Red Square

Feel the bumpy stones under your feet. They have felt the footsteps of millions of people for hundreds of years. Look up. Beside me are tall, strong red walls that keep watch over the city. And over there, do you see it? A building with towers that swirl and twist into the sky like colorful lollipops. The domes are painted with bright stripes and patterns, making it look like a castle from a fairytale. I hear laughter from children, the chatter of friends, and the clicks of cameras capturing happy moments. People from all over the world come to see me and feel my history. They walk across my wide, open space and gaze at the beauty all around. I am a place of wonder, a place of history, and a place of joy. I am Red Square, in the heart of Moscow.

My story began a very long time ago. Before I was a grand square, this spot was crowded with little wooden houses. Around the late 1400s, a great ruler named Ivan the Third decided this was not safe. He worried that a fire could spread easily. So, he cleared all the houses away to make a big, open space. At first, I was a busy, noisy marketplace where farmers sold vegetables and craftsmen sold their handmade treasures. Then, something magical happened. In 1561, a ruler named Ivan the Terrible wanted to celebrate a very important victory. He decided to build a church so amazing that it would be famous forever. That’s when my beautiful friend, St. Basil’s Cathedral, was built. People gasped when they saw it. “It looks like a candy castle,” they whispered. Over many, many years, other friends joined me. A grand museum filled with old treasures was built on one side, and a beautiful shopping place called GUM, with a sparkling glass roof, was built on the other. I was no longer just a market. I became a grand stage for big parades with marching soldiers and joyful celebrations with music and fireworks.

Today, I am still a place full of life and happiness. When winter comes and snow blankets the city, I wear a shiny ice rink right in my center. Families come to skate, holding hands and laughing as they glide across the ice. In the summer, festivals fill me with music and dancing. Visitors from every corner of the world walk across my cobblestones, their eyes wide with wonder. They take pictures with my colorful cathedral and imagine all the stories I could tell. I love feeling the excitement of new memories being made every single day. I am a special place that connects the stories of the past with the happiness of today. I welcome everyone to come share in my beauty and become a part of my long, wonderful story.