Lobnoye Mesto

Lobnoye Mesto is a unique architectural monument of medieval Rus’, located on the country’s main square. This round stone platform has witnessed numerous historical events and still attracts the attention of tourists from all over the world. The structure is located opposite the Spasskaya Tower of the Kremlin, next to the majestic Cathedral of the Intercession (St Basil’s Cathedral), and is a cultural heritage site of federal significance.

Architectural features of the structure

The design of the Lobnoye Mesto is characterized by strict geometry and functionality. The stone platform has a diameter of 13 meters and rises only one meter above the cobblestones of Red Square. In the center of the circular platform there is a raised pedestal that served as a rostrum for speakers. On the western side, a stone staircase of eleven steps leads up to the platform. The entrance to the platform is adorned with a metal grille, giving the structure a finished appearance. Originally the pedestal was made of brick, but at the end of the 16th century, under Tsar Boris Godunov, the monument underwent major reconstruction and was rebuilt in stone. The Lobnoye Mesto acquired its present appearance as a result of restoration work in 1786, when its architectural design was brought to the form we can observe today.

The origin of the monument’s name

There are several versions of the origin of the name of this historical site. The most widespread theory links the word “lobnoye” to the Old Russian meaning of the word “lob”, which denoted a steep riverbank or an elevation. The Lobnoye Mesto is indeed located at the beginning of Vasilyevsky Spusk, which leads down to the Moskva River, and in medieval Rus’ such slopes were traditionally called “lby” (“foreheads”). It is incorrect to assume that the name is connected with executions and the expression “to chop off heads”. This place has always been regarded as sacred and was used for religious ceremonies and solemn state events. Executions were carried out in other parts of the capital, for example on Bolotnaya Square. The term “lobnoye mesto” first appeared in Russian translations of the Gospel of John, where it was used to render Golgotha — the place of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This spiritual meaning has left a special imprint on the perception of Moscow’s Lobnoye Mesto as a sacred site.

Historical significance in the life of Moscow

First mentions and creation of the monument

Historians believe that the Lobnoye Mesto was constructed at the beginning of the 16th century, presumably in 1521. According to one version, the initiative for its creation came from Metropolitan Macarius, who proposed to the tsar the construction of an architectural complex symbolizing the Heavenly Jerusalem. This ensemble included the Cathedral of the Intercession, the Spassky Gate and the Lobnoye Mesto itself. The first chronicle reference dates back to 1549, when the young Tsar Ivan IV (the future Ivan the Terrible) addressed the warring boyars from this platform, calling on them to reconcile. Since then, the rostrum has acquired unofficial names such as the Tsar’s Pulpit and the Royal Tribunal.

The religious role of the structure

For several centuries the Lobnoye Mesto fulfilled important religious functions:

• During religious processions on Orthodox feast days, the procession always stopped at the platform, and the bishop, having ascended it, blessed the gathered people
• The solemn rite known as the “Procession on a Donkey” was held here on the feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday), when the tsar led by the bridle a horse on which the metropolitan was seated
• From the platform announcements were made about the election of a new patriarch and other important church events
• Until 1917 Orthodox celebrations were regularly held at the Lobnoye Mesto

The “Procession on a Donkey” ceremony particularly impressed foreign travelers with its solemnity. The rite continued up to 1648 and was depicted in numerous Dutch engravings of that period.

The state significance of the site

The Lobnoye Mesto also served as a kind of tribune for the most important state proclamations:

• Royal decrees and manifestos were read out here
• The people were informed here about the beginning of wars and the conclusion of peace treaties
• The sovereign presented the heir to the throne to the people here when he turned sixteen
• Twice a year the tsar appeared on the platform before the assembled people

The last time the Lobnoye Mesto was used to obtain popular approval was in 1613, during the election of Mikhail Romanov as the new tsar of Russia.

