St. Basil's Cathedral - opening hours, history and interesting facts

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

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 you can see many Russian and foreign tourists near 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 a century of history. Let's turn to it and find out how the temple was created, by whom and in whose honor it was built, as well as other interesting facts. Let's talk about its current status and condition. You will also receive information on the ticket price and opening hours of St. Basil's Cathedral.

The history of the creation of the Temple and its name

In 2 years the cathedral will celebrate its 50th anniversary. How did his story begin? It was built by order of Ivan the Terrible, who promisedto build a temple in case of a successful capture of Kazan. This important historical event happened on October 1, 1552, on Pokrov Day according to the Orthodox calendar. Therefore, the Cathedral received the name, which is official today - the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, "which is on the Moat." It was also called the Trinity Cathedral - that was the name of the wooden church next to which it was built.

In the 17th century, the Temple acquired its current "popular" name - St. Basil's Cathedral. In 1588, a church dedicated to St. Basil was added to it. At first, it was the only heated room in which services were held at any time of the year and day. That is why the name of a separate aisle was transferred to the whole 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 under the layers of paint during restoration work they found the engraved date of the consecration of the Temple - July 12, 1561.

What the cathedral looks like

The cathedral consists of 8 churches, which are grouped around the central church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Four of them are dedicated to Christian holidays, which were the main battles for Kazan. But what about the rest? St. Basil's Cathedral was erected in honor of the holy fool, whose relics are located there. The Church of the Holy Trinity was built on the site of the old wooden Trinity Church. Varlaam Khutynsky, to whom one of the aisles is also dedicated, was considered the patron of the royal dynasty. The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was built in honor of this saint, andthe Temple of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is dedicated to the corresponding Christian holiday.

The height of the cathedral is 55 meters, and at its peak it reaches 65 meters.

All parts of the temple are built of brick, which was an innovative material for the time.

The domes of churches are bulb-shaped, although it is believed that they were originally helmet-shaped. Most of all, their bright and unusual colors surprise and amazes. There is still no exact explanation for it, but, according to legend, this is exactly what Heavenly Jerusalem looked like, which Andrey the Holy Fool 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 there is a monument to Minin and Pozharsky - the organizers of the uprising against the Polish invaders.

The inside of the temple is not as spacious as it appears 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 visiting St. Basil's Cathedral.

Who is Basil the Blessed

Basily the Blessed was a famous Russian holy fool who lived in Moscow during the era of Ivan the Terrible. He was born in the 1460s in the village of Yelokhovo, which at that time was located on the territory of the Russian capital. At the insistence of his father, he went to study shoemaking, it was during this period that he discovered the gift of a seer in himself - the ability to see future events both in the life of an individual and on a scalecities and even countries. So, for example, he predicted the grandiose Moscow fire of 1547, which destroyed 1/3 of the capital's buildings and claimed almost 2,000 lives.

When St. Basil the Blessed was 16 years old, he finally understood his calling and broke with worldly life. The young man began to walk the streets of Moscow, barefoot and practically naked, praying tirelessly and helping the suffering and the poor with everything he could.

Rumors about the eccentric holy fool reached Ivan the Terrible. Once the king gave him alms, which he later gave to a bankrupt merchant.

Vasily died in 1552 at the age of 88. They say that Ivan the Terrible himself carried the coffin with the body of the holy fool to the burial place - the cemetery at the base of the future Intercession Cathedral.

In 1588, he was elevated to the rank of saints by the Russian Orthodox Church, and a border dedicated to St. Basil appeared near the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Builders of the Cathedral

It is not known for certain who built St. Basil's Cathedral. There are several versions of this. 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 person, whose name was Ivan Yakovlevich Barma, nicknamed Postnik.

There is a terrible legend that the tsar ordered, after the construction of the Intercession Cathedral was completed, that its masters be blinded so that they could not create a building of equal beauty and grandeur. However, documentary sources refute this story. For example, Postnik Yakovlevis mentioned in later Kazan books as the builder of the Kazan Kremlin, and other architectural, mainly church, objects are also attributed to him.

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 magnificence of the building during tours of St. Basil's Cathedral, the opening hours of which will be discussed below.

"Vitality" of the Cathedral

The temple was in danger of being destroyed several times.

The temple was severely damaged by a fire in 1737, after which the building underwent major reconstruction.

The first purposeful 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 thwarted these plans by extinguishing the already lit cannon fuses.

During the Soviet era, 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 under the leadership of Lazar Kaganovich. He wanted to demolish the temple to make room for military parades and demonstrations. Kaganovich presented Stalin with a model of Red Square, where St. Basil's Cathedral was not. However, the "father of nations" ordered the building back.

Also, according to rumors, architect Pyotr Baranovsky "interceded" for the temple, refusing to measure its area for subsequent demolition. For this he paidseveral years in prison, but the goal was achieved - the cathedral remained standing on Red Square.

The current status of the cathedral, and how it has changed

Today, the ROC and the State Historical Museum share the right to use the cathedral. Church services are held there on Sundays, and to visit the temple as a museum object, you need to know the opening hours of St. Basil's Cathedral.

During its long history, the temple has been used for various purposes.

In addition to the main function - holding divine services - the cathedral also served as a repository: it contained the royal treasury and the property of privileged citizens. We alth was hidden in the lower utility rooms.

In 1923, church services were no longer held in the cathedral, and it received the status of a branch of the State Historical Museum, which it still retains. Also, it was from Soviet times that St. Basil's Cathedral was recognized as a national historical monument under the protection of the state. Its archives contain ancient church books (both handwritten and printed).

And since 1991, when the Soviet system fell, services have resumed in the temple, which continue to this day.

Opening hours of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow

St. Basil's Cathedral opening hours vary depending on the season. In summer, from June 1 to August 31, the museum is open to visitors from 10:00 to 19:00 every day. November 8th to 30thApril opening hours are 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 the Pokrovsky Cathedral, as a rule, closes earlier. When any festive events are held on Red Square, the mode of visiting the museum is also adjusted.

How much does a ticket to the cathedral cost

Like the opening hours of St. Basil's Cathedral, the price for visiting it also varies, but it depends not on the time of year, but on age. Adults have to pay 500 rubles for the right to see the temple from the inside. For teenagers from 16 to 18 years old, the cost is lower - only 150 rubles. And children under 16 are generally admitted free of charge.

In addition, privileged categories of citizens (full-time students, pensioners, etc.) can count on a discount if they carry a document confirming their status.

Also keep in mind that there is a separate fee for excursions, which is not included in the price of the entrance ticket.

Approximately one hour before the museum closes, ticket offices stop working and stop letting new visitors into the building.

Surely, after getting acquainted with the history and time of work of St. Basil's Cathedral, many had a desire to see this majestic architectural monument with their own eyes. We wish you to make it happen!