In the heart of the capital of the Russian Federation are world-famous sights - the Kremlin and Red Square, the arena of many of the most important events in Russian and Soviet history. It is here that mass events take place: demonstrations, parades, and in recent years grandiose festive concerts. It is believed that the square was founded at the end of the 15th century, and it has always been the main symbol of the Russian capital. Further in the article we will tell you about the history of the foundation, about the origin of its name, about significant sights on Red Square. Despite the fact that every resident of the country knows about it, there is a lot of interesting information that was hidden and about which little was said in history textbooks.
Location
Red Square in Moscow is located in the central part of the radial-ring layout of the capital, between the Kremlin and Kitay-Gorod. From it to the Moscow River, you can go down the sloping Vasilyevsky Descent. The exact location of the square is along the northeast wall of the Moscow Kremlin. You can get to it through the Kremlin passage, Voskresenskie Vorota, Ilyinka, Nikolskaya street, Varvarka and Vasilyevsky descent. The streets that leave the square then branch and merge into the main highways of the city leading to different ends of Belokamennaya and Russia.
History
When was Red Square laid? Its history has about 6 centuries. It was then that the walls of the Kremlin were rebuilt during the reign of Ivan III. It was decided to place the square on the northeast side of the Great Posad, the development of which approached the walls of the Kremlin almost close to it. In 1493, a severe fire broke out in Moscow, from which the territory located between the Kremlin walls and the Torg suffered. For some time she remained undeveloped. Its width was 110 fathoms, which is equal to 240 m. Initially, the place where it was decided to arrange the area was called Fire.
According to history, Red Square was supposed to be outlined from the west by the Kremlin moat, from the east by Torg, from the north by the gates of Kitai Gorod, and from the south by a hill, the so-called “Vzgoby”. Already in the 15th century, the square consisted of 3 independent parts, which were separated from each other by paving Nikolskaya Street, Ilyinka and Varvarka. They all started from the main gate of the Kremlin. On the square between them stood churches and small shops. In those years, there was a danger of the growth of Torg, and to avoid this, in 1596-1598. two-story stone merchants' chambers (trading benches) began to be built on its borders, which outlined the eastern border of the future Red Square (at that time it was not called that time). With their help, three quarters turned out - Upper, Middle and Lower.
The architectural appearance of these stone shops - similar cells that are united by arcades - and over time has become a characteristic feature of most commercial buildings throughout Russia. It was used for the construction of Gostiny Dvor, merchant estates and houses. The division of the area into 3 parts remained until the first half of the 17th century.
origin of name
In 1625, the Kremlin Spasskaya Tower was built, and the territory on which it was located, together with a certain section of the Fire, located between the one built on Vzlobye in the middle of the 16th century. St. Basil’s Cathedral and Frontal Place, became popularly known as Red Square. Why so? The word red in Old Russian is a synonym for the word beautiful, and since it was very elegant in comparison with other areas of the then Moscow, they began to call it that way. Since the spring of 1661, a decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich himself came out that the square was given the name "Red". According to history, this Russian tsar, like none of his predecessors, quite often intervened in the issues of Moscow toponymy. By the way, according to the records of some foreign guests of the Russian capital, during the time of Ivan the Terrible, the square was called Bolshoi. As for the modern Red Square, that is, that which lies south of the Spassky Gate, then until 1924 it was called Vasilyevskaya. There were times when she was called Pokrovskaya or Trinity.
Soviet times
Until the beginning of the 20th century, most of the area was built up with various buildings, some of them were demolished by the Soviet authorities, and then the size of the area increased. In 1972, reconstruction was carried out here, sinking shields of large diameter were used, and a year later the necropolis (mausoleum) was reconstructed, the stands were converted into granite, the paving stones were updated and laid on concrete. From 1967 to 1990, military parades on Red Square were regularly organized. And on May 28, 1987 an unprecedented event took place here: a German pilot, athlete Matthias Rust, made an unauthorized landing right on the square, or rather, on the bridge over the Moscow River. Then the plane on the chassis drove right up to the Intercession Cathedral and stopped there. Of course, this act made a lot of noise, but the matter had to be hushed up.
What is interesting on Red Square in Moscow?
This is the main attraction not only in the capital, but throughout Russia, the very heart of the country! It was the witness of the most fateful events taking place in the country. In the Middle Ages, heralds announced royal orders from the Frontal Place. During wars, troops left Spassky Gate and went to war. Rulers to communicate with their own people also went beyond the gates of the Kremlin, and Red Square instead of shopping (as originally planned) became a place for a national meeting. Nevertheless, for several centuries it has been a place of trade, fairs and festivities.
