What's interesting on Red Square now? Which metro station is Red Square? Her story

Where is Red Square? Description of Moscow attractions

The smooth stone squares of the pavement, the majestic Kremlin wall, and the strict lines of the mausoleum day after day serve as an emotional influx of tourists into the very heart of the capital. The birds of the Spassky and Nikolsky Gate towers fly high into the sky. The dome of the government building rises above the walls of the Kremlin, and the Russian tricolor flutters in the wind. On the sides are the domes of St. Basil's Cathedral, the Historical Museum, and the department store building. This is the modern component of the center of Moscow today. Most Russians have never seen this beauty. But anyone can imagine it very clearly.

The path to Red Square runs through the Resurrection Gate. They are an ancient two-arched building. Between the arches is the entrance to the chapel of the Iveron Mother of God icon.

Address: Russia, Moscow, Red Square.

Main cultural sites

Moscow Kremlin- This is the main symbol of our state. Residence of the President of Russia, National treasure, a cultural and historical monument, the oldest part of Moscow - all that, by the way, is best suited for its description and presentation. High tower made of red brick with a chiming clock is familiar to everyone. The name of the entire square is associated with the color of the Kremlin walls. It's worth visiting here to see with your own eyes. Spasskaya Tower.

The beauty of the Moscow Kremlin can only be rivaled by St. Basil's Cathedral. It is a monument of Russian architecture because it has elements traditional for Russian churches. The temple rises 65 meters above the ground, and its multi-colored domes are breathtaking.

The wooden mausoleum was erected on the day of Lenin's funeral. After that, it was rebuilt several times. It was built over modern style, without fancy details. The simple red inscription “Lenin” has been displayed at the entrance to the tomb of the legendary leader for many years. Entry is free and free.

Here is their full list:

• Cathedral of the Intercession Holy Mother of God
• Monument to Minin and Pozharsky
• State General Store
• Kremlin towers
• Execution place
• Kazan Cathedral
• Historical Museum
• Lenin Mausoleum and Necropolis

This space is global cultural heritage UNESCO. Now this is a place with which foreigners associate the Russian Federation. This is the living history of our homeland. Her past is the heroic past of the entire Russian people.

Currently, there is a unique opportunity to monitor all the events taking place on Red Square online using installed web cameras. The most popular and visited entertainment facilities here are: skating rink, cinema, shopping centers.

Important information about Red Square in Moscow: opening hours, price, currency.

Operating mode:

Every day, seven days a week, except every first Wednesday of the month (sanitary day)

Ticket prices:

Admission is free, free.

View Red Square on the map (how to get there):

Information: Russia, Moscow Red Square official website.

Attractions

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The most famous and iconic place in Russia and Moscow, a witness to the fateful events of the past, and now the main arena of grandiose festivities in Moscow - Red Square - is rightfully called the heart of the capital and the face of the country. The history and power of the entire state are imprinted in its appearance. The majestic beauty and unchanging solemnity of a truly iconic place delights tourists from all over the world, who never tire of capturing the full power and monumentality of the square in vivid photographs. A walk around Red Square and its immediate surroundings is not just mandatory, but a priority route for every guest in Moscow. After all, it is in this public space, which has become sacred over several centuries, that the main attractions and a whole complex of unique monuments are concentrated, embodying national ideas and values ​​of different eras. These - the main objects that make up the capital's most popular walking route - will be discussed in our guide.

“The earth, as we know, begins from the Kremlin...” The history of the main square in Moscow also began from the Moscow Kremlin. At the end of the 15th century, after a devastating fire, the burned-out space between the north-eastern Kremlin wall and Torg was not built up; the surviving buildings were demolished, and trade soon began to boil in the newly formed square. Fire, Torg, Trinity (after the Church of the Holy Trinity) - this is how the area adjacent to the Kremlin was called for almost two centuries. Modern name stuck to it at the end of the 17th century. The place was named Red Square not because of the red color of the Kremlin walls, but because of its exceptional beauty. The most crowded place in Moscow, which became not only the commercial but also the political center of the city, was gradually built up with magnificent buildings - real masterpieces of architecture. At the same time, the Kremlin has always remained the main attraction, located in close proximity to Red Square.

The medieval fortress, which served as the residence of Russian rulers since the end of the 15th century, is to this day the main socio-political and spiritual center of the country. The Moscow Kremlin is one of the world's largest architectural ensembles, the appearance of which has evolved over the centuries. “The Place of the Greatest Historical Memories” has surprisingly many faces: the high walls and towers amaze with their power and beauty, and the ancient temples and chambers, palaces and administrative buildings delight with their monumental solemnity. The Kremlin is also unique museum complex Moscow, one of the richest treasuries of historical and artistic relics and monuments. Having absorbed the centuries-old culture of the country, the Kremlin turned into a national shrine and became an undeniable symbol of the great state.

The main temple in Moscow is the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is on the moat, built on Red Square in 1555–1561. The construction of a grandiose religious building marked the triumphant victory over the Kazan Khanate. The amazing beauty of the temple and the intricacy of the architectural design of its image gave rise to interesting legend that the architects who participated in the creation of the cathedral, by order of Ivan the Terrible, were blinded so that they would not have the opportunity to build such a masterpiece.

Throughout its existence, the Intercession Cathedral has undergone changes in its appearance more than once. So, in 1588, another (tenth) church was added to it in honor of St. Basil the Blessed, which gave ancient temple second, “folk” name.

The Intercession Cathedral was not only a military temple, but also a symbol of the national idea, according to which Moscow was proclaimed the Third Rome - a religious and political center, the main custodian of the Orthodox faith. The cathedral also represents an encrypted image of the Heavenly Jerusalem: the multi-figured and multi-colored heads of eight churches surrounding the high tent of the ninth temple form an eight-pointed star in plan - a symbol referring to the Star of Bethlehem, which showed the Magi the path to the Savior.

Today St. Basil's Cathedral is a functioning temple, as well as one of the largest museums in the country and Moscow in particular, telling about the history of Orthodox Rus'.

In front of St. Basil's Cathedral there is a legendary monument dedicated to Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky - the leaders of the second people's militia, whose troops liberated Moscow from the Polish occupiers in 1612. The idea of ​​perpetuating the glory of national heroes arose at the beginning of the 19th century. Russian sculptor Ivan Martos was chosen as the author of the monument. In 1812, work began on creating the monument. It took 1,100 pounds of copper to cast it.

The massive sculptural composition was planned to be placed in Nizhny Novgorod, a city that was the center of the formation of the militia. After graduation Patriotic War In 1812, the monument acquired a special social and patriotic meaning: it was intended to become a symbol of the victorious expulsion of the invaders from Moscow. The initial decision was changed, the monument was installed in the center of Red Square. Its opening was a solemn event in which Emperor Alexander himself took part. And already in 1931, the monument, which interfered with parades and demonstrations, was moved to St. Basil's Cathedral.

The existence of a public tribune on Red Square, called the Execution Place, was first reported in chronicle sources from the mid-16th century. The emergence of the “theater of proclamations” in Moscow is associated with the salvation of the capital from the invasion of the Crimean Tatars in 1521. Until the times of Peter the Great, Lobnoye Mesto remained the main political platform of the country. From this elevated round platform, royal decrees and sentences were announced, the election of a patriarch, the start of a war, or the conclusion of peace were announced.

Often, the relics of Orthodox saints were displayed at Lobnoye Place for public veneration. But executions, contrary to popular belief, occurred here extremely rarely, in exceptional cases. The Old Russian oratorical pedestal, also known as the “Tsar’s Place,” has long had a sacred meaning. Until the revolution, religious processions stopped near it, and from here the bishop made the sign of the cross over the people.

The structure acquired its current appearance in 1786. Then the outdated platform was reconstructed according to the design of Matvey Kazakov. The round platform, made of cut stone, has a stone railing; the entrance was designed in the form of a door with an iron openwork grille; There is a staircase for access.

Over time, Lobnoye Mesto lost its original role. However, people do not stop gathering around him. This extraordinary landmark attracts millions of glances not only as an unusual architectural object, but also as a historical place, marked by solemn and tragic events of centuries-old Russian history.

The front facade of the GUM building, the main domestic department store, faces Red Square. A large-scale three-story structure in pseudo-Russian style stretches along the eastern border of the square for about a quarter of a kilometer. Erected in 1893, the building was almost always (with the exception of the first years of Soviet power) used for its original purpose. Upper shopping arcades, State Department Store, “GUM Trading House” - these three names capture not only the fate of the country’s largest arcade, but also outline the main stages in the development of the Russian state. Before the revolution, more than 300 showrooms of famous trading companies were located here, where almost all groups of industrial and food products were represented. It was here that price tags excluding bargaining first appeared. In the 20th century, the historical and architectural monument survived nationalization, repeated threats of demolition, which ultimately resulted in two reconstructions (in 1953 and the early 1980s), and, finally, privatization.

