Picture of the Week 62

St Basil's, Red Square, Moscow, 1996

An unusual view of St Basil's, taken from the roof - not a place people are generally allowed to go. We were shooting 'The Saint' which has a scene at night in Red Square, so we were permitted to put a camera on the rusty piece of ironwork that was put in for the Soviet Camera Position for the Red Square parades. Luckily, I had my Olympus with me, and up close St Basil's is just as extraordianry as it appears from a distance, and unlike many Russian landmarks, well maintained. The story goes that Stalin wanted it demolished and the architect threatened to cut his throat on the steps if the decision went ahead. It didn't, and it remains there still. Looks kind of odd, though. If you built it like this today, it would be sneered at for being 'Disneyesque'.