The appearance of the square changed when a Gothic tower with Spassky Gate was erected. She naturally adorned the entire square. The most beautiful place here is, of course, the section between the Spasskaya Tower, the Frontal Place and the St. Basil's Cathedral, which looks like a fabulous palace. Yes, all other buildings, painted in crimson and decorated in the style of Russian pattern, give the area an incredibly beautiful view. That is why millions of tourists from all over the world are eager to get here and see everything with their own eyes.
Temples and Cathedrals in Red Square
One of the main decorations of Moscow is the Kazan Cathedral. It was built in the 17th century by Dmitry Pozharsky in honor of the deliverance of the Russian lands from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders. Its main shrine is the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. It was acquired in 1579 for the Assumption Cathedral, but later it was transported to Kazan. In 1936, the Soviet authorities decided to demolish it to the ground. In 1990, restoration work began, which lasted about 3 years. This is a very complex architectural composition, the work was entrusted to magnificent masters, thanks to whom the cathedral was completely restored.
The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is on the Moat, is an Orthodox church, which is a unique monument of Russian architecture. Its construction went from 1555 to 1561. The structure of the cathedral includes 10 churches (chapels). Some of them are consecrated in honor of Orthodox saints, whose namesday coincided with the dates of the decisive battles for Kazan. The church, located in the center of the building, was built in honor of the Protection of the Virgin. Separate churches grouped around it dedicated to the Holy Trinity, Nicholas the Great, the Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem, the Three Patriarchs - Alexander, John and Paul the New, Gregory of Armenia, Cyprian Justin, Alexander Svirsky and Varlaam Khutynsky (all of them are located on the same ground podklet), well, the chapel in honor of St. Basil, whom Ivan the Terrible himself was afraid of. It was by his name that the temple received its second, more famous name - St. Basil's Cathedral. By the way, the name of this cathedral on Red Square refers to a moat that ran along the Kremlin wall and served as a defensive fortification. Its depth was 13 meters and a width of approximately 36 meters. Since 1990, St. Basil's Cathedral has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Monuments
Minin and Pozharsky ... Even those who do not know who the bearers of these names are, associate them with a landmark on Red Square. The monument to these two heroes is located right here, opposite the Intercession Cathedral, near the Lobny place. It was erected on this very spot in 1818. The opening ceremony was attended by Alexander the First himself. Minin and Pozharsky since then began to be considered national heroes of Russia, since it was they who in 1612 played the main role in the victory of the Russian people over the Polish-Lithuanian invaders. The author of the sculptural composition is Ivan Martos.
Alexandrovsky park
Everyone who comes to the capital of the Russian Federation is certainly in a hurry to visit the Kremlin, and therefore the main square of the whole country adjacent to it. Here you can find an incredible number of places to visit. Moreover, in order to get around them and watch everything carefully, you will need more than one day. However, they are all within walking distance. There are several successful tourist routes, which offer everyone a guide. Thus, in a couple of days you can get acquainted with most of the historical monuments on Red Square. Most often, tourists begin their walk with the Alexander Garden, and from there go through the Manege Square to the main one.
So go ahead! In the garden you can see beautiful landscape design - wide alleys and beautiful compositions of beautiful plants. This park, which is located in the heart of Moscow, covers an area of ​​10 hectares. And having got here, a person is disconnected from noise and city bustle, he can have a great rest. It was created at the behest of Alexander I at a time when the capital was just beginning to recover after the invasion of "civilized" French. In addition to the beautiful landscape, the garden boasts several historical sights: “Ruins”, for example, remind of the Patriotic War of 1812. At the entrance to the park is the Eternal Flame and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. From here the guard of honor leaves for the Mausoleum, and during the parade on Red Square, television representatives report from here.
Manege
Many have also heard about the Moscow Manege, but not everyone knows what it is. This is one of the main museums in Red Square. The building has many exhibition centers. In 2004, there was a major fire, which affected many exhibits, and the building as a whole. After the reconstruction, the initial appearance of the Manege was greatly changed. Prior to this, its building was restored only in 1930. Initially, this building was built so that soldiers of the tsarist army could be trained here. Its authors were Augustine Betancourt and Osip Beauvais. But for military purposes, it served only a few years, and from 831 it turned into an exhibition institution. The Soviet authorities picked up this idea and also began to use the Manege as a museum. In front of the building there is a small area, which is also called the Manege.