Modern GUM never tires of improving its internal space and semantic content. Today it is not just the most beautiful store in Moscow, offering customers a wide range of goods, but also a comfortable recreation area with numerous cafes and restaurants, as well as a venue for various cultural events - art exhibitions, concerts, fashion shows, interesting photo shoots. Every winter, a Christmas market and the main city skating rink open in front of the GUM building.

It is impossible to imagine the ensemble of Red Square without the Historical Museum. A huge red-brick building, reminiscent of an elegant ancient Russian tower, was erected at the northern end of the square (opposite St. Basil's Cathedral) in 1875–1883. Authors architectural masterpiece became outstanding Russian architects V. Sherwood and A. Semenov. It is no coincidence that there are symbolic elements in the decor of the building: the tops of the main towers are double-headed eagles, and the small side tents are crowned with figures of lions and unicorns. After all, it was here that, shortly after the completion of construction, the Imperial Museum (“Museum named after His Imperial Highness the Sovereign Heir Tsarevich”) was located, designed to become the custodian of the country’s historical relics.

During its existence, the institution not only changed its name, becoming the State Historical Museum, but also significantly expanded its funds. Today, the museum collection includes over 5 million items reflecting the politics, economics, and culture of the Russian state from ancient times to the beginning of the 20th century. Among the exhibits are personal belongings of kings and emperors. The large-scale exhibition is divided into halls, each of which is dedicated to a certain period in the life of the country.

The path to Red Square from Manezhnaya Square and Revolution Square lies through the Resurrection Gate - a restored fragment of the Kitai-Gorod wall. A two-arched structure with gate chambers and two hipped towers topped with double-headed eagles is located between the Historical Museum and the City Duma building. The gate acquired a ceremonial superstructure in 1680. The construction of a two-span passage on this site dates back to 1535.

Over its centuries-old history fortification has changed more than one name: the gates were called Neglinensky (after the bridge across the Neglinnaya River that once stood nearby), Trinity (after the nearby Trinity Tower of the Kremlin). The gate was also called Triumphal: through it the ceremonial entries of Russian rulers into Red Square were carried out. The emergence of the now common name “Voskresensky” is explained by the fact that in 1680 the icon of the Resurrection of Christ was attached to the gate. The historical monument is also known as the Iveron Gate. Back in the 17th century, the Chapel of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God was installed between the passages - one of the most revered in Moscow. The cult building was demolished soon after the revolution, and in 1931 the Resurrection (Iverskie) gates, which blocked passage, were also dismantled military equipment during parades. Both the gate and the chapel were restored in 1994.

Located in the northern part of Red Square, the single-domed cathedral, decorated with four tiers of keel-shaped kokoshniks, is an example of Russian temple architecture of the first half of the 17th century. Above the northwestern corner of the open gallery surrounding the main volume, a tented bell tower rises - a characteristic structure of that time. However, the Kazan Cathedral is not a genuine monument of antiquity, but a recreated temple. An architectural copy of an ancient church, dismantled in 1936, appeared on historical place in the post-Soviet period, in 1990–1993.

Back in 1625, the wooden predecessor of the stone church was consecrated in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The nationwide fame of this shrine is associated with the events of the Time of Troubles. The list from the icon (copy) accompanied the second militia that liberated Moscow from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders. The Kazan Cathedral, erected in 1635 at the expense of the founder of the Romanov dynasty - Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, became a military temple, a kind of monument to Russian soldiers who died in the struggle for the independence of their Fatherland. The religious building has been rebuilt more than once over the several centuries of its existence. Today we can both observe its original appearance and take an excellent photo of such an iconic landmark.

Behind the Kazan Cathedral along Nikolskaya Street there is an architectural complex of the late 17th century. This is one of the old mints in Moscow. It was called Red or Chinese (based on its location near the Kitai-Gorod wall). The oldest building in the complex is two-story brick chambers with a passage arch, built in 1697. The façade of the building, facing the courtyard, is richly decorated in Baroque style. The windows of the second floor are framed with white stone carved frames, the walls are decorated with attached columns, and a colored strip of tiled frieze runs along the top of the wall. The basement of the chambers was used for storing precious metals; a forge, smelting and other production facilities functioned on the lower floor; the upper floor was occupied by the treasury, assay room, and storeroom.

The Red Mint operated for a century. Gold, silver and copper coins of national standard were minted here. A reliable security system made it possible to use the yard as a debt prison. Subsequently, the complex was rebuilt, new buildings appeared to house government institutions. The prison continued to operate, where such dangerous criminals as E. Pugachev and A. Radishchev were kept. At the beginning of the 20th century, one of the buildings of the Old Mint was converted into Nikolsky shopping arcades, and some of the buildings were adapted for retail premises. During Soviet times in ancient buildings administrative offices were located. Today the former mint is at the disposal of the State Historical Museum.

Kremlin, Moscow

The two-story building, located opposite the Historical Museum, between the Resurrection Gate and the Kazan Cathedral, was built in the 30s of the 18th century as one of the buildings of the Mint. Since Catherine's time, it was occupied by the Moscow provincial government. Its original Baroque decor, created by the architect P.F. Heyden, the building was lost in 1781. Then, during the restoration work carried out by the famous Moscow architect M.F. Kazakov, the building acquired a stucco classicist facade. However, courtyard facades are often no less interesting than front facades. In the courtyard you can see preserved elements of decorative brickwork typical of the early Baroque. From 1806 until the beginning of the next century, the town hall tower rose above the House of Provincial Government, serving as a fire tower.

Not long ago, the historical and architectural monument was restored and today, with its updated facade, it forms the eastern line of the main entrance to Red Square.

Kremlin, Moscow

At the end of the 19th century, a representative building intended for the Moscow City Duma was added to the House of Provincial Government. The scale of the structure and its elegant decor, characteristic of ancient Russian architecture, make it consonant with the neighboring building of the Historical Museum, erected a decade earlier. The author of the project was the outstanding Russian architect, master of eclecticism and pseudo-Russian style D.N. Chichagov. Nowadays, the main facade of the ancient building determines the appearance of Revolution Square (formerly Voskresenskaya), one of the closest to Red Square.

Deputies met in a luxurious “mansion” until 1917. After the revolution, instead of the coat of arms of Moscow, a medallion with the image of a worker and a peasant appeared above the main entrance, and the building itself was occupied by departments of the Moscow Council. In 1936, after the reconstruction of the interior, which destroyed the original decoration, the Central Museum of V.I. was opened in the building. Lenin is the largest exhibition center entirely dedicated to the life and work of the leader of the socialist revolution. Today it is a branch of the Historical Museum, which is an excellent exhibition space for holding various exhibitions.

Kremlin, Moscow

One of the youngest and most interesting museums in the capital - the Museum of the Patriotic War of 1812 - opened its doors in 2012. The unique collections are located in a new two-story pavilion, which occupies the space of the courtyard between the building of the former Moscow City Duma and the chambers of the Red Mint. The author of the project for a modern building, successfully integrated into the historical buildings, was the famous Moscow architect P.Yu. Andreev. The staff of the Historical Museum did a great job of selecting exhibits and preparing them for display.

On the ground floor of the exhibition complex there is an exhibition reflecting the prehistory of the legendary events - the ten-year period of relations between Russia and France on the eve of the war, as well as a memorial section, including a series of paintings “1812. Napoleon in Russia" V.V. Vereshchagin and a collection of commemorative medals and rarities. In the exhibition halls of the second floor, the image of the Patriotic War of 1812 itself is revealed, and the foreign campaigns that followed it are also highlighted, thanks to which Europe was liberated from the rule of Napoleon. The modern exhibition space is equipped with a multimedia information system, which makes visiting the museum even more exciting.

In front of the Senate Tower of the Kremlin there is a unique historical and architectural object of the 20th century - the Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin, which became the center of the western part of Red Square. The existing stone mausoleum building, erected in 1929–1930, is the third in a row. The two tombs that preceded it were created as temporary and were wooden. The first mausoleum was built just 6 days after Lenin’s death - on January 27, 1924: this made it possible to extend the farewell ceremony to the leader of the world proletariat after the official funeral. Six months later, the very modest building was replaced by a more significant stepped structure with columns and stands. Both projects were completed by architect A.V. Shchusev. Subsequently, the idea of ​​preserving Lenin's body acquired important socio-political significance, in addition, embalming was considered successful. The same Shchusev designed a version of the building, intended to become the tomb of the leader for many years.

The monument that has survived to this day is a reinforced concrete structure with brick walls, lined with granite, and trimmed with marble and labradorite. The inscription “Lenin” above the entrance is inlaid with porphyry. Often the plastic design of the mausoleum, which has a stepped composition, is associated with Babylonian ziggurats. However, the building on Red Square represents a unique and even innovative form in the spirit of the achievements of the avant-garde. Although, of course, the ritual and memorial nature of the monument and Lenin’s sarcophagus itself send us back to the distant past, to the ancient tradition of worshiping the relics.

