Moscow is the European capital containing the Kremlin, a fortified complex overlooking Red Square.
The Moscow Kremlin occupies a triangular area at the meeting point of the Moskva and Neglinnaya rivers. Although the site has much older origins, its present walls and towers were largely built in the late 15th century under Grand Prince Ivan III. Italian architects, including Aristotele Fioravanti and Pietro Antonio Solari, contributed to the ensemble.
The complex contains cathedrals, palaces, armouries, and government buildings. Its Cathedral Square includes the Cathedral of the Assumption, the Cathedral of the Annunciation, and the Cathedral of the Archangel. The Kremlin became the principal seat of Russian rulers and remains the official residence and working place of Russia’s president.
Red Square lies immediately east of the walls, but it is not part of the Kremlin complex. Visitors also sometimes use “Kremlin” as a synonym for the Russian government; historically, however, kremlin is a general Russian term for a fortified central citadel.