Revolution Square, Moscow


Revolution Square is a square located in the center of Moscow, in Tverskoy District, northwest of Red Square. The square has the shape of an arc running from the southwest to the north and is bounded by Manezhnaya Square to the southwest, Okhotny Ryad to the north, and the buildings separating it from Nikolskaya Street to the south and to the east. It is one of the Central Squares of Moscow. The continuation of the Revolution Square north behind Okhotny Ryad is Teatralnaya Square.
There are three Moscow Metro stations located under the square, all of them having at least one exit at the square: Ploshchad Revolyutsii, named after the square, Teatralnaya, and Okhotny Ryad. All these stations are transfer stations, with Teatralnaya being connected with the other two.

History

Originally, the Neglinnaya River, a tributary of the Moskva River, currently underground, was flowing through the area. Between 1534 and 1538, the wall of Kitay-gorod with Iberian Gate and Chapel was constructed. In 1817-1819, the Neglinnaya was rebuilt as a tunnel, and thus the area became a square. It got the name of Voskresenskaya Square, after the other name of Iberian Gate, Resurrection Gate. In 1918, the square was renamed after the October Revolution. In 1931, Iberian Gate was demolished, and in 1935, Hotel Moskva was built on the northern side of the square, separating it from Okhotny Ryad. The road traffic was subsequently separated, so that traffic from Tverskaya Street in the direction of Lubyanka Square followed Revolution Square, and road traffic in the reverse direction followed Okhotny Ryad. In 1993, all road traffic around the Moscow Kremlin was made unidirectional, and Revolution Square ceased to be a through road. It is now mostly used for parking.

Notable buildings