Red Square hosts GUM ice rink opening on 30 November
Published on 11/14/2026 at 15:29 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSWinter access and rink opening
- GUM Department Store oversees the ice rink opening at Red Square on 30 November 2026.
- Assembly work partly restricts the square, leaving access from the Lenin Mausoleum side on 9 November 2026.
- The Kremlin and Red Square entered the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990.
- GUM lies on the square's eastern side, opposite the Kremlin walls.
Red Square (Krasnaya ploshchad) in Moscow is preparing for the GUM ice rink opening on 30 November 2026, while assembly work is already restricting part of the square. The winter installation links a current access change with one of the Russian capital's best-known public spaces.
GUM ice rink opening follows November assembly work
Work on the ice rink and New Year fair began at Red Square on 9 November 2026. Regional news outlet MSK1 reported that fencing runs from the State Historical Museum towards Saint Basil's Cathedral, with visitors able to enter only from the side of the Lenin Mausoleum during the reported works.
The same report said that the ceremonial opening of the GUM ice rink is planned for 30 November 2026. Full skating sessions are scheduled to begin on 1 December 2026 and continue until 1 March 2027, according to information attributed to the rink's official website. MSK1's report on the assembly also describes preparations for fair pavilions and attractions on the square.
Time Out separately reported on 9 November 2026 that the GUM rink would open on 30 November, with regular skating beginning on 1 December. That second report confirms the opening date and identifies the venue as the rink on Red Square, while the access restriction remains tied to the construction work rather than to the skating programme itself. Time Out's rink announcement gives the matching dates.
Red Square's heritage setting shapes the winter visit
The rink is being assembled in a square bordered by the Kremlin, GUM, the State Historical Museum and Saint Basil's Cathedral. This arrangement means that the temporary winter installation occupies the same public space used for views of several major Moscow landmarks.
Red Square and the Moscow Kremlin form one UNESCO World Heritage property. UNESCO says the property was inscribed in 1990 and describes Red Square as lying beneath the eastern wall of the Kremlin. Saint Basil's Cathedral stands at the southern end, while the State Historical Museum and the Upper Trading Rows, now GUM, form other sides of the historic ensemble. UNESCO's heritage description places the modern rink within a setting shaped by architecture from the fifteenth century onwards.
The winter programme therefore changes the way the square is encountered without changing its permanent landmarks. On 9 November 2026, visitors could still approach from the Lenin Mausoleum side, but the fencing blocked the direct route across the areas where the rink and fair were being installed.
From Kremlin walls to GUM's eastern frontage
The square lies in Moscow's historic centre, directly beside the Kremlin. GUM occupies the eastern side, Saint Basil's Cathedral marks the southern end, and the State Historical Museum stands to the north-west. These fixed reference points make the rink easy to locate, although