On Red Square there is also one of the most famous memorial cemeteries in the country - the Necropolis at the Kremlin Wall. The history of the legendary churchyard began in 1917, when 240 revolutionary fighters who died in the October armed uprising in Moscow were buried in mass graves dug from the Nikolsky to Spassky Gates. Subsequently, not only mass graves appeared near the Kremlin wall (over 300 people were buried in them), but also individual burials. The first person to be buried in a separate grave on Red Square was Y. Sverdlov (in 1919), the last was K. Chernenko (in 1985).

Over the course of several decades, the Honorary Necropolis was replenished with 12 graves of prominent state and military figures of the Soviet Union (I. Stalin, K. Voroshilov, S. Budyonny, L. Brezhnev and others), as well as 115 burials in the form of urns with the ashes of prominent personalities. Monuments are erected above the graves - busts of famous Bolsheviks, behind each of which a blue spruce is planted. On the Kremlin wall, which is a columbarium, you can see memorial plaques on which the names and years of life of “heroes of their time” are engraved in gold letters.

The list of those buried near the Moscow Kremlin is not limited to Soviet politicians and military leaders, but also includes foreign communists, scientists, pilots and cosmonauts. A. Lunacharsky, V. Chkalov, M. Gorky, S. Korolev, Yu. Gagarin, G. Zhukov, M. Keldysh and others were buried in the necropolis.

Kremlin, Moscow

Of the twenty towers of the Kremlin, four overlook Red Square - Corner Arsenalnaya, Nikolskaya, Senate and Spasskaya. The last one, a tall and beautiful clock tower, is familiar to everyone: the festive chiming of its chimes has long become an attribute of the New Year in Russia.

The architectural structure, built in 1491, towers over the main gates of the Moscow Kremlin, which have long been revered as saints. Through these gates to ancient fortress great princes and tsars entered, and, starting from the 18th century, Russian emperors; ambassadors of foreign states arrived through them; religious processions passed through them.

Initially, the tower was called Frolovskaya, in honor of the nearby church of Frol and Lavra, now defunct. The second name was given in 1658 in the image of the Savior of Smolensk, placed above the Frolov Gate after the liberation of Smolensk by Russian troops in 1514. The icon, hidden under a layer of plaster for more than 70 years, was restored in 2010.

To observe the time of worship, the first clock was installed on the tower back in the 16th century. The chimes acquired their current appearance in the middle of the 19th century. Mechanism in different time“taught” different melodies. Today, the main clock of the country can play the melody of the anthem of the Russian Federation and the choir “Glory” from the opera “Ivan Susanin” by M.I. Glinka.

Back in the first half of the 14th century, the first white-stone churches were erected on the top of Borovitsky (Kremlin) hill, which determined the spatial organization of the future Cathedral Square. The ancient buildings have not survived, but new cathedrals have risen on the site of their predecessors. The construction of majestic religious buildings was carried out at the end of the 15th - beginning of the 16th centuries - during the period when the unification of Russian lands around Moscow, which turned into the capital of a single Russian state, was completed.

Cathedral Square, which is the historical and architectural center of the Moscow Kremlin, after five centuries has preserved a unique architectural ensemble, including famous monuments of Russian temple architecture - the Assumption, Archangel, Annunciation Cathedrals, the Church of the Deposition of the Robe, the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, the Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles. In addition to their architectural value, temples have important historical and memorial significance. The Assumption Cathedral is famous for the fact that all the coronations of Russian monarchs took place there, starting with Ivan III and ending with Nicholas II. And the Necropolis of the Archangel Cathedral became the tomb of Russian rulers (great and appanage princes, tsars). Currently, the Kremlin cathedrals are not only active Orthodox churches, but also museums exhibiting masterpieces of ancient Russian art.

The history of museum work on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin began in 1806, when, by decree of Emperor Alexander I, the Armory Chamber received museum status. The initial collection was made up of a treasury stored in the Kremlin, the first information about which dates back to the 15th century. After the revolution, in addition to the Armory Chamber, the Kremlin Cathedrals and the Patriarchal Chambers became museum institutions. Today, the walls of historical buildings house permanent exhibitions and temporary thematic exhibitions.

Many collections of the Moscow Kremlin museums are truly unique. This is a collection of state regalia, a collection of amazing diplomatic gifts, a collection of coronation costumes, rare ancient carriages of Russian rulers, a rich collection of weapons and armor. The museum collection includes about three thousand icons, covering the period from the end of the 11th to the beginning of the 20th century. Of particular interest is the archaeological collection, which consists of artifacts found on the territory of the Kremlin.

The ensemble of the Ivan the Great bell tower that has survived to this day, which took shape over more than three centuries, includes three volumes at different times. This is the pillar of the bell tower of Ivan the Great, which in 1600 increased its height to 81 m, the Assumption belfry of the mid-16th - second half of the 17th century, as well as the Filaret extension topped with a tent - the belfry of the first half of the 17th century. Until the beginning of the 18th century, the Bell Tower was the tallest building in Russia. In 1812, during the retreat from Moscow, French troops blew up the temple: the bell tower pillar survived, but the northern extensions were destroyed to the ground. Soon after the end of the war, the monument was restored.

Today, on the three tiers of the Ivan the Great bell tower and on the adjacent extensions there are 22 ancient bells. Since 2008, a museum has been operating in the historical building, introducing visitors to its unique interior space. From the observation deck of the monument there is a panoramic view and amazing views of the Kremlin and Zamoskvorechye.

The Tsar Cannon, which is undoubtedly a weapon in its design, never took part in hostilities. No one managed to hear the ringing of the Tsar Bell, from which a huge piece weighing 11 tons broke off during the fire and which, moreover, lay in a hole for a whole century, appearing to the public only in 1836. However, the question about the functionality of one of the Kremlin giants in the 20th century received an unexpected answer: researchers found that the Tsar Cannon fired at least once. Be that as it may, the very appearance of the monuments - their impressive size and skillful decorative design - amazes the imagination and causes genuine delight.

The Grand Kremlin Palace is rightly called the Museum of Russian Palace Interior. However, the luxurious palace complex of the Moscow Kremlin has never been a museum institution. The large-scale structure, erected in 1838–1849, originally served as the Moscow residence of Russian monarchs and their families. A group of outstanding Russian architects, led by the famous St. Petersburg architect, master of the “Russian-Byzantine” style Konstantin Ton, worked on the creation of an architectural masterpiece.

During Soviet times, sessions of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR were held in the halls of the former imperial palace. Today it is the ceremonial residence of the President of Russia. Ceremonies for the inauguration of the head of state, negotiations with leaders of other countries, ceremonies for presenting state awards and other official national events are held here. However, it is still possible to see the magnificent decoration of the palace: in free time from events, excursion services are provided here upon prior requests from organizations.

The main attraction of the embankment is the Moscow Kremlin, namely its southern wall. At its very beginning there is a round Vodovzvodnaya tower, then the Annunciation Tower, followed by the Tainitskaya, two Nameless and Petrovskaya towers. The embankment is closed by the corner Beklemishevskaya Tower and the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge. Behind the wall and towers you can see not only the Grand Kremlin Palace, but the Archangel and Annunciation Cathedrals and, of course, the 81-meter Ivan the Great Bell Tower. From the Kremlin embankment there is an amazing view of Vasilyevsky Spusk and, partially, of Red Square.

From Red Square to the Kremlin embankment, a park stretches along the western wall of the Moscow Kremlin, the history of which goes back almost two centuries. The garden, designed by the famous architect Osip Bove, dates back to 1820–1823. At that time, restoration work was actively carried out in Moscow after the fire of 1812. The park, which grew above the Neglinka River enclosed in a pipe, included three gardens (Upper, Middle and Lower), called Kremlin. The current common name was received in 1856 in honor of Alexander I, the conqueror of Napoleon and liberator of Europe.

The ancient garden, which has been transformed in recent years, still retains its former charm and original layout. There are still clear boundaries between its three parts. The main entrance to the garden is still a magnificent cast-iron gate with double-headed eagles, designed by E. Pascal. Among the famous attractions of the Alexander Garden is the “Italian Grotto” at the foot of the Middle Arsenal Tower, symbolizing the rebirth of Moscow from the ashes, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a composition with fountains and sculptures imitating the bed of the Neglinka River. Along the picturesque alleys of the park, which become an excellent backdrop for tourist photos, grow different kinds shrubs and trees, including a two-hundred-year-old oak.

View all objects on the map

Red Square - an ancient city square located under the walls of the Kremlin on historical territory and has earned the fame of the main square of Moscow.

Possessing a unique architectural ensemble, Red Square has become one of the key attractions of the capital and, together with the Moscow Kremlin, is included in the list of objects World Heritage UNESCO. Its images are widely reproduced on postcards, calendars and souvenirs, and a walk around the square has become a must-see item in any tourist’s program. In addition, it borders or has access to a number of other city attractions: pedestrian, Varvarka, Ilyinka and Birzhevaya Square, being the center tourist routes.

