St. Basil's Cathedral

The Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, which is also widely known as the Intercession Cathedral or the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, is one of the most beautiful and ancient churches in Moscow, the most important decoration of Red Square. Until the 17th century, the Intercession Church was often called Trinity, after the original wooden temple that stood on this site. The Intercession Church was built in the middle of the 16th century to commemorate the victory of the Russian army over the Kazan Khanate, which was part of the Golden Horde at that time. The assault on Kazan began 1 October 1552, on the day of the Protection of the Mother of God, and ended with the victory of the Russian soldiers, after which Tsar Ivan the Terrible issued a decree on the construction of the cathedral in order to perpetuate this glorious victory and to express gratitude to the heavenly patrons.

In 2007, the Intercession Cathedral was nominated for the Seven Wonders of Russia competition.