The Red Square lies in the heart of Moscow and its four sides stand
the Kremlin, Gum Department store,
State
Historical Museum, and
St. Basil's Cathedral, centers of government, commerce, religion, and history.
Red Square is also home to
Lenin's tomb, agleaming granite mausoleum to the revered founder of Socialism.
Red Square was meant to serve as Moscow's main marketplace. It was also used for various public ceremonies
and proclamations. The name Red Square came from the word (Krasnaya) that means either "red" or "beautiful."
Red Square was established under the rule of
Ivan III at the end of the 1400's. It was originally called Trinity
Square after the Trinity Cathedral.
It was also the site of frequent Soviet military parades and demonstrations on major national holidays.
The most dramatic and impressive military parade that the Red Square has witnessed took place on November 7th 1941,
when Nazi troops were advancing on Moscow and fought just a few miles away from the capital. Thousands of Russian
soldiers marched directly to the front line and many of them died defending the Soviet capital.