Modern Red Square is a huge pedestrian space stretching along the north-eastern wall of the Kremlin. The square is completely paved with paving stones made of Crimean dolerite and is used for walks by citizens and tourists, as well as for holding large public events: parades, concerts and festivals.

Architectural ensemble

Along the eastern side of the square stretches a huge building - unique monument pseudo-Russian architecture, the facades of which amaze with the abundance of decorative elements borrowed from Russian patterns. Next to it, on the side of Vasilievsky Spusk, there are the Middle Trading Rows, built in the same style. In the northern and southern parts squares are also located (St. Basil's Cathedral): located opposite each other, they close the perspective of the square on both sides and look like spectacular completions of the long “corridor” formed by the Upper shopping arcades and the Kremlin wall. The building of the Provincial Government also overlooks the square.

The similarity of the architectural appearance of the Upper and Middle Trading Rows with the building of the Historical Museum is noteworthy: these 3 buildings were built according to the designs of different architects, but the main condition for the construction was that their appearance corresponded to the historical environment. The building of the Historical Museum was built first (1875-1881, architect Vladimir Sherwood), and a little later - in 1889-1893 - the Upper (architect Alexander Pomerantsev) and Middle (architect Roman Klein) shopping arcades. Thus, these 3 buildings constitute a single pseudo-Russian ensemble and echo each other with a set of similar decorative elements.

Along the western side of the square runs the Kremlin wall with towers:, and. Behind the wall you can see the dome of the Senate Palace of the Kremlin, and right in front of it is the necropolis and the Mausoleum of Vladimir Lenin.

Among other things, in the southern part of Red Square, near St. Basil's Cathedral, there are the main city platform, from which in the past the most important royal decrees and decisions were announced - and.

Necropolis near the Kremlin wall

A significant part of Red Square is occupied by a necropolis located near the Kremlin wall - a memorial cemetery where state, party and military leaders of the USSR, participants in the October Revolution of 1917 and some foreign communist revolutionaries are buried. The wall itself was adapted into a columbarium for urns with ashes.

In the center of the necropolis is the Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin is a small stepped structure, inside of which there is a sarcophagus with the embalmed body of Vladimir Lenin.

The first burials near the Kremlin wall appeared in November 1917, when two 75-meter mass graves were dug here for Bolshevik supporters who fell during the October armed uprising, in which 238 bodies were buried. In total, over the years of operation of the cemetery, more than 400 people were buried here; of these, 300 rest in mass graves, 114 were cremated, and urns with their ashes were walled up in the Kremlin wall, 12 people were given separate graves. The last burial on Red Square took place in 1985: Konstantin Chernenko was buried here. Among others, Joseph Stalin, Felix Dzerzhinsky, Semyon Budyonny, Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov and other high-ranking Soviet figures are buried here.

Since 1974, the Necropolis near the Kremlin Wall has been protected by the state as a cultural monument.

Why is Red Square called that?

Many tourists and even townspeople are intrigued by the question of how Red Square got its name; some try to connect this with the color of the Kremlin wall or the facades of the Historical Museum, others drag in communist symbols, although the square acquired its name long before the invention of communism.

In fact, to call the Red Steel Square since 1661 without any special prerequisites for the appearance of such a name, that is, its origin is artificial. Most likely, the idea to name the square Krasnaya belongs to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich; what motives he was guided by is unknown, but it is generally accepted that the word “Red” was used in the meaning of “beautiful” and did not refer to the color of any buildings.

Before this, the square was called the Fire, because its space was burned out during the city fire of 1493, and Torg - because there were shopping arcades behind the square, and it was to some extent considered part of their territory. During the time of Ivan the Terrible it was also called the Great Square.

History of Red Square

Red Square actually owes its appearance to the city fire of 1493. During the reign of Ivan III, when the Kremlin began to be rebuilt, Veliky Posad and Torg were located to the northeast of it. The building was quite dense and fit almost the new Kremlin wall, but during the fire of 1493, the space between the Torg and the wall burned out. After this, they decided to leave a shootable strip 110 fathoms wide (~234 meters) along the wall, and in place of the burned-out buildings, a huge area was formed, which began to be called the Fire.

However, the square remained commercial and in the 16th century actually consisted of 3 parts, separated by paving streets: Nikolskaya, Varvarka and Ilyinka, which started from the Kremlin travel towers. To prevent Torg from expanding over the entire territory of the square, at the end of the 16th century, a number of stone shops were built along its border, which outlined the eastern border of the square and, separated by streets, formed 3 shopping districts: Upper, Middle and Lower trading rows. The shops were made in the form of similar one- and two-story buildings, united by arcades - this later became a characteristic technique in the construction of commercial buildings in Russia.

In 1535-1538, the Kitai-Gorod Wall was built, the section of which with the Resurrection Gate limited the square from the north, and in the southern part of the square, called Vzlobie, in 1555-1561 the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built on the Moat (St. Basil's Cathedral).

Thus, in the 17th century, Red Square actually had modern layout: from the north it was limited by the Kitai-Gorod wall, from the south - by St. Basil's Cathedral, from the west - along the Kremlin wall, and the eastern border was delineated by shopping arcades.

Kremlinagrad: plan of Moscow from the 17th century, showing the territory of Red Square

Although the area remained free from capital development, small trade shops nevertheless appeared on it, and it retained its market character for a long time.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Red Square came even closer to its familiar appearance. In 1814, the Aleviz ditch was buried, and in 1818, a monument to national heroes - citizen Minin and Prince Pozharsky - was erected in front of the Upper Trading Rows; later, in the second half of the 19th century, the modern buildings of the Upper Trading Rows and the Historical Museum appeared. In 1909, trams were launched along Red Square, right along the Kremlin wall.

Photo: panorama of Red Square, 1895-1903, pastvu.com

The Soviet years threatened the square with almost destruction: the General Plan for the Development of Moscow in 1935 envisaged the demolition of the Upper Trading Rows and the construction in their place of the Narkomtyazhprom high-rise building with a complete reconstruction of the adjacent neighborhoods; ideas were repeatedly expressed about the demolition of the Intercession Cathedral and the Historical Museum, but none of these plans came true.

It can be said that, in comparison with what was planned, Red Square “got off with a slight fright”: in the 1930s, the Kazan Cathedral and the Resurrection Gate of Kitay-Gorod (together with the Kitay-Gorod Wall) were demolished, and the monument to Minin and Pozharsky was moved from its original place in the center of the square to Intercession Cathedral. A necropolis with a Mausoleum was built under the Kremlin wall, which was subsequently reconstructed several times. The tram line also ceased to exist: in 1930 it was completely dismantled. Otherwise, the architectural ensemble of Red Square was preserved.

After the collapse of the USSR, the Resurrection Gate of Kitay-Gorod and the Kazan Cathedral were restored.

Holidays and parades

Over the long years of its history, Red Square has become one of the most popular places for city holidays and parades, and this tradition began in the 17th century, when a procession on a donkey passed through the square: an Orthodox rite held on Palm Sunday and symbolizing the entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.

The tradition of holding military parades on Red Square appeared already in Soviet times: parades with the participation of military equipment began to be held on May 1 and November 7 - in honor of the Day of International Workers' Solidarity and the anniversary of the October Revolution. Later, the Victory Parade was added to them: it was first held on June 24, 1945, and subsequently was held on May 9 - Victory Day. Nowadays, 2 military parades are held annually on Red Square: the Victory Parade on May 9 and the parade on November 7, dedicated to the historical military parade on November 7, 1941, held during the Battle of Moscow.

After the parade on November 7, Red Square usually hosts an exhibition of military equipment of the Great Patriotic War.

In addition to military parades, city holidays and festivals are regularly held on Red Square: for example, the military music festival "Spasskaya Tower" or the book festival "Red Square", and in winter, the GUM Skating Rink and the GUM Fair appear in front of the GUM building.

Red Square is the most big square Moscow! Its area is as much as 7.5 hectares.

Under Ivan the Terrible, the first Moscow zoo actually appeared on Red Square: a section of the Alevizov moat near the Resurrection Gate was drained, and lions given to the Tsar by the British were kept there. And under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, an elephant was kept there, a gift from the Shah of Persia. True, they didn’t know how to care for elephants in Russia at that time (this was the first Russian elephant), so with the onset of cold weather he suddenly! - died.

Execution Place has never been a place for executions. Sometimes executions took place on Red Square (for example, after the Streletsky riot), but special wooden platforms were erected for this purpose; decrees about them could only be announced from Lobnoye Mesto. However, there was one exception: in 1682, directly on the Execution Ground, on the orders of Princess Sophia, the head of the priest Nikita Pustosvyat, an opponent of the church reforms of Patriarch Nikon, was cut off.

The Tsar Cannon, cast in 1586 by master Andrei Chokhov, was originally installed at the Execution Ground to make the Tsar's rostrum more impressive and to symbolically guard the Intercession Cathedral and the Spassky Gate. In the 18th century, it was moved inside the Kremlin and installed near the Arsenal, then moved to the Armory Chamber. Yours modern place The gun was occupied only in 1960.

