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Red Square

geography Maturity 5-7 Next article →

Red Square is a famous landmark in the center of Moscow, Russia.

Plan of Hrasne Polosje
Plan of Hrasne Polosje

It is a very large space that covers almost 73,000 square meters. The square has an almost rectangular shape. It is 330 meters long and 70 meters wide. It sits directly east of the Kremlin walls.

Башни Московского кремля
Башни Московского кремля

The Moskva River flows just to the north of it. Today, most of the square is a pedestrian zone. This means people can walk through it freely. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990.

Many famous buildings surround this open space.

1 Saint Basils Cathedral
1 Saint Basils Cathedral

To the southeast, you can see Saint Basil's Cathedral. The State Historical Museum stands in the northwest.

Museo Estatal de Historia, Moscú, Rusia, 2016-10-03, DD 49
Museo Estatal de Historia, Moscú, Rusia, 2016-10-03, DD 49

To the northeast, the GUM department store sits by the old Kitay-gorod district.

0169 - Moskau 2015 - Roter Platz (25795529393)
0169 - Moskau 2015 - Roter Platz (25795529393)

You might also see Lenin's Mausoleum near the Kremlin. The square is also near the Resurrection Gate.

Воскресенские (Иверские) ворота (1)
Воскресенские (Иверские) ворота (1)

These buildings give the square its special look.

The name of the square has a surprising history. In old Russian, the word "krasnaya" meant "beautiful."

Москва. Красная пл. и памятник. (цв.отк.8856 PZ). 1896 t446901
Москва. Красная пл. и памятник. (цв.отк.8856 PZ). 1896 t446901

Today, that same word means the color red. Long ago, the area was called "Pozhar," which means "burnt-out place." This was because buildings there had burned down. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich later extended the name to the whole square. Now, everyone knows it as Red Square.

Red Square has worked as a busy marketplace for a long time.

Middle Trade Rows Moscow 06-2015
Middle Trade Rows Moscow 06-2015

In the past, people traded goods in wooden shops. Later, these shops were replaced by stone buildings. In the 1800s, the square was paved with stone.

Moscow Red Mint asv2018-09 img1
Moscow Red Mint asv2018-09 img1

The GUM department store was built there in the late 1800s. It was actually the first department store in Moscow. The square also had a moat in front of the Kremlin. This moat was filled in during the early 1800s.

Many important events have happened in this space. It has been a place for big parades and speeches.

Moscow 05-2017 img07 Monument to Minin and Pozharsky
Moscow 05-2017 img07 Monument to Minin and Pozharsky

During the Soviet era, it was a main spot for military parades. The square has also seen riots and demonstrations. It was once a sacred place for religious processions. People even held ceremonies for the Russian Tsars there. It remains one of the most important places in Russia.

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🖼️ Images & Media (13)
File:Plan of Hrasne Polosje.jpg
Plan of Hrasne Polosje.jpg
File:Башни Московского кремля.jpg
Башни Московского кремля.jpg
File:Москва. Красная пл. и памятник. (цв.отк.8856 PZ). 1896 t446901.jpg
Москва. Красная пл. и памятник....
File:Museo Estatal de Historia, Moscú, Rusia, 2016-10-03, DD 49.jpg
Museo Estatal de Historia, Moscú, Rusia,...
File:Воскресенские (Иверские) ворота (1).jpg
Воскресенские (Иверские) ворота (1).jpg
File:Moscow Red Mint asv2018-09 img1.jpg
Moscow Red Mint asv2018-09 img1.jpg
File:Kazansky Cathedral in MSK.jpg
Kazansky Cathedral in MSK.jpg
File:0169 - Moskau 2015 - Roter Platz (25795529393).jpg
0169 - Moskau 2015 - Roter Platz (25795529393).jpg
File:Middle Trade Rows Moscow 06-2015.jpg
Middle Trade Rows Moscow 06-2015.jpg
File:Place of Skulls (Лобное Место) - panoramio.jpg
Place of Skulls (Лобное Место) - panoramio.jpg
File:Moscow 05-2017 img07 Monument to Minin and Pozharsky.jpg
Moscow 05-2017 img07 Monument to Minin...
File:1 Saint Basils Cathedral.jpg
1 Saint Basils Cathedral.jpg

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