Postnik Yakovlev
Postnik Yakovlev is most famous as one of the architects and builders of Saint Basil's Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow. Originally from Pskov, it is thought that he was nicknamed "Barma" , although it might be that his full name was, in fact, Ivan Yakovlevich Barma; ; Barma might also be Yakovlev's assistant.
According to legend, Ivan the Terrible blinded Yakovlev so that he could never build anything so beautiful again. However, this is probably a myth, as Yakovlev, in cooperation with another master, Ivan ShirIai, designed the walls of the Kazan Kremlin and the in Kazan in 1561 and 1562, just after the completion of St. Basil's. He also designed the northeast chapel of St. Basil's, in 1588, four years after Ivan's death.
According to several historians, Yakovlev also designed churches in Staritsa, Murom, Sviazhsk, and perhaps Vladimir, although others contend that this was another architect with a similar name.