The square was first covered with cobblestones in 1804.

The necropolis near the Kremlin wall is constantly becoming a subject of controversy: many townspeople do not like the cemetery in the main city square, and they propose moving it to another place - however, to no avail. Surprisingly, this topic was first raised back in 1953: then in Moscow they planned to build the Pantheon - a memorial tomb for outstanding Soviet figures, where it was proposed to move burials from Red Square, including Lenin’s body. However, the project was not implemented.

Since December 2006, the GUM skating rink has been opened annually in front of the GUM building.

It may seem absurd, but Red Square is closed at night. The opening hours of the square are unknown and are not written anywhere at the entrance; this should be taken as a fact.

These days, Red Square remains one of the most popular attractions in Moscow, its heart, and this is quite natural: after all, it is considered the main square not only of the capital, but of all of Russia! Surrounded by bright architectural monuments, it has become one of the recognizable symbols of our country: coming to Moscow and not visiting Red Square is nonsense for any tourist.

The townspeople also like it: after all, who doesn’t want to listen to the chimes at least occasionally, right? ;)

Red Square is located in the Tverskoy district of Moscow. You can get to it on foot from metro stations "Okhotny Ryad" Sokolnicheskaya line, "Revolution square" Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya and "Theatrical" Zamoskvoretskaya.

Ras-la-ha-et-sya between the Krem-lev-skiy pro-ez-house, Vos-kre-sen-ski-mi gate-ta-mi, on-cha-la-mi streets Nikol-skaya, Il-in-ka, Var-var-ka and Krem-lev-skaya na-be-rez-noy. The trade square in front of the main gates of the Krem-Lev-UK-re-p-le-nyi was first mentioned in 1434, although -tya su-s-st-vo-va-la, probably, already in the 14th century. After the great Moscow heat of 1493, the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III Va-sil-e-vich ordered to clear the front of the new -mi ste-na-mi Krem-la po-lo-su in 110 sa-zhe-ney (about 240 m) for fortification purposes. This cross-gla-sis, called Po-lym-sto or Po-zhar, became the main future Red Square (in the 15th -XVI centuries “Red”, i.e. “Kra-si-howl”, in the name of the Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin). In 1508-1516, under the leadership of Aleviz Fryazin (Star-ro-go) and under the leadership of the Grand Duke of Moscow Va-siliya III Iva-no-vi-cha along the Kremlin walls a ditch was dug (width over 36 m, depth 9-12 m), which filled with -come from the Ne-glin-naya river (later the name Ale-vi-zo-va ditch). The area, located on the border between the Krem-lem and the Sa-dom, near the station on the Mo-sk-va River, served as the city's trading center.

With the construction of the Ki-tai-city wall (1534-1538), Red Square found itself within the borders of Ki-tai-city. Since the middle of the 16th century, the most important architectural landmark of Red Square has become the Vasily Bla-zhen-no-go temple (Pokrovsky Cathedral that on the Moat; 1555-1561), erected according to the rule of Tsar Ivan IV Va-sil-e-vi-cha Groz-no-go. This temple-complex included the altar of the Church of the Holy Trinity, which stood nearby in the same place in the 1st half of the 16th century. those at the ditch in front of the main gates of the Kremlin - Fro-lov-ski-mi (re-named in Spas-ski in 1658). This explains that the Po-Krovsky Cathedral and the square in front of it were sometimes called Tro-it-ki-mi. Near the village, opposite the Fro-lov gates, there was a particularly significant site, which received the name “ Frontal place" (translation of the Greek expression "Κρανίου Τόπος", used in the New Testament as si-no-nim Gol-go-f). In the summer, it was first mentioned in 1549, when Ivan IV gave a speech to the people. Under Tsars Fyodor Ivanovich and Bo-ri-se Fyo-do-ro-vi-che Go-du-no-ve Lob-noe place in 1597-1598 at-re-lo for-mu -well-men-tal-but-around-the-elevation (“here-la-but... stone, re-za-not, door-re- shet-ki iron-nye"); from here the tsars and pat-ri-ar-khi turned to the people, here state decrees and government decrees were issued (when used in a non-middle-of-the-vein proximity). Along the drainage-no-go Ale-vi-zo-va ditch, according to Bo-ri-sa Go-du-no-va, wooden bridges were built -nal temples over the graves of the victims of the execution “on the blood, on the heads that are in the ditch.” The frontal place is sim-vo-li-zi-ro-va-lo Gol-go-fu and served as am-vo-nom during the annual divine services marriage on the square on Palm Sunday, when the especially solemn ri-tu-al “She-st-viya” took place on os-la-ti” (re-moved by Tsar Peter I).

In 1595-1598, on the eastern side of Red Square, a complex of brick-and-mortar shopping rows was erected, including the Upper - on the square between Il-in-koy and Nikolskaya streets), Middle (between Il-in-koy and Var-var-koy) and Lower (closer to the Moskva River). To protect the Kremlin, cannon “ras-ka-you” were set up on Red Square - areas for installing new guns ( at the Forehead stood the Tsar Cannon).

In the 17th century, the role of the square as a trade and public center of the city increased, and its architectural ensemble was enriched. In remembrance of the rescue of Moscow from the Polish in-ter-ven-ts on Nikolskaya Street by decree of Tsar Mi-khai-la Fe-do-ro-vi-cha a cathedral was erected in honor of the Kazan Bo-go-ma-te-ri (Kazan Cathedral; started in 1620 , consecrated in 1637). It contained the miraculously created Kazan icon of God Ma-te-ri; every year on October 22 (old style) a religious procession took place with the participation of the king and the pat-ri-ar-kha. Two temples - Po-krovsky and Kazansky so-bor-ry, ras-po-married on pro-ty-in-false at the ends of the square, emphasizing its special ideological and symbolic significance.

The beginning of the re-development of the artistic image of Red Square is also connected with the re-building of the Mo-s-kov-skogo tower Kremlin: in 1624-1625, the Fro-lovskaya tower was built over the building - crowned with a high tent (total height 67 m) and a uk-ra-she -on the sculpture; there would be a new city clock on it with ku-ran-ta-mi (English master H. Ga-lo-vey; reference to the per- vyh hours on the tower from-no-sit-xia to 1585). Through the “royal” Fro-lovsky (Spassky) gates, the ceremonial exits of the kings and patriarchs took place in the days of -su-dar-st-ven-nyh and church holidays.

In 1679-1680, by order of Tsar Fyodor Alek-see-vi-cha, Red Square was cleared of shopping stalls and “sha-la-shays” , demolished the wooden churches “on the blood” along the moat, their altars were not moved to the Intercession Cathedral. That's when the work began on the re-montage of the Kremlin walls and the construction of the tower continued (except for Ni-kol- skoy, over-built only in 1809-1811); at the end of the 17th century, the walls and towers of the Kremlin were of great importance. In 1689, a 2-shat-row building was built on the Vos-kre-sen-skie (Iver-skie) vo-ro-ta Ki-tai-go-ro-da - northern exit to Red Square; even under Tsar Alexei Mi-hai-lo-vi-che in 1669 in front of them (from the side of the bridge across the Ne-glin-ka river) there was a -we're going to put a wooden chapel in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. Near these gates there lived a center of city government - the Yam-skoy yard, a su-di-li-sche with a prison island, a nourishing one - yard (where the servants of the people you-pla-chi-va-li pity-lo-va-nye), on the spot around 1700 a moose appeared A 2-story building of the Zemsky Court (see Zemsky Prikaz) with a tent tower. In 1697, in place of cannon and po-ho-vy am-bars, 2-storey chambers were erected Mo-no-no courtyard, with a central entrance arch, decorated with white stone carved de-co-rum, and with a vari-tso frieze on top fa-sa-da. The Zemstvo and Mint Yards, with their orientation towards each other, the main fa-sa-da-mi of the creation of the pro-country-st-ven- new framework for the Kazan-so-bo-ra and the design of the northern entrance to Red Square: through no-go, there-would-have-been-on-the-right-lyav-shie- there are many foreign words in the Kremlin, in the 18th century there are many processes. In the southern part of Red Square (between Po-krovsky bo-bor and Spas-ski-mi vo-ro-ta-mi) there was “Po-pov-skaya ", or "Ti-un-skaya", from-ba (the control center of Moscow churches, where-to-stu-pa-li-on-lo-gi and-sh-li-ny) . Red Square was you-might-on-about-the-san-ny-mi-brev-on-mi; There was a lively trade going on there.

