St. Basil's Cathedral
Sagrada Família
Hagia Sophia
Angkor Wat
St. Peter's Basilica
Christ the Redeemer
Notre-Dame
Kaaba
Western Wall
Karnak
Westminster Abbey
Sensō-ji
Pantheon
Borobudur
Cologne Cathedral
Lalibela
Lotus Temple
Milan Cathedral
Blue Mosque
Sistine Chapel
Religious Landmarks
St. Basil's Cathedral - Landmarks
40 chapters
beginnerExplore our quick readings on religious landmarks to find out what makes them special and easily improve your language skills!
1.
famous
[adj]
/ˈfeɪməs/
known by a lot of people
2.
building
[n]
/ˈbɪldɪŋ/
a structure that has walls, a roof, and sometimes many levels, like an apartment, house, school, etc.
3.
moscow
[n]
/ˈmɑˌskoʊ/, /ˈmɔˌskaʊ/
a city of central European Russia; formerly capital of both the Soviet Union and Soviet Russia; since 1991 the capital of the Russian Federation
4.
Russia
[n]
/ˈɹəʃə/
a country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia
5.
bright
[adj]
/braɪt/
(of colors) intense and easy to see
6.
special
[adj]
/ˈspɛʃəl/
different or better than what is normal
7.
design
[n]
/dɪˈzaɪn/
a pattern of shapes and lines as a decoration
8.
cathedral
[n]
/kəˈθiːdrəl/
the largest and most important church of a specific area, which is controlled by a bishop
9.
important
[adj]
/ɪmˈpɔrtənt/
having a lot of value
10.
finish
[v]
/ˈfɪnɪʃ/
to make something end
11.
Russian
[adj]
/ˈrʌʃən/
relating to Russia or its people or language
12.
leader
[n]
/ˈlidər/
a person who leads or commands others
13.
ask
[v]
/æsk/
to request for something or tell someone to give or do something
14.
celebrate
[v]
/ˈsɛləˌbreɪt/
to do something special such as dancing or drinking that shows one is happy for an event
15.
win
[v]
/wɪn/
to become the most successful, the luckiest, or the best in a game, race, fight, etc.
16.
war
[n]
/wɑr/
a state of armed fighting between two or more groups, nations, or states
17.
tower
[n]
/ˈtaʊɚ/
a tall and often narrow building that stands alone or is part of a castle, church, or other larger buildings
18.
dome
[n]
/doʊm/
a building's roof that is rounded
19.
shape
[v]
/ʃeɪp/
to give something a particular form
20.
onion
[n]
/ˈʌnjən/
a round vegetable with many layers and a strong smell and taste
21.
church
[n]
/ʧɝʧ/
a building where Christians go to worship and practice their religion
22.
Saint
[n]
/seɪnt/
someone who, after their death, is officially recognized by the Christian Church as a very holy person
23.
painting
[n]
/ˈpeɪntɪŋ/
a picture created by paint
24.
symbol
[n]
/ˈsɪmbəl/
something that represents an idea, quality, or concept beyond its literal meaning
25.
all over the (world|globe)
[phrase]
/ˈɔːl ˌoʊvɚ ðə wˈɜːld ɔːɹ ɡlˈoʊb/
in every part of the world
26.
UNESCO
[n]
/juˈnɛsˌkoʊ/
an agency of the United Nations that promotes education and communication and the arts
27.
protect
[v]
/prəˈtɛkt/
to prevent someone or something from being damaged or harmed
28.
culture
[n]
/ˈkʌltʃɚ/
the general beliefs, customs, and lifestyles of a specific society
29.
regular
[adj]
/ˈrɛɡjʊlər/
standard in type or quality, not different or special in any way
30.
church service
[n]
/tʃˈɜːtʃ sˈɜːvɪs/
a service conducted in a house of worship
31.
museum
[n]
/mjuˈziːəm/
a place where important cultural, artistic, historical, or scientific objects are kept and shown to the public
32.
visit
[v]
/ˈvɪzɪt/
to go somewhere for a short time, especially to see something
33.
official
[adj]
/əˈfɪʃəl/
approved, authorized, or carried out by a recognized authority
34.
holy
[adj]
/ˈhoʊli/
morally and spiritually good, often connected with religion
35.
name after
[v]
/nˈeɪm ˈæftɚ/
to give someone or something a name in honor or in memory of another person or thing
1
Chapter
St. Basil's Cathedral
Read a short passage about a colorful church with onion-shaped domes in the center of Moscow.
1.1
St. Basil's Cathedral is a very famous building in Moscow, Russia. It is known for its bright colors and special design. The cathedral is in Red Square, a very important place in Moscow.
1.2
St. Basil's Cathedral was built a long time ago. It was finished in the year 1561. A Russian leader named Ivan the Terrible asked for the cathedral to be built. He wanted to celebrate winning a war.
1.3
The cathedral has many tall towers. These towers are called domes. Each dome is shaped like an onion. They are painted in many different colors, like red, green, blue, and yellow. This makes the cathedral look very special and beautiful.
1.4
Inside the cathedral, there are many small churches. There are ten churches in total. Each church is for a different saint or special event. The walls inside have many colorful paintings and designs.
1.5
St. Basil's Cathedral is an important symbol of Russia. Many people from all over the world come to see it. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means it is protected because it is very important to the history and culture of the world.
1.6
The cathedral is not used for regular church services anymore. It is now a museum. People can visit it to learn about its history and see its beautiful art and design.
1.7
Fun fact: Its real name is not St. Basil's. Its official name is "The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat." But, it is called St. Basil's because there was a holy man named Basil who lived in the area at the same time it was built. People thought he was very special, so they named the cathedral after him.
1. St. Basil's Cathedral
Religious Landmarks
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QuizSkip the quiz
1.
Where is St. Basil’s Cathedral located?
A
Paris, France
B
Moscow, Russia
C
Rome, Italy
D
London, England
2.
Who ordered St. Basil’s Cathedral to be built?
A
Peter the Great
B
Napoleon
C
Ivan the Terrible
D
Catherine the Great
3.
Put these events in the correct order:
the cathedral became a unesco world heritage site.
st. basil’s cathedral was finished.
ivan the terrible ordered the cathedral to be built.
the cathedral was turned into a museum.
4.
Match each word with its meaning from the text:
Domes
Red Square
Museum
UNESCO
A place where people learn about history
A famous place in Moscow
Towers shaped like onions
An organization that protects important places
5.
Complete the sentences with the correct words (two words are extra):
St. Basil’s Cathedral was finished in
.
The domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral are shaped like
.
The cathedral is now a
where people can learn about its history.
1561
onions
museum
1200
stars
6.
Check if these statements are true or false.
| Statements | True/False |
|---|---|
St. Basil’s Cathedral is in Red Square. | |
The cathedral was built in the 1900s. | |
The cathedral has ten small churches inside. | |
St. Basil’s Cathedral is still used for church services. |
True
False
