tsar promised to build a cathedral if the Kazan khans were conquered. In honor of every major victory, a church was built. The name was given to the buildings after the saint on whose calendar day the battle was won. This is how eight wooden churches appeared. The main victory came on the day of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary. Hence the name of the main cathedral, made of stone.

The building survived fires, several wars and revolutions. Over its history, the cathedral has been modified, repainted, and reconstructed many times. It has become “overgrown” with a bell tower, a gallery, a fence and other elements. Among the famous architects of the temple: Osip Bove (1817), Ivan Yakovlev (1784-1786), Sergei Solovyov (1900-1912)

In 1918, the cathedral received the status of world-class architectural value and began to be protected by the state. In the early 90s of the last century it was used simultaneously as a church and a museum.

Cathedral during the Empire

There are various legends about the creators of the structure. There is no one reliable version. Most researchers agree with the idea that construction the temple is the “work of the hands” of a master nicknamed Postnik. Full name - Barma Ivan Yakovlevich.

Some believe that Moscow's St. Basil's Cathedral was designed by an unknown Italian architect.

Previously, there was a version that the temple was built by Postnik and Barma, that is, there were two masters at once. But historians have found too many inconsistencies in it.

Interesting! A popular legend says: Ivan IV ordered the architects Postnik and Barma to be blinded upon completion of construction. He did not want the masters to repeat their creation anywhere. This fact is most likely fictitious, since it does not coincide with historical events.

Why is St. Basil's Cathedral called that?

This name for the cathedral has taken root among the people for a reason. The name of the temple is given by the name of the holy fool who lived under Ivan the Terrible. The king himself was afraid of the blessed one for his gift of clairvoyance. The people loved Vasily. When he died, he was buried near Trinity Church.

Saint Basil was canonized 29 years after his death. One of the churches of the temple was named after him. The relics of the holy fool, now a saint, are kept here.

Structure and parameters of the cathedral

A distinctive feature of the temple is that it does not have a distinct facade. Each side looks like a “front door”.

The Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God reaches a height of 65 meters.

Interesting! For two centuries after its appearance, it was the tallest building in Moscow.

The entire complex consists of eleven buildings. Around the central church there are eight more, four of which are grouped exactly according to the cardinal directions. The structure resembles an eight-pointed star. The tenth church is the “lower” one. The eleventh building is the bell tower.

All churches have a single foundation, united by a closed gallery and internal common passages.

How many domes are there on St. Basil's Cathedral

The correct answer is 11. Of these, nine are onion church, two are tent-shaped with small domes. The domes of the central temple and the bell tower end with a tent. All of them are colorful colors and decorated with patterns. This festive decoration is explained by the fact that the domes of the temple symbolize the image of the Heavenly City of Jerusalem.

Thrones of the Intercession on the Moat

The cathedral is represented by ten independent churches with altars:

Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Central Throne is located here.
Adrian and Natalia. The church was previously named in honor of Saints Cyprian and Justina (northern direction). The height of the building is 20.9 m. The “Burning Bush” is located here.
Three Patriarchs of Constantinople (northeast). The church rises 14.9 m.
Holy Trinity (east). The building has a height of 21 m.
Alexander Svirsky (direction - southeast). The height of the structure is 15 m.
Nicholas the Wonderworker (southern throne). Height - 28 m. Another name is Nikola Velikoretsky.
Varlaam Khutynsky (southwest). The height is 15.2 m. The church is illuminated by the oldest chandelier in the entire cathedral.
Entrance to Jerusalem (direction - west). It is distinguished by particularly elegant decoration.
Gregory of Armenia (stands in the north-west). Height - 15 m.
St. Basil's. This is the lower extension. Of all the others, it is the only place where regular services are held.

The temple has a common basement. It houses ancient icons and is not accessible to public visitors.

On a note! A 1989 5 ruble coin was issued with the image of the Intercession Cathedral on the reverse. Its circulation is 2 million copies. The circulation of improved quality is 300 thousand units. Now collectors can buy this coin for one and a half to three thousand rubles.

Information for visitors

The cathedral is a branch of the State Historical Museum and is open to the public. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

On Sundays, services are held here.

Opening hours and ticket prices

The cathedral as a museum operates daily:

in summer - from 10:00 to 19:00;
September 1 - November 6 and all of May - from 11:00 to 18:00;
November 8 - April 30 - from 11:00 to 17:00.

Exception: every Wednesday in June, July, August and the first Wednesday of other months. These days there is a sanitary day in the complex.

The museum is open 1 hour longer during school holidays. On some holidays, operating hours may vary. Please clarify these questions in advance.

Note! The ticket office and the entire area close 45 minutes before the end of working hours.

The cost of an adult entrance ticket is 500 RUR. The price is the same for representatives of all countries.

A family ticket (for a couple with children under 16) will cost 600 rubles.

A special category includes persons from 16 to 18 years of age, full-time students, pensioners and beneficiaries (repressed persons, members of large families, etc.). For them, the entrance ticket costs 150 RUR.

Children under 16 years of age, war heroes, blockade survivors, prisoners, disabled people, orphans, museum employees, pilgrims, etc. can enter the museum free of charge. To obtain the right to preferential or free entry, you must present a corresponding document confirming it.

How to get there

The main landmark is Red Square; St. Basil's Cathedral cannot be missed. It stands out for its colorful domes.

There are three nearest metro stations. These are Okhotny Ryad, Kitay-Gorod and Revolution Square.

Intercession Cathedral offers various excursion programs. According to them, the museum is open from 11:00 until 16:00. The program depends on the age group, nationality, number and interests of visitors. Duration is two or three hours. The tour is designed for groups of up to 10 or 15 people.

For junior schoolchildren, the total cost of the program is 2500 RUR, for middle school students - 3000 RUR, for high school students - up to 4500 RUR (depending on the number of hours).

The cost of the excursion for adult groups is from 5000 RUR to 10000 RUR. The price depends on the number of visitors and the chosen program.

At odd hours, it is possible to attend a special excursion for 1000 RUR for groups of 20 people or more with a guide.

On some holidays, themed excursions are organized.