On Red Square on January 1, 1700 there was a magnificent celebration of the new year (according to the newly introduced -mu-year-is-number); it lasted for a long time and was accompanied by a cannon fire (about 200 cannons). By decree of Peter I, the building of the Zem-sky Pri-kaz of the Main Ap-te-ke (see Ap-te-kar-sky Pri-kaz; vos -sta-new-le-but after the heat of 1737 I.F. Mi-chu-ri-nym; since 1744 Berg-kol-le-gia has settled here ); soon it was attached to the “Kazan av-steriya” (a drinking-house and a place of social gatherings, wherever -val and Peter I). In 1703, near the Nikol-skie Gate there was a us-ta-nov-le-na Ko-me-di-al-naya temple, reaching the heights -those (13 m) Kremlin walls; building about-su-sche-st-vo-va-lo until 1721. A 2-story building of the first public library of V.A. appeared near the Spassky Bridge. Ki-p-ria-no-va, Ukrainian sculpture-tur-ny-mi al-le-go-riya-mi Science and Enlightenment. In 1707-1708, in connection with the threat of a Swedish invasion, earthen bass basins were placed in front of the Kremlin wall ( "bol-ver-ki"). Temporary structures were erected on the square: “Three-mind-faces of light” (on the occasion of the capture of No-te-bur- ha, 1702); Three-um-fal-nye (Si-no-distant) gates at the Kazan-so-bo-ra - in honor of the victory in the Battle of Poltava ve 1709 (1709, architect I.P. Za-rud-ny, de-co-ra-tiv-naya painting on canvas by G. Adol-skogo, etc.), years -schi-ny of the Ni-stadt world of 1721 (1721, architect Za-rud-ny; in the use of the living-in-the-writ-no-go-st-va taught by R. Nik-ki-tin); on the day of the co-ro-na-tion of Empress Eli-za-ve-you Pet-rov-ny, new Si-no-distant gates were built on the same place (1742 , architect I.F. Mi-chu-rin; sne-se-ny in 1753). Only in 1727 were the exact pillars and vice-faces on Red Square torn down, which had remained since the time of the Streltsy's executions. In 1732-1740, new buildings for the Mo-net-no-go yard were built (under the leadership of P.I. Gay-den). In 1753-1755 D.V. Ukh-tom-skim the former building of the Main ap-te-ki was re-built for the first university in Russia, in a university typography was located at the Voskre-seniye gates; then, where the Kazan Cathedral was re-built by the Ukh-tom chas-tich-but.

In the 1780s, the re-construction of Red Square began: wooden buildings were removed, facades were rebuilt The upper trading rows, along the Ale-vi-zo-va ditch, 2-story trading shops were built (1786), Frontal place of races -clean-from-the-buildings and moved-to-the-modern place (not-much-or-more-precisely than before). After the transfer of Moscow University to Mo-kho-vaya Street (1793), the building housed government institutions (ma-gi-st- rat, Six-voice du-ma, etc.), in the buildings of Mo-no-no-go-yard - At-the-sut-st-ven-nye places. Castle-well-thaya between 2-storey-ny ar-ka-da-mi rows, Red Square along the -rightness and became one of the most advanced class en-sembles of Moscow; in 1804 you-could-not-ski.

After the Fatherland War of 1812, Red Square was re-con-st-rui-ro-va-na according to the design of O.I. Bo-ve: restoration of the buildings of the shopping rows, At-the-stu-st-ven-ny places, City Duma and ma-gi-st-ra-ta ; in 1821, 2 stone chapels were built in front of Spas-ski-mi. Trading shops along the Ale-vi-zo-va ditch sne-se-ny, the ditch itself is behind-sy-pan, at the Kremlin-wall on-sa-same-on-li-po - an alley and a boulevard, from the expanse of Red Square, next to lamp posts. This is how the new entrance to the square was created (now it is called the Kremlin passage). In 1818, in front of the central port of the Upper Trade Rows of Us-ta-nov-len, the first sculpture-tour monument in Moscow - monument to K. Mi-ni-nu and Prince D.M. In a hot way (sculptor I.P. Martos), facing the Kremlin. Red Square has become the central paradise of Moscow; Here we talk about various tor-zhe-st-va and folk gu-la-nya. In front of the northern entrance to Red Square there was an ob-ra-zo-va-on Vos-Kre-senskaya Square, connected with Alek-san-Drovsky garden , and with Ma-tender and Te-at-ral-square. Thus, the central squares of Moscow were organized as a single system of interconnected urban spaces.

The final formation of the modern building of Red Square is connected with the construction of a number of buildings in the Russian style - Is-to-ri -the museum on the site of the former Zemstvo Pri-kaza (1875-1883, architect V.O. Sherwood, engineer A.A. Se-menov) ; in the not-middle-of-the-city proximity from him on the site of the former State-of-the-St. places - the City Duma, the Upper Trade rows (1888-1893, architect A.N. Po-me-ran-tsev, engineer V.G. Shu-khov; now not the GUM building) and the Middle Trade Rows Dov (1890-1894, architect R.I. Klein). The window-cha-tel-but op-re-de-li were the modern parameters of Red Square (length, from the Historical Museum to the Pokrovsky Sovereign) bo-ra, 375 m, shi-ri-na 127 m). In 1892, Red Square was equipped with electric lights; in 1909 there were tram tracks on it (along the Kremlin wall) (the rails were removed in 1930).

After the October Revolution of 1917, Red Square acquired a special me-mo-ri-al-noe significance. 11/10/23/1917, at the foot of the Kremlin wall, the “Reds” held a funeral in the brotherly graves for their deaths -students of the revolution in Moscow (the design project for the nek-ro-la on Red Square was approved in June 1918; the first of the party and government figures was detained here in March 1919, Ya.M. Sverdlov). In front of a certain-ro-po-lem there was a car-ve-de-on three-bu-na - vna-cha-le de-re-vyan-naya, then a brick-pich-naya (1922, architect V.M. Ma-yat), to the right of which is a statue of a worker with a raised hand (sculptor F .K. Lecht; de-mon-ti-ro-va-na in 1924). 1.5.1918 Red Square for the first time had a festive revolutionary decoration (artists A.A. and V.A. Ves- no-nos). On November 6, 1918, the burning of the symbol of the old world took place on the Forehead Place; November 7, 1918 V.I. Lenin opened the memorial plaque “Who fell in the struggle for peace and brotherhood of nations” (sculptor S.T. Ko- Nyon-kov) on the Se-nat-skaya tower (removed during the restoration of the tower in 1950). Then, on Red Square, the first military para-rad and the de-mon-st-ra-tion of workers, which became a state trad, were pro- duced di-tsi-ey (the Para-rad on November 7, 1941 and the Para-rad of the Victory took place here). On May 1, 1919, a monument to Step-pa-nu Ra-zi-nu (sculptor Ko-nen-kov; de-re-vo; now not in the State Russian Museum) was unveiled at Lobnoye Mesto ). On January 27, 1924, a temporary wooden Mav-zo-ley V.I. Le-ni-na (architect A.V. Shchu-sev); according to the project of the same ar-hi-tech-to-ra, the building of Mav-zo-lei (window) is now non-existent -but in 1930). Decided in emphatically geo-met-ri-zi-formed forms (height 12 m), ob-face-van-noe-li-ro-van-ny- mi pli-ta-mi from lab-ra-do-ra, quar-tsi-ta, gra-ni-ta and red-no-go por-fi-ra, it is or-ga-nich-but vpi-sa- elk in the en-assembly of Red Square, partly trans-for-mi-ro-vav its com-po-zi-tsi-on-nuyu and os-different structure-tu-ru.

At the end of the 1920-1930s, the Iverskaya Chapel, the Kazan Cathedral and the Vos-Kre-sensky Gates (all restored -le-ny in 1994-1996), as well as the China-tai-city wall and construction on Va-sil-evsky spus-ke (1936; since 1938 included -chen in the composition of Red Square); area behind the beam; monument to K. Mi-ni-nu and Prince D.M. In the hottest time, I don’t go to the Po-krov-sko-bo-ru. In 1973-1974, granite state three-bu-ns were erected along the sides of Mav-zo-leya (instead of the concrete ones of 1946-1947), designed -len nek-ro-pol at the Kremlin wall; the timber-chat is updated and laid on a concrete base. Nowadays, military parades, hu-la-nya, and concerts are being held on Red Square. Red Square is included in the list of All-the-world-but-next.

In the very center of the capital there are witnesses to significant events of the past and places where the present is taking place - the Kremlin and Red Square. Ancient and unique, beloved and mystical - these places have long become not just business cards of Moscow, but also symbols of the country. Seeing the sights of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square is task No. 1 for any tourist.

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Cathedrals

The Moscow Kremlin is a treasury of Russian art and spirituality. Its separate component is unique cathedrals, of which only 8 have survived.

St. Basil's Cathedral

The most striking and unique of the existing churches is St. Basil's Cathedral. The peculiarity of the temple, built in 1561, is in its unique chapters, none of which repeats the design of the other, all 10 are completely different. The temple was not always so colorful. Initially the structure was made of white stone and brick, and in the 17th century. its domes and walls were decorated with colorful patterns. What this is connected with is not known for certain, how and who exactly built the temple. There is a version that the architect was Nikolai Postnik, nicknamed Barma, or they were 2 different people.

The cathedral consists of 10 churches built on one foundation. In the center is the Intercession Church, which gave the cathedral its second name. Around him 4 large churches, indicating the cardinal directions, and 4 more between them. The entire ensemble is surrounded by a bypass gallery.

