Возникновение Красной Площади

The emergence of the Red Square.

Red Square is, without any doubts, one of the most famous squares, not only in Russia and the CIS. According to historical sources, Red Square appeared thanks to the order of Ivan III, who  ordered to demolish all houses  which were built in front of  the Kremlin in 1493.

The building of the square started in XII-XIII centuries.

 It  was done in order to clear the area in front of the Kremlin, with the purpose if there were enemy’s  siege there  was no place to hide from the arrows of the archers of the Kremlin, as well as to protect the Kremlin from the fires, which often appeared   in the settling. The order was executed, and in consequence there first Red Square appeared. However, at first it was called Fire Area, because there often were fires   in the settling, which was demolished.

 Red Square is located in the heart of Moscow. It is adjacent to the north-east to the wall of the Moscow Kremlin. 

In the XVI century the square was named “Troitskaya” because  there was a church  “Troitskaya”  near the square.  They also called it “Fire square “ this name was connected with frequent  fires, which appeared in wooden buildings near it.

That time there were mainly shopping areas there.

In the southern part of the square there was built “Pokrovsky cathedral” on the place of some old churches in 1555-15556, which also was named as “Temple of Vasily Blashenny”.

In XVI-XVII centuries there were held ceremonies and were the decrees of Tsar announced.  “Lobnoye mesto” served   for these purposes.         .

In the XVI century ttere was digged a moat between the rivers Moskva and Neglinnaya which separated The Red square from the Kremlin fortress. But at that time all mean streets of Moscow held to the Red square and ports adjoined to it. That’s why the Red squre was the main shopping centre of that time. There were built some suspension bridges from the Kremlin to the Red square.

In this short period of time several areas from stone were built on the red square for the setting of cannons in order to protect better the Kremlin fortress.

Famous Tsar- Puska was established on the Lobnoye place.

During the reign of Ivan the Terrible Pokrovsky Cathedral was built on the Red square in honor of the victory over Crimean Khan. This cathedral is an integral complex of nine churches that were built on a common basis.

In the XVII century the square got its modern name “Krasnaya” which meant “Beautiful” in that time’s language.

People started to trade and started to build new buildings from wood, which were demolished from time to time by the decree of the governor to protect the Kremlin from the fires.

The oldest place of the Red square is “Lobnoye place”. There was a wooden platform where the decrees of Tsar were announced. But soon this wooden platform was replaced by stone platform.

In 1637,   Kazan Cathedral was created  in view of celebrating the liberation of Moscow from Polish invaders. Also in the northern part of the Red Square Resurrection Gate were built, through which the most revered leaders and members of foreign governments came in to Moscow. All Red Square was paved with logs, to make the trade more comfortable. In addition to retail shops in Red Square, a host of wine cellars and taverns appeared.

 In the XVII century on the corner of St. Nicholas street was erected   Cathedral of the Kazan Mother of God  , as well as Resurrection Gate of China-town  was   rebuilt , located at the entrance to the area from the north.

At the beginning of the XVIII century "Comedy Hramina" - Russia's first public theatre  was built  on  the Red Square.

In 1755 Moscow University was opened. First it was located in the building of the mean drugstore which was built on the square by Peter I. Now the History museum is situated there.

In 1818, in front of the row of stalls a monument to Minin and Pozharsky was   built, which became the first sculptural monument in Moscow.
Conversions on the Red Square began in the end of the seventeenth century. All wooden buildings, including the churchs were demolished. The first Moscow theater was also built, called  Comedy Hramina . In addition, large Triumphal Gates  were built on the  Red Square.

The modern history of Red Square

After the Napoleonic Wars many buildings, both on the Red Square and the Kremlin were destroyed.

In the 1814-1815-ies were restored shopping arcades on the Red Square, which were put  along the moat, and the moat was filled with ground. Soon the square stopped to play the role of the market, started to play the culture role. Many festivals and holidays were held here.

After the October revolution the Red square became a memorial place. In 1918 there was established a memorial plaque, devoted to the worriers died for the revolution by Lenin.

They began to hold military parades, and after Lenin’s death in 1924  the first mausoleum was erected from wood.

But then A.V. Schusev made a project of new stone mausoleum and it was built there.

 In 1924 Red Square was laid out of stone and tribunes were set there. Triumphal Gates and Kazan Cathedral were demolished. The monument of Minin and Pozharsky was decided to move near the Pokrovsky Cathedral.

When the Second World War began,  right from the  parade on the  Red Square in 1941 soldiers were sent to the front to defend their homeland. Also, after the victory in the 45th on the Red Square was a huge parade in honor of our victory.

In the seventies, the Red Square tribunes were  replaced by granite, Necropolis was changed and removed the old paving stones, poured concrete and the area re-paved with stone blocks

The Red Square in our days.

Today Red Square  is one of the most famous and popular places in Moscow. Every day hundreds of tourists come to Red Square to see all her dignity. Also very often a variety of parades and performances of world stars are held in the Red Square.