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Red Square
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{{otheruses}}
Image:StBasile SpasskayaTower Red Square Moscow.hires.jpg right|thumb|400px|[[Saint Basil's Cathedral and Spasskaya Tower of
Moscow Kremlin at Red Square in
Moscow.]]
'''Red Square''' (
Russian language Russian: КраÑ?наÑ? площадь, ''Krasnaya ploshchad'') is the most famous
city square in
Moscow. The square separates
Moscow Kremlin Kremlin, the former royal citadel and currently the official residence of the
President of Russia, from a historic merchant quarter, known as
Kitay-gorod. As major streets of Moscow radiate from here in all directions, being promoted to major highways outside the city, the Red Square is often considered the central square of Moscow and of all
Russia.
In 1991, the Red Square was added to
UNESCO UNESCO's World Heritage Sites List of World Heritage Sites.
Origin and name
The land that Red Square is situated on was originally covered with wooden buildings, but cleared by
Ivan III's edict in
1493, as those buildings were dangerously susceptible to fires. The newly-opened area (originally known simply as the ''Pozhar'', or "burnt-out place") gradually came to serve as
Moscow's primary marketplace. Later, it was also used for various public ceremonies and proclamations, and occasionally as the site of
coronation for Russia's
tsars. The square has been gradually built up since that point, and has been used for official ceremonies by all Russian governments since it was established.
Image:Surikov streltsi.jpg thumb|350px|Rich history of Red Square is reflected in many artworks, including paintings by [[Vasily Surikov,
Konstantin Yuon, and others.]]
The name of ''Red Square'' derives not from the colour of the
bricks around it, nor from the link between the colour
red and
Communism. Rather, the name came about because the Russian word [http://ru.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B9 краÑ?наÑ?] (''krasnaya'') can mean either "red" or "beautiful". The word was originally applied (with the meaning "beautiful") to
Saint Basil's Cathedral, and was subsequently transferred to the nearby square. It is believed that the square acquired its current name (replacing the older ''Pozhar'') in the
17th century. Several ancient Russian towns, such as
Suzdal,
Yelets, or
Pereslavl-Zalessky, have their main square named ''КраÑ?наÑ? площадь'', namesake of
Moscow's Red Square.
Recent history
During the
Soviet Union Soviet era Red Square maintained its significance, becoming the main square in the life of the new state. Besides being the official address of the Soviet government, it was renowned as the location for military parades.
Kazan Cathedral, Moscow Kazan Cathedral and
Resurrection Gate and Iverskaya Chapel Iverskaya Chapel with the Resurrection Gates were demolished to make room for heavy military vehicles driving through the square. There were plans to demolish Moscow's most recognized building,
Saint Basil's Cathedral, as well. The legend is that
Lazar Kaganovich,
Joseph Stalin Stalin's associate and director of the Moscow reconstruction plan, prepared a special model of Red Square, in which the cathedral could be removed, and brought it to Stalin to show how the cathedral was an obstacle for parades and traffic. But when he jerked the cathedral out of the square, Stalin objected with his famous quote: "Lazar! Put it back!"
Image:Paradered.jpg right|thumb|[[Moscow Victory Parade of 1945|Victory Parade on Red Square,
June 24,
1945.]]
Two of the most significant military parades on Red Square were the one in
1941, when the city was besieged by Germans, and troops were leaving Red Square straight to the front lines, and the Victory Parade in
1945, when the banners of defeated
Nazism Nazi armies were thrown at the foot of
Lenin's Mausoleum.
On
May 28,
1987, a German pilot named
Mathias Rust landed a light aircraft on Red Square.
Sights
Each building in Red Square is a legend in its own right. One of these is
Lenin's Mausoleum, where the embalmed body of
Vladimir Lenin Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, the founder of the
Soviet Union is displayed. Nearby is the elaborate bright-domed building of
Saint Basil's Cathedral and also the palaces and cathedrals of
Moscow Kremlin the Kremlin. On the eastern side of the square is the
State Universal Store GUM department store, and next to it the restored
Kazan Cathedral, Moscow Kazan Cathedral. The northern side is occupied by the
State Historical Museum, whose outlines echo those of
Kremlin towers. The only sculptured monument on the square is a
Monument to Minin and Pozharsky bronze statue of Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky, who helped to clear Moscow from the
Poland Polish invaders in
1612, during the
Times of Trouble. Nearby is the so-called
Lobnoye Mesto, a circular platform where public ceremonies used to take place. The square itself is around 695 meters long and 130 meters wide.
Image:Redsquarenight.jpg thumb|left|230px|Red Square at night, with Lenin's Tomb (center)
See also
*
Kremlin Wall
*
Kremlin towers
*
Lubyanka Square
*
Alexander Garden
External links
{{Commonscat|Red Square}}
-
Red Square history
*{{coor d|55.754|N|37.620|E|}}: map sources
-
Moscow-Life: A guide to Moscow's Red Square
Category:Streets and squares of Moscow
Category:World Heritage Sites in Russia
sk:Červené námestie
bg:Червен площад
da:Den Røde Plads
de:Roter Platz
es:Plaza Roja
fr:Place Rouge
ko:붉� 광장
io:Reda placo
id:Lapangan Merah
he:הכיכר ×”×?דומה
lt:Raudonoji aikštė
nl:Rode Plein
ja:赤ã?®åºƒå ´
no:Den røde plass
pt:Praça Vermelha
ru:КраÑ?наÑ? площадь
fi:Punainen tori
sv:Röda torget
ta:செஞ�சத�க�கம�
zh:ç´…å ´
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