> Russia's capital city is home to which of the following landmarks?Considering Saint Basil's Cathedral, Saint Peter's Basilica, Tiananmen Squareand The Acropolis, the answer is: Saint Basil's Cathedral. Photo credit: Julius Silver[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1_Saint_Basils_Cathedral.jpg], CCBY-SA4.0 [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0], via Wikimedia Commons.Commonly known as Saint Basil's Cathedral, the Pokrovsky Cathedral is a churchin Moscow's Red Square. Known for its colorful architecture, the Cathedral isone of the most popular symbols of Russia, and sometimes mistaken as theKremlin. It was built in the mid-1500s on orders from the tsar known as Ivan theTerrible.Originally constructed as a monument to his military success against the lastholdout of the Mongol Empire, Ivan the Terrible ironically created one of themost beautiful symbols of patriotism, spirituality and religion in the Russianempire. The church was dedicated to the protection and intercession of theVirgin Mary, 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 forChrist’s sake" and who was buried in the church vaults during the reign of TsarFyodor I from 1584–1598. According to legend, Ivan the Terrible blinded thearchitect of St. Basil's Cathedral after its creation so that he would neveragain be able to create a monument of equal beauty and stature. The Cathedral has faced the threats and effects of the instability of theoutside world time and time again. In one legend, Napoleon wanted to take St.Basil’s Cathedral back to France with him. As this was not feasible, he insteadordered his army to destroy it so that it could not be occupied by anyone else.But, when his army had prepared for attack and lit the gunpowder, a mysteriousrain shower prevented any explosions from occurring. Later, when the Bolshevikscame to power, the Cathedral's doors were closed and its bells melted. EvenStalin made attempts to destroy the Cathedral, who believed that it stood in theway of his military parades. Yet, unfailingly (and miraculously), St. Basil'shas stood tall in its original glory for nearly 500 years. Take a tour of St. Basil's splendid interior below.