Religious Building · Moscow, Russia
Saint Basil's Cathedral
The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed (Russian: Собор Василия Блаженного, romanized: Sobor Vasiliya Blazhennogo), commonly known as Saint Basil's Cathedral, is a Russian Orthodox church on Red Square in the historic centre of Moscow. Built 1555.
Photo: Tsy1980 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Moscow, Russia |
|---|---|
| Type | Religious Building |
| Built | 1555 |
| Architect | Postnik Yakovlev |
| Height | Height: 47.5 m |
| Coordinates | 55.7525° N, 37.6231° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Saint Basil's Cathedral is known for
The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed (Russian: Собор Василия Блаженного, romanized: Sobor Vasiliya Blazhennogo), commonly known as Saint Basil's Cathedral, is a Russian Orthodox church on Red Square in the historic centre of Moscow.
About Saint Basil's Cathedral
The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed (Russian: Собор Василия Блаженного, romanized: Sobor Vasiliya Blazhennogo), commonly known as Saint Basil's Cathedral, is a Russian Orthodox church on Red Square in the historic centre of Moscow. It is one of the most popular cultural symbols of Russia. The building, now a museum, is officially known as the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, or Pokrovsky Cathedral.
History
The site of the church had historically been a busy marketplace between the St. Frol's (later Saviour's) Gate of the Moscow Kremlin and the outlying posad. The centre of the marketplace was marked by the Trinity Church, built of the same white stone as the Kremlin of Dmitry Donskoy (1366–68) and its cathedrals.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Saint Basil's Cathedral website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Moscow |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Vnukovo International Airport (VKO) |
| Distance from the airport | 16.5 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Vnukovo International Airport (VKO) · Moscow, Russia · 18.0 miles away
- Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) · Moscow, Russia · 18.0 miles away
- Zhukovsky International Airport (ZIA) · Moscow, Russia · 24.7 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
Where to stay nearby
Places to stay near Saint Basil's Cathedral, with a link to each place's own site.
- Hotel Metropol Moscow · Teatralny Proezd, Moscow
Historic hotel near Red Square
- Four Seasons Hotel Moscow · Okhotny Ryad, Moscow
Luxury hotel facing the Kremlin
Where to eat nearby
Places to eat near Saint Basil's Cathedral, with a link to each place's own site.
- White Rabbit · Smolenskaya Square, Moscow
Rooftop restaurant with city views
- Café Pushkin · Tverskoy Boulevard, Moscow
Classic Russian restaurant in a historic mansion
More landmarks in Russia
More religious buildings
Frequently asked questions
What is Saint Basil's Cathedral?
The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed (Russian: Собор Василия Блаженного, romanized: Sobor Vasiliya Blazhennogo), commonly known as Saint Basil's Cathedral, is a Russian Orthodox church on Red Square in the historic centre of Moscow.
Where is Saint Basil's Cathedral located?
Saint Basil's Cathedral is in Moscow, Russia. Its coordinates are 55.7525° N, 37.6231° E.
How do I get to Saint Basil's Cathedral?
The nearest town is Moscow, and the nearest airport is Vnukovo International Airport (VKO), about 16.5 miles away (straight line).
When was Saint Basil's Cathedral built?
Saint Basil's Cathedral was built 1555.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Basil's_Cathedral — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q129846 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- http://www.saintbasil.ru/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.