City Walk: Red Square

City Walk: Red Square

The Kremlin sits at the very center of Moscow, atop Borovitsky (Pine Grove) Hill. Start at the Aleksandrovsky Sad or Teatralnaya metro station, both outside the fortress walls, to visit a few sights on your way to the Kremlin gates. To the right as you emerge from the Teatralnaya station are the Kremlin's battlement walls. In some places 65 feet high and 10 to 20 feet thick, the walls have stood practically unchanged since the end of the 15th century. At the northernmost point of the battlements stands the Sobakina Tower. Adjacent to the tower is the monumental wrought-iron gate that marks the entrance to the Alexander Garden that runs along the northwest wall of the Kremlin. Just beyond the garden entrance, to your left against the Kremlin wall, is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. To your right is the underground Manezh shopping mall and plaza. Looking up from the garden to the Kremlin walls, you can see a large yellow building, the Arsenal.

Walking south along the garden's path takes you to a double bastion lined by a stone bridge on nine pillars, including the white, outer Kutafya Tower, and the massive Troitskaya Tower near the wall. Up to the right is the exit for the Aleksandrovsky Sad metro station, and farther up, as you ascend to the left going away from the tower, you can find the kiosks where you purchase tickets to the Kremlin grounds and cathedrals. Enter the Kremlin through the Kutafya Tower. Cross the bridge to pass through the Troitskaya Tower. The big gray building to your right as you enter is the State Kremlin Palace. The yellow building to your left is the Arsenal. Straight ahead, the Tsar Cannon sits in front of the Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles. Continue on to the Tsar Bell, which is the world's largest bell.

Take a left at the bell and enter the historic heart of the Kremlin, Sobornaya Ploshchad -- Cathedral Square. As you enter the square note the massive Ivan the Great Bell Tower. Continuing around the square in a counterclockwise manner, you'll encounter several cathedrals. The dominating one is the mammoth Assumption Cathedral, which is next to the smaller, single-domed Church of the Deposition of the Virgin's Robe. Looking across the square from Assumption Cathedral you'll see the Cathedral of the Archangel, and to the right, Annunciation Cathedral. Exit the square by this last cathedral.

You'll come out to the road where vehicular traffic passes; across the road are the working buildings of the Russian government. These buildings are off-limits to the public, and uniformed police officers blow whistles at anyone who goes off the main path. Walk down the hill to the Great Kremlin Palace, a cluster of buildings that includes the Terem and the 15th-century Granovitaya Palata. Although most of the buildings are closed to the public, a portion of the Granovitaya Palata's facade is visible from Cathedral Square. The yellow building to your left houses the Armory Palace, the oldest and richest museum in the Kremlin. In the same building is the Diamond Fund, which houses an extraordinary collection of diamonds and precious gems. Farther down stands the pyramid-shape Borovitskaya Tower. To exit the Kremlin retrace your steps to Kutafya Tower.

Turn right after exiting through Kutafya Tower and walk back down to the Aleksandrovsky Sad. Retrace your steps through the garden past the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Turn right once again, following the wall of the Kremlin. Walk through the ornate wrought-iron gates topped with gold past the rear of the redbrick Historical Museum. After passing by the statue of General Zhukov astride a horse, take a right to reach the awesome multicolor Resurrection Gates, which front a small chapel. The bronze plaque in the ground in front of the chapel marks kilometer zero for the Russian highway system. Pass through the gates to reach Red Square.

As you enter the square, the stunning multicolor onion domes of St. Basil's Cathedral slowly come into view. Outside the cathedral doors are the Lobnoye Mesto and the Minin and Pozharsky statue; to the right is the Tower of the Savior. Opposite St. Basil's, at the north end of Red Square, stands the Historical Museum. Running along the Kremlin wall is the Lenin Mausoleum, the world-famous and much-visited resting place of Communism's greatest icon. Facing it across the square is the long facade of the GUM department store.

Timing

Plan to spend a half day, at the very least, touring the Kremlin; budget a full day or more if you want to linger at the museums. The Kremlin grounds and cathedrals are open 10 to 5 every day except Thursday. The Armory Palace and Diamond Fund are also closed on Thursday. Note that the Kremlin occasionally closes on other days for official functions. Check with your hotel concierge.

If you don't want to tackle all of this solo, you should consider a tour of the Kremlin grounds, which includes the Armory Palace, available from virtually any tour service in Moscow. A tour is particularly helpful because there are no signs, in any language, explaining the displays.

If you wish to see Red Square in all its splendor, come back in the evening, when the square and its surrounding buildings are beautifully illuminated.