B11

St Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow is located at the southeast end of Red Square, next to the Kremlin, and is one of Moscow’s most famous buildings.

 BUILD

B12

It was built between 1555 and 1561 by Ivan the Terrible to commemorate his successful military campaign against the Tartar Mongols in 1552.

 SUCCESS

B13

St Basil’s consists of nine colourful redbrick chapels, each of which has a unique onion-shaped dome.

 COLOUR

B14

Originally, there were eight chapels, each representing a victorious attack on the city of Kazan. But in 1588, Tsar Fedor Ivanovich added a ninth chapel on the eastern side above the grave of St Basil.

 ORIGIN

B15

In contrast to the stunning exterior, the inside of St Basil’s is quite plain. The walls are painted with floral and geometric patterns and a maze of narrow, dimly-lit corridors connects the different chapels.

 DIFFER

B16

Over the centuries, St Basil’s has survived fires, natural disasters and invading armies. Today, this beautiful and remarkable building is one of Moscow’s most recognisable symbols and it continues to delight and amaze all who see it.

 NATURE