When Ivan the Terrible wanted to commemorate the siege of Kazan and capture of the surrounding area, he had an incredible church constructed in the very center of Moscow. Unlike any other building built in Russia at the time, the church was colorful, whimsical, and detailed in a way no one had ever seen before. It was named the ‘Cathedral of the Protection of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat’. Lucky for us the church has survived since 1561 and goes by a much simpler name these days – St. Basil’s.
Located on Red Square, the church has been an UNESCO World Heritage site since 1990, and is one of the most iconic images of Moscow.