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What a wonderful world!
July 4, 2007
St Basil's Cathedral, Moscow
The 16th century cathedral, with its nine brightly-hued onion domes, is considered one of the most striking churches in the world. It was built by the Czar, Ivan the Terrible, to celebrate the Russian conquest of the Tatar territory of Kazan.
Some facts you probably did not know:
St Basil's Cathedral is located close to the Kremlin -- where Russia's rulers work -- and Lenin's tomb. Its location obstructed Soviet military parades and Josef Stalin once ordered it to be demolished. Pyotr Baranovsky, the architect ordered to supervise the demolition, objected. He was sent to jail for five years, but the cathedral was saved from Stalin's wrath.
The correct name of the cathedral is The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin by the Moat.
The location of a Christmas tree a few steps from the Kremlin indicates the U-turn history has made in these parts. The Communist Soviet empire frowned on religion, and for decades only a New Year's tree was put up at this location.
Photograph: Dima Korotayev/Epsilon/Getty Images
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