Ticket price: 150 ₽ for children, 500 ₽ for adults, 1000 ₽ for foreigners.

Cathedral of the Archangel

The Archangel Cathedral stands apart among the Kremlin churches. Built in the 14th century. it will not stand out for its luxurious exterior or richness of colors. The ceremonial building in the Renaissance style was originally built as a tomb and dedicated to the archangel; both the architectural features and the choice of decorative elements are subordinated to this.

The five-domed cathedral, according to the tradition of temples erected in honor of archangels and saints, is crowned with silver helmet-shaped domes and only the central dome - a gilded hemisphere. The facade, originally painted red brick and later repainted white, is decorated with intact pilasters, capitals, rosettes and arches. The interior has undergone significant changes. Unique frescoes remained only at the burial place of Ivan the Terrible. The sights of the cathedral are an icon depicting the Archangel Michael, the “Blessed Sky” and 56 burials of princes and kings.

Blagoveshchensky cathedral

Among the many Kremlin churches built by Italian masters, the Annunciation Cathedral stands out for its architecture. It became a monument of Russian architecture, combining features inherent in the Moscow and Pskov schools. Built as a house church in 1489, the cathedral was added to and decorated until the 1560s, when it acquired modern look. By this time, the 3-domed cathedral, surrounded by porches, had been replenished with more churches and galleries and now it is crowned with 9 domes.

One of the most beloved cathedrals of princes and kings is distinguished by luxury from the floor made of jasper and agate and the most beautiful iconostasis to the golden cross that Napoleon never found, and the mechanical clock, the prototype of the Moscow chimes. The cathedral is full of mysteries. These are tsats - crescents under the crosses of the domes, and miraculous icons. One of the secrets is the images of Greek philosophers on the porch, among other works by the icon painter Edikeev, who was entrusted with painting the temple. Nowadays there are no services held in the temple; there is a museum here.

Assumption Cathedral

The Assumption Cathedral is one of the main Moscow churches and undoubtedly one of the most controversial. It is still unknown why the Pskov architects abandoned its construction, whose relics lie at the foundation of the cathedral, and much more. In 1479, on the orders of Ivan III, the Assumption Cathedral was erected on the site of the temple of I. Kalita, which was destined to become the most important temple in Moscow for 6 centuries. It was where people were crowned, enthroned, prayers were served, allegiance was sworn and acts of state were read out. In the Assumption Cathedral, the first of the Romanov family was crowned, and Count L. Tolstoy was excommunicated.

Construction was entrusted to the Italian Catholic Fiorovanti, who coped with the task by erecting a temple that attracts attention with its austere façade and golden helmet-shaped domes. Behind the apparent simplicity of the architecture are hidden innovative techniques that made the cathedral outstanding. Now it houses a museum, but holiday services are also held.

Ivan the Great belltower

The Bell Tower of Ivan the Great is an amazing complex that was built over about 3 centuries, from 1505 to 1815. It included the Assumption Belfry with Filaret's extension and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower itself. The first to appear was the bell tower, which served for 3 cathedrals located nearby. Then she was a little lower than now. Almost a century later, under Boris Godunov, the last tier was built. With a height of 81 m, the bell tower became the most tall building Moscow, as it remained until the end of the 19th century.

In 1552, the Assumption Church was erected near the bell tower, which was rebuilt into a belfry. In 1624, Filaret’s extension appeared at the belfry. The latter were destroyed during Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, and rebuilt again much later. Nowadays, the bell tower houses museums, and upon climbing up, tourists find themselves on one of the best in the city observation platforms, from where an amazing view of the Kremlin opens.

Price: 250 ₽, only from 14 years old.

Verkhospassky Cathedral

The Verkhnespassky Cathedral cannot be confused with any other - its roof is decorated with 11 drums with golden domes. The temple is a complex of house churches built right in the Terem Palace. The origins of the cathedral go back to the 17th century. to house churches, when in 1627 the Catherine Church was built on the women's half of the palace. A few years later, the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands with the chapel of John the Baptist was erected on the men's side for the Tsar and the princes.

By the middle of the century, the Church of St. Eudokia appeared above Catherine's, which would later be reconsecrated in honor of the Resurrection of the Word. And above the chapel they erect the Church of the Exaltation of the Lord or the Church of the Crucifixion. Osip Startsev united all the churches during reconstruction. Domes were placed on the roof, mounted on drums painted with tiles by masters from the New Yersaim Monastery. The appearance of the cathedral has changed little since then, but the interior has lost a lot.

Church of the Twelve Apostles

The Church of the Twelve Apostles is the home church of the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, which is adjacent to the Patriarchal Palace. It was built under Patriarch Nikon, who invited the most famous architects and painters to decorate it. Its beauty and wealth, not inferior to the Terem Palace with its temples, became the reason for the patriarch’s disgrace. The Church of the Twelve Apostles is the last of the Kremlin’s temple buildings. Its architecture repeats the elements of the cathedrals surrounding it, uniting them into a single ensemble.

After the abolition of the patriarchate, the temple gradually deteriorated. Significant damage was caused to it in 1917. Now in the only church in Moscow dedicated to this holiday, there is a museum, as well as in the palace itself. The unique paintings that decorated the walls of the temple have hardly survived, but visitors are offered a rich exhibition of icons.

Temple of the Placing of the Robe of the Mother of God in Blachernae

The modest one-domed Church of the Deposition of the Robe of the Mother of God in Vakhern is a memory of the miracle that became possible thanks to the Robe of the Mother of God. The Tatars who attacked the Kremlin, whose first attack was repelled by those besieged in the Kremlin, for some reason left, leaving behind the loot. In memory of this, a wooden temple was erected, which burned down in a fire. In 1486, Pskov craftsmen built a stone church, which became a home for Russian patriarchs and metropolitans. But with the advent of the Temple of the Twelve Apostles, its role changes, it becomes another palace church. It is being rebuilt, the open porches are being turned into covered galleries, along which the queen follows to the Assumption Cathedral.

The church was severely damaged twice: by a fire in 1737 and by artillery shelling in 1918. During the restoration, the wall paintings were restored, which, together with the iconostasis, gives the temple an intimate feel. The gallery of the restored church houses a museum of Russian sculpture.

Important: a ticket to visit the Cathedral Square ensemble, which includes 3 cathedrals, churches and chambers with museums located in them - 500 ₽. Tickets to the Ivan the Great Bell Tower and the Armory Chamber are paid separately.

Museums

In 1991, out of several state museums A museum-reserve of the same name was founded in the Kremlin. It included:

• museum-cathedrals where exhibitions are located: Arkhangelsk, Annunciation and Assumption
• Church of the Deposition of the Robe, 12 Apostles
• Bell tower "Ivan the Great"
• Patriarchal and Armory Chambers

Armouries

The Armory Chamber is a centuries-old legacy of Russian tsars and patriarchs. The first mention of it dates back to 1547, only then it was called the Armory Order, which included the Great Treasury, where all the jewelry was kept, the Armory Chamber with weapons, uniforms and banners, the Stable Order with crews and the Workshop Chambers. The modern Armory Chamber occupies 2 floors in the Grand Kremlin Palace. Its exhibition is located in 9 halls and presents more than 4 thousand exhibits of decorative and applied art.

Works by masters not only from Russia and Europe, but also from the East are exhibited here. Among them are a unique collection of thrones, the largest collection of state regalia, rare weapons, art objects of “pre-Mongol” Rus', etc. The most famous exhibits of the exhibition are the Monomakh cap, Faberge eggs, the throne of Ivan the Terrible, the ceremonial outfit of Peter I, etc.

Ticket price is 700 ₽, children under 16 years old are free.

Diamond fund

The Diamond Fund is a separate exhibition exhibited at the Armory Chamber, which is part of the Gokhran of the Russian Federation. The collection collected in the fund was started by Peter I, who by his decree recognized the treasures located in the royal chambers as state treasures. Coronation regalia and jewelry, if necessary, were issued and then returned to the Diamond Cabinet, and then the Armory.

After the revolution, many precious exhibits of the fund were sold. Today, the Diamond Fund's collection consists of about 70 exhibits, including historical stones, gems, diamonds, nuggets, orders and a unique collection of crowns. Visitors will be able to see the famous Orlov diamond, Colombian emerald, 9-kilogram Camel nugget, large and small imperial crowns, etc.

Ticket price: 500 ₽.

State Historical Museum

The red brick building located in the northwestern part of Red Square attracts attention due to its homogeneity with the ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin. Since 1883, the Historical Museum has been located here, the exhibitions of which will tell about the history of Rus' from ancient times to the present.

On 2 floors of the museum in 39 halls, 22 thousand exhibits are placed in chronological order, which is less than 1% of the entire museum fund. Moving from hall to hall, visitors from primitive society find themselves in the present day. Among the exhibits are a boat hollowed out of wood, mammoth tusks, a religious building made of slabs, medieval armor, orders, etc. The interiors of the museum, on which Aivazovsky, Repin, Korovin and others worked, are also valuable.