Time of Troubles and political upheavals

At the beginning of the 17th century the religious purpose of the monument was supplemented by a political one. During the Time of Troubles various political forces gathered their supporters here. False Dmitry I read out his addresses to the people of Moscow from this spot and later personally spoke to the crowd here before proceeding to the Kremlin. After the usurper was overthrown, the bodies of his close associates were thrown onto the Lobnoye Mesto. Tsar Vasily Shuisky also delivered speeches here. A landmark event was the meeting on the platform of two religious processions led by the liberators of Rus’, Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky. In the reign of Peter I the site was increasingly used to demonstrate the consequences of reprisals against state traitors. In 1697 a wooden stand with spokes was installed here, on which the heads of executed conspirators were mounted. After the Streltsy uprising of 1698, a public execution of thirty rebels took place on Red Square and, although the scaffold stood further south, many eyewitnesses associated these events specifically with the Lobnoye Mesto.

The Soviet period of history

After 1918 Red Square became the venue for revolutionary rallies and parades. Vladimir Lenin delivered speeches from the Lobnoye Mesto. On festive days the sculptural composition “International Solidarity” was mounted on the platform, decorating the square until 1940. In May 1919 the monument “Stepan Razin and His Band” by sculptor Sergey Konenkov was installed on the Lobnoye Mesto. The composition included a full-length figure of the chieftain, wooden heads of his comrades on painted stands, and a cement figure of a Persian princess. However, the monument was soon dismantled for preservation and moved to the Museum of the Revolution. During the 1945 Victory Parade a fountain with sculptures of a worker and a collective farm woman, surrounded by vases of flowers, was erected on the pedestal. In August 1968 a peaceful demonstration was held here to protest against the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia. Eight participants in the protest were arrested, two were sent for compulsory treatment and the rest were convicted.

Legends and folk traditions

Many urban legends have grown up around the Lobnoye Mesto. One of them claims that beneath the platform there is a channel through which the blood of those executed flowed into a bottomless pit. Another legend incorrectly asserts that it was here that Stepan Razin was executed, although in reality the execution took place on Bolotnaya Square. Among tourists there was a tradition of throwing coins at the central spot of the Lobnoye Mesto. It was believed that if the coin hit the mark exactly, the wish made would certainly come true and the person who threw it would one day return to Moscow. In 1996 this ritual moved to the “Zero Kilometer of Russia” marker near the Resurrection Gate. Many people criticize such traditions, believing that they desecrate the memory of the tragic events associated with this place.

The current state of the monument

Today the Lobnoye Mesto is a state-protected architectural monument and forms part of the architectural ensemble of Red Square. The monument can be visited as part of guided tours of the country’s main square. Traditional events are still held on Red Square near the Lobnoye Mesto: the sale of willow branches before Palm Sunday and popular festivities on holidays. The monument is decorated with flowers and festive adornments for Victory Day and other important dates.

Lobnoye Mesto sites in other Russian cities

Similar structures were known in ancient Rome and Babylon, but in Russia this practice did not become widespread. There is a Lobnoye Mesto in Astrakhan, where it adjoins the city’s main cathedral and was used for religious purposes. In Saint Petersburg, in tsarist times the area near the Sytniy Market, the oldest in the Northern Capital, was known as the Lobnoye Mesto. Death sentences were also carried out there.

How to get to the Lobnoye Mesto

The monument is located in the very center of Moscow on Red Square, which makes it easy to visit. The most convenient way to get there is by metro; three stations are located nearby:

• Ploshchad Revolyutsii station on the Arbatsko–Pokrovskaya line — 600 meters on foot
• Teatralnaya station on the Zamoskvoretskaya line — 800 meters
• Okhotny Ryad station on the Sokolnicheskaya line — 600 meters

By surface transport you can reach the following stops:

• “Krasnaya Ploshchad” — buses M5 and 158 (near Vasilyevsky Spusk Square)
• “Zaryadye” — bus 255
• “Metro Okhotny Ryad” — buses M1, M10, N1, 101, 904 (journey about 10–12 minutes)

You can also use taxi services via popular mobile apps: Yandex.Taxi, Uber, Gett and Maxim.

Conclusion

The Lobnoye Mesto on Red Square is a unique monument that brings together centuries of Russian history. Fateful events have been associated with this structure: solemn religious ceremonies, declarations of war and peace, revolutionary rallies. The stone platform has witnessed the rule of many sovereigns — from Ivan the Terrible to Soviet leaders. Despite the tragic pages of history associated with this place, today the monument serves as a reminder of the greatness of Russian culture and statehood. A visit to the Lobnoye Mesto allows you to touch living history and feel the spirit of age-old Moscow in the very heart of the capital.