Saint Basil the Blessed

Saint Basil the Blessed
or Pokrovsky Cathedral

Church constructed at the southern end of Red Square in Moscow (1554–60) by Ivan IV as a votive offering for his military victories over the Tatars.

The brick-and-stone church was designed by the architects Postnik and Barma (who may in fact have been one person). It is a unique and magnificent architectural fantasy exhibiting Byzantine influences. Eight chapels topped by onion domes surround a central church with a tower topped by a tent-shaped roof and a small golden cupola. Each of the painted domes differs in design and colour.

* * *

also called  Pokrovsky Cathedral,  Russian  Svyatoy Vasily Blazhenny, or Pokrovsky Sobor,  
 church constructed on Red Square in Moscow between 1554 and 1560 by Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible, as a votive offering for his military victories over the khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan. The church was dedicated to the protection and intercession of the Virgin, but it came to be known as the Cathedral of Vasily Blazhenny (St. Basil the Beatified) after Basil, the Russian holy fool who was “idiotic for Christ's sake” and who was buried in the church vaults during the reign (1584–98) of Tsar Fyodor I.

      The church was designed by two Russian architects, Posnik and Barma (who may in fact have been one person). According to popular legend, however, it was built by an Italian architect who was blinded so that he could never create anything that was similar or equal.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Order of Saint Basil the Great — For other Basilian orders, see Basilian (disambiguation). The Order of St. Basil the Great (OSBM Latin: Ordo Sancti Basilii Magni, Ukrainian: Чин Святого Василія Великого, Chyn Sviatoho Vasyliia Velykoho) also known as the Basilian Order of Saint …   Wikipedia

  • Saint Basil's Cathedral — Infobox church name = Saint Basil s Cathedral fullname = Cathedral of Intercession of the Virgin on the Moat imagesize = 250px caption = Saint Basil s Cathedral denomination = Russian Orthodox Church founded date = 1555 founder = Ivan IV… …   Wikipedia

  • The Blessed Trinity —     The Blessed Trinity     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► The Blessed Trinity     This article is divided as follows:          I. Dogma of the Trinity;     II. Proof of the Doctrine from Scripture;     III. Proof of the Doctrine from Tradition;… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • The Blessed Virgin Mary —     The Blessed Virgin Mary     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► The Blessed Virgin Mary     The Blessed Virgin Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ, the mother of God.     In general, the theology and history of Mary the Mother of God follow the… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Liturgy of Saint Basil — Greek icon of St. Basil the Great. The Liturgy of Saint Basil or, more formally, the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great, is a term for several Eastern Christian celebrations of the Divine Liturgy (Eucharist), or at least several anaphoras,… …   Wikipedia

  • Basil — /baz euhl, bas , bay zeuhl, seuhl/, n. 1. Saint. Also, Basilius. ( the Great ), A.D. 329? 379, bishop of Caesarea in Asia Minor (brother of Saint Gregory of Nyssa). 2. a male given name: from a Greek word meaning royal. * * * I Herb consisting of …   Universalium

  • basil — /baz euhl, bas , bay zeuhl, seuhl/, n. any of several aromatic herbs belonging to the genus Ocimum, of the mint family, as O. basilicum (sweet basil), having purplish green ovate leaves used in cooking. [1400 50; late ME basile < MF < LL… …   Universalium

  • Saint — 1347 80, Italian ascetic and mystic. died A.D. 731, pope 715 731. died A.D. 741, pope 731 741. died A.D. 352, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 337 352. died A.D. 683, Sicilian ecclesiastic: pope 682 683. died A.D. 855, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 847… …   Universalium

  • saint — saintless, adj. /saynt/, n. 1. any of certain persons of exceptional holiness of life, formally recognized as such by the Christian Church, esp. by canonization. 2. a person of great holiness, virtue, or benevolence. 3. a founder, sponsor, or… …   Universalium

  • Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament — is a devotional ceremony celebrated within the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in some Anglican Churches, Western Rite Orthodox churches, and Latinised Eastern Catholic Churches. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament begins… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”