St Basil's to mark 450th anniversary

RUSSIA will celebrate the 450th anniversary of St Basil's Cathedral with an exhibition dedicated to the holy fool who gave his name to Moscow's onion-domed landmark.

Tsar Ivan the Terrible built the cathedral in 1561 to mark his victory over the Mongols but it became known as the burial place of St Basil, who dared criticise the tyrannical ruler.