Her story does not yet count 100 years. After most of the buildings in the territory were demolished, in order to build the subway, an area formed in their place. In 1967, it became known as the area of ​​the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. In the 1990s, the name Manezhnaya was returned to the square, and under it opened a huge pavilion "Okhotny Ryad", over which a whole cascade of fountains with sculptures was arranged. Today Manezhnaya Square as an addition to Red is a new symbol of modern Russia.
Zero kilometer
“What is this?” The uninitiated will probably ask. In reality, not everyone knows about its presence in Moscow. This is a symbolic designation of the place where all the roads of Russia come from. This mark is located between Red Square and the Manege, near Sunday Gate. As a visual object, Zero Kilometer was created in 1995. This is a creation of the modern Moscow sculptor A. Rukavishnikov. It is a metal sign that is built into the paving stones. It says "Zero kilometer of roads of the Russian Federation." Around the mark there are 4 more parts of the composition. Together they form a square. Each of the corners where the figures of animals, characteristic of a particular continent, are installed, symbolizes one of the parts of the world. Tourists turn their backs on the sign and throw a coin over their shoulder, trying to get inside the square.
Resurrection Gate and History Museum
In the first half of the 16th century, a red brick wall was erected around Kitai Gorod to protect it from the raids of the Crimean Tatars. Its length is more than 2 km. The wall has not been preserved to this day intact, only two-arched passage gates, which are called Voskresensky, remained from it. They are located between the Historical Museum on Red Square and the State Duma. In 1680, a building with 2 8-sided twin towers in the form of a tent was built on this passage by decree of Peter the Great. They received the name Resurrection after they installed the icon of the Resurrection of Christ on the tower in 1689.
Despite the fact that the chapel was demolished in the Soviet period, in the 1990s everything was restored in its classical form. The historical museum was built at the end of the 19th century. His first expositions were exhibits related to the Crimean War. Today, more than 22 thousand exhibits are collected here, each of which is of historical value.
Other attractions
Another famous place in the heart of Moscow, that is, on Red Square, is GUM. This is not an ordinary shopping center, although here you can buy everything your heart wants. GUM is a legend. The department store building itself is an architectural masterpiece. It was built in 1893, before that, in its place there were malls. The architect of the building is Pomerantsev. He specially chose a pseudo-Russian style for GUM to harmonize with the rest of the buildings in the square.
For many years, the central figure of Red Square was the Mausoleum. It is part of an architectural ensemble. This is a truncated three-stage pyramid. The ensemble includes stands, which host spectators during events on Red Square. However, this is only in very solemn occasions, and during concerts, rallies and festivities, people are placed around the entire perimeter of the square.
The Moscow Kremlin has about 20 towers, but the most famous of them is the one on which the country's main clock is located - Spasskaya Tower with chimes. It was built in 1491. The gate icon on it was installed in 1514. For a long time, these gates were considered sacred, and before passing through them, people dismounted, and men also laid bare their heads. Passing by the icon, everyone was baptized. All the rules adhered to these rules, even the great princes and kings. The tower owes its present-day beautiful appearance to the English architect H. Galovei, who invented a multi-tiered gothic stone tent for it and installed a watch on it. The red star on the spire was established more than 75 years ago, during the Soviet era.
Transport connection
Surely tourists are interested in how to get to Red Square. In the capital, it is most convenient to get to certain places, especially in the center, by metro. The following metro stations are located in relative proximity to the main square: “Ploshchad Revolyutsii” (Arbat-Pokrovskaya line), “Okhotny Ryad” (Sokolniki line) and “Theater Station” (Zamoskvoretskaya line).
Of course, it’s difficult for tourists unaccustomed to the capital’s underground transport to understand all these branches, to understand how to get to Red Square, which metro leads to. But among Muscovites there will always be those who help with advice. Another thing is if the hotel or guest house where the tourist was staying is far from the metro stations, then they will need to use land transport - public or taxi. For guests of the capital, the services of the latter in Moscow are not so cheap. Therefore, it is better to find out how to get to Red Square by bus, tram or trolley.
The closest is the stop of the same name with the area. A bus number 25 and a trolley bus number 8 get here. Of course, this is the budget option to get to the very heart of Moscow, but due to traffic jams, especially at rush hour, this trip will not be pleasant. Therefore, the ideal option is to still use the services of the metro. It will be cheaper than a taxi, and much faster than other land modes of transport. It remains for you to find out which station is closer to Red Square, which metro to choose. If you get to the “Revolution Square”, then you can reach Krasnaya in just a couple of minutes, since it’s not more than 210 meters to go along Nikolskaya Street. This is, of course, the closest option.