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St Basil's Cathedral

1977 Olympus Trip 35

Colorama, expired 2004

ISO 200

Process & scan by The Digital Image Centre, 27 Elm Row Edinburgh

 

Ivan the Terrible ordered its construction to celebrate capturing the Tatar stronghold of Kazan, 800 km east of Moscow, in 1552. The cathedral was designed with 8 chapels, each representing a successfl assault made on Kazan. A 9th chapel was added later to cover the grave of Basil the Blessed, the pious ascetic to whom the cathedral owes its popular name.

The cathedral has twice escaped destruction. During his conquest of Moscow in 1812 Napoleon ordered its demolition, but the task was abandoned when rain dampened the gunpowder.

 

Stalin contemplated knocking it down to facilitate the exit of troops parading across Red Square, but was stopped by the architect Baranovsky, who threatened to cut his own throat. The gesture earned Baranovsky 5 years of hard labour.

 

- text taken from Eyewitness Travel Top 10 Moscow

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Uploaded on May 23, 2010
Taken on May 23, 2010