Red Square
Красная площадь
The national heart of Russia. Red Square is a UNESCO World Heritage site framed by the red walls of the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin’s Mausoleum, the State Historical Museum and the GUM department store.
Red Square lies outside the east wall of the Kremlin. It is 330 meters long and 70 meters wide. Its name comes from the Old Russian word for “beautiful.” It took shape in the late 15th century and has served as the stage for coronation processions, military parades and public gatherings throughout Russian history. In 1990, it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site together with the Kremlin. Each side of the square has its highlights. On the west side are the Kremlin’s red walls and Lenin’s Mausoleum. It is free on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10:00 to 13:00, but security checks apply, photography and backpacks are prohibited, and the queue starts at the Alexander Garden entrance. At the foot of the wall lie the graves of Stalin, Gagarin and others. On the north end stand the red-brick, spire-topped State Historical Museum and the reconstructed Resurrection Gate and Kazan Cathedral. On the east side is GUM, a department store completed in 1893. Under its glass-roofed, three-story arcade, the old-fashioned ice cream on the ground floor and the Soviet-style buffet “Canteen No. 57” on the third floor are both worth trying. On the south end rise the colorful St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Lobnoye Mesto (the Execution Block).
The square itself is free and open 24 hours, but it is closed during events, such as around May 9 Victory Day and New Year. From December to February, there is a GUM ice rink and a Christmas market on the square. The best times for photography are early morning, when it is empty, and at night after the lights come on. Snowy winter days are especially photogenic. The Zaryadye Park “Floating Bridge” viewpoint across the river to the south offers the best angle for looking back at Red Square.
Getting there: From the Okhotny Ryad, Teatralnaya or Ploshchad Revolyutsii metro stations, it is a 3-minute walk.
Opening hours
Open all day (closed during major events); Lenin's Mausoleum Tue, Wed, Thu and Sat 10:00–13:00
Nearby sights
- Lenin's Mausoleum
- GUM Department Store
- State Historical Museum
- Moscow Kremlin
- Saint Basil's Cathedral
- Alexander Garden & Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- Nikolskaya Street
- Moscow Metro