Discussions about Russian History > Imperial Russian History

Red Staircase

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Glebb:
Watching A&E Biography reminds me of a question that I've had for many years.  I've been to the Kremlin and seen the Red Staircase.  It is not red at all but an off white color.

Why is this famous site called "The Red Staircase?"  Does it have to do with the old use of the word Krasniya by Russians for both beautiful and red?     :o

Antonio_P.Caballer:
Really cannot tell for sure, but it could be because of the ancient meaning of the russian word krasnyi(red) that was also beautiful. The same happened to the Red Square (Krasnaya ploshid)...

Glebb:
Thanks Antonio, your guess is similar to mine.   Red Square did seem red (and beautiful) to me.  :)   Maybe the cobble stones or the main color of St. Basil's helped.

There must be something deep to this name.  This was after all the stairway that the lead the new Tsar out of the Cathedral just after he had been anointed.

Belochka:
The Red staircase does have red carpet running down the center. It carries with it ceremonial significance, because it leads to the Ceremonial St. George's Reception Hall within the Great Kremlin Palace.

The original was deliberately destroyed by Stalin in 1930's, and was only re-built in 1994.

The term red doesn't refer to the color of the bricks. In Russian, the square is called Krasnaya Ploschad. The word krasnaya means both red and beautiful while the latter actually refers to St. Basil's Cathedral which is sited at the southern end of the square. This was the original meaning.

;)

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