Cost: 400 ₽ for Russians, 700 ₽ for residents of other countries.

Towers

The Moscow Kremlin has the shape of a triangle, at the vertices of which there are round towers(Beklemishevskaya, Vodovzvodnaya and Uglovaya Arsenalnaya), the remaining 17 are rectangular in shape. Despite some similarities, all towers are unique. The Trinity Tower is recognized as the highest, the size of which, together with the star, is about 80 m, which is slightly lower than the Ivan the Great bell tower. Somewhat inferior to it is the Spasskaya Tower, famous for its chimes, when passing through it you had to dismount and take off your hats.

The smallest and most unlike the others is the Tsar’s Tower, the height of which does not exceed 17 m. It owes its name to Ivan the Terrible, who loved to watch what was happening on Red Square from here. Another unique structure is the Kutafya Tower - the only one of the bridgeheads, i.e. not built into the wall. Each tower is interesting in its own way: Tainitskaya was the first to appear, Corner Arsenalnaya contains a spring and a dungeon, government motorcades enter the Kremlin through Borovitskaya.

Attractions

Red Square is the symbol, heart and historical center of Moscow. This is popular tourist place, where many attractions are located, is included in the program for mandatory viewing.

Zero kilometer

Zero Kilometer is a new landmark of Moscow, which appeared only in 1996. The sign was supposed to appear in the capital back in 1985, but they could not decide on the installation location. This bronze sign shows the starting point for distances. Usually it is located near the main post office, but in Moscow it was decided to place it in the center of tourist routes near the Iverskaya Chapel, explaining this by the fact that before the road, every Muscovite went to bow to it, asking for intercession.

The sign is a square divided into 4 parts, symbolizing parts of the world, inscribed in a circle. The bas-relief of the square depicts animals. In its center is an eight-pointed icon with an inscription. Despite its youth, the attraction is very popular. There is a sign: if you stand in the center of the sign facing the chapel on one leg and throw a coin over your left shoulder with your left hand so that it remains within the circle, then your wish will definitely come true.

Resurrection Gate

Between the building of the Historical Museum and the City Duma there are Resurrection Gates with a double passage, through which tourists enter Red Square. The gate was rebuilt in 1995 in the same place where it was located until 1931. The first gates were erected back in the 15th century. and were called the Lions, because a gift from the English king - a cage with lions - was placed in the ditch in front of them. Later they changed several more names: Epiphany in honor of the church, Neglimensky because of the bridge over the river, for the nearby courtyards of Trinity and Kuryatny, until they became Iveron because of the icon that was met here from Mount Athos.

After restoration, they depicted the resurrection of Christ and the gates began to be called Resurrection Gates. They were demolished as a royal monument, and they did not allow large vehicles to enter the square during the parade. A monument to the worker was erected at this site. Nowadays, this double-arched gate, built in red brick with white inserts, is one of the calling cards of the capital.

House of provincial government

Quite modest against the backdrop of the bright ensemble of Red Square, the building of the provincial government does not catch the eye. Erected in the 1730s and 40s. according to the project of P. Heyden, the building was part of the Kitaygoro Mint. Not all of its buildings have been preserved; new buildings, the City Duma, were built on the foundations of some. The House of the Provincial Government is a 2-story building in the Baroque style. Its façade is decorated with elegant pilasters, cornices, risalits and putti figures. In the middle there is a passage gate through which you can see the building of the Old Mint.

Inside the building, ceremonial halls were equipped for ceremonial meetings of public places; later the Moscow Duma was located here. After the revolution, the building housed communal apartments for some time. Now the premises of the house are rented to non-profit organizations, part of which is rented by a jewelry store.

GUM

GUM is a unique trading city in historical center Moscow. The heir to the Upper Chambers of Commerce, the department store specializes in luxury goods and occupies an entire block. Trade has always flourished on the square near the Kremlin. In order to organize the shops, counters and give the trading place a civilized appearance, the Trading Rows were first built, which in 1893 were replaced by a passage - the Upper Trading Rows. They existed until 1917, when they were closed as a relic of tsarism. In 1922, they were opened, but as GUM, which became a symbol of the new policy, which was destined to work until 1930. GUM opened again only in 1953 after the death of Stalin and Beria.

Modern GUM is a shopping and entertainment center that has occupied Historical building in pseudo-Russian style with a glass roof, under which there are 3 longitudinal and 3 transverse passages. Products from more than 100 world brands, a cinema hall and restaurants are presented here.

Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin

The Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin is one of the most controversial buildings in Moscow. Created as a ritual tomb, it has long become a museum. The mausoleum, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, is the third in a row. The first two were wooden. The last mausoleum was built in the shape of a pyramid from marble, granite, labradorite and quartz. It is a structure 12 m high and 24 m wide.

Inside there is a Funeral Hall with a sarcophagus in which the leader’s body is kept, and a columbarium where the ashes of other political figures were supposed to be preserved. The latter is not used and is not shown to visitors. The mausoleum fits into the architecture of Red Square, but it still raises a lot of questions: from the choice of the shape of the building itself to the need for embalming.

Execution place

One of the attractions of Red Square, Lobnoye Mesto, is not striking. A small round elevation 1 m high and 13 m in diameter is surrounded by a stone parapet. The discreet architecture does not attract attention, but the building had important- from here solemn speeches were made and decrees were read out, here the relics of saints were enthroned and exhibited, strikes were held and works of art were exhibited.

Although legends connect this place with public executions. In fact, no one was executed at Lobnoye Mesto; rather, the legends arose due to a false etymology. The phrase appeared when translating from Hebrew a place in the Gospel that spoke about the execution on Golgotha. And the place is called Lobny because of the proximity of Vasilyevsky Spusk, which in the Middle Ages was called “lob”. Previously, this is where tourists threw a coin in order to return again; now this mission is carried out by the Zero Kilometer.

Tsar Cannon

The largest caliber cannon in the world, the Tsar Cannon, is installed on Ivanovo Square between the Church of the 2 Apostles and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. An outstanding work of artillery art was made at the Cannon Yard by foundryman A. Chokhov by order of the son of Tsar Ivan the Terrible - Fyodor Ivanovich in 1586. This is a working weapon, because in the barrel there is a foundry seal, which was placed only after a test shot. The length of this giant is 5 m, and its weight is 40 tons; about 200 horses were required to move it.

On the bronze trunk, surrounded by ornaments, friezes and inscriptions, there is an equestrian image of the king, which gave it the name “Tsar Cannon”. In 1835, at the St. Petersburg factory, a carriage was cast for the cannon from cast iron, which only confirmed the name; it is decorated with the head of the king of animals - the lion. Researchers claim that the famous giant is not a cannon at all, but a battering bombard, because the carriage is not designed to fire it. Be that as it may, the Tsar Cannon is one of the achievements of the 16th century.

The Tsar Bell

Another monster of foundry craftsmanship, the Tsar Bell, is located on Ivanovskaya Square near the eastern part of the Ivan the Great bell tower. Cast by the Motorin family of foundry workers in 1730, by order of Tsarina Anna Ioannovna, the bell never rang, moreover, it was never raised to the bell tower. The queen wanted to leave behind the memory of her reign, following her predecessors. The Godunov bell, weighing 33 tons, served for less than 50 years and broke in a fire. The same fate befell the bell created under Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, whose weight was 130 tons.

The Tsar Bell was cast in 1736, but it was pulled out of the pit only almost 100 years later due to its weight of 200 tons. Only then was a broken piece of 11 tons discovered. The bell, whose height reaches 6 m, and its diameter is about 6.6 m, was installed in the place where it stands now. Disputes about the need for restoration do not subside, but there have been no attempts to implement it.

Monument to Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky

The monument to Minin and Pozharsky is the first large monument in Moscow, erected on Red Square in front of St. Basil's Cathedral. Before this, temples, arches, etc. were opened in honor of important events. To mark the 200th anniversary of the Second Militia and the victory of 1612 over the interventionists in 1803, it was proposed to create a sculptural composition. She was supposed to portray the leaders of the militia - Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and headman Kuzma Minin.

It was they who organized resistance to the Polish-Lithuanian and Swedish conquerors in Nizhny Novgorod, where the monument was intended. But the monument remained in the capital. Installed in 1818 in front of the Upper Trading Rows, during the reconstruction of the square it was moved to the cathedral. The monument, the creation of which took 18 tons of copper and brass and was cast in one go, became a real decoration of the square.

Arsenal

Between the Nikolskaya and Trinity towers, close to the Kremlin wall, is the Tseykhgauz or Arsenal. This building, erected by decree of Peter I in 1736, was supposed to serve not only as a weapons warehouse, but also as a museum in which captured military banners, weapons and uniforms were exhibited. The two-story trapezoid-shaped building with a large courtyard took more than 30 years to build. In 1812 it was blown up. Reconstruction work was carried out until 1828. Now its façade is decorated with deep arched windows arranged in pairs and friezes.