 St. Basil's Cathedral St. Basil's Cathedral is located in Red Square, right in the heart of Russia's capital city, Moscow. Although originally constructed as a Russian Orthodox cathedral on the instructions of Ivan the Terrible in the mid-16th century, this iconic building now houses a museum and is probably the most recognizable building in the country and the major tourist attraction. No visit to Moscow would be complete without exploring the many rooms and galleries that make up the nine individual churches on the site. The cathedral's status as one of the world's most celebrated buildings was further enhanced in 1990 when it was named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.