Cathedral Square, Central square in Moscow Kremlin, Russia

Cathedral Square occupies the highest part of the Kremlin hill, paved with rectangular slabs of tan, beige and grey stone laid in a regular grid. It is ringed by the Dormition, Archangel and Annunciation cathedrals, the Palace of Facets, the Church of the Deposition of the Robe and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. Italian architects including Aristotle Fioravanti and Pietro Antonio Solari shaped its Renaissance-influenced ensemble.

The square's layout took shape in the 14th century, when the Dormition, Archangel and Annunciation cathedrals and the Church of John Climacus were first built. Its present appearance dates from the late 15th and early 16th centuries, when Italian architects including Aristotle Fioravanti, Aleviz Novy and Pietro Antonio Solari rebuilt the churches and added the Palace of Facets and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower.

The square remains the site where Russia's highest state ceremonies unfold, from presidential inaugurations to major national observances. This role has shaped how locals and visitors perceive the space as the symbolic heart of Russian power.

Access to the square requires purchasing Kremlin admission and passing through security checks at the entry gates. Comfortable shoes are recommended since most visitors spend time walking around the open plaza and exploring the surrounding religious buildings.

Archaeological digs beneath the square have uncovered remains of Finno-Ugric settlements dating to the early Iron Age. These findings reveal that people lived at this location long before the Kremlin was built.