The Red square is the most popular and well-known sight of Moscow. It is the very center, the heart of Moscow. When we receive guests from other countries and cities we for sure let them see and enjoy the Red Square first of all. We will show it to you with pleasure, come to Moscow!
The name of the Red Square in Russian is krasnaya (red) ploschad (square). Krasnaya is the same as krasivaya (beautiful) in old Slavic. But the square got this name only in 1661 by the tsar Alexey Mikhailovich. Before it had other names: Torg - trading (as there were trading rows on it), Troitskaya (by the name of the church) and even Pojar – fire (as the fire used to happen often in the wooden Moscow)
Many historical events took place here. Even when Moscow lost its status of the Russian capital, all the tsars kept on coming here for coronation passing through the Red Square to the Kremlin.
After the revolution of 1917 the Red Square got its commemorative character. The Red Army participants were buried by the Kremlin walls and in 1924 after the death of Lenin there appeared a mausoleum to conserve his body.
Since the end of the Great Patriotic War in 1945 the Red Square has become the venue of the glorious ceremonial parades.
Here are the main historical monuments you can see and visit on the Red Square:
Resurrection Gates
Kazan cathedral
GUM
Spasskaya tower
Mausoleum
Necropolis
Nikolskaya tower
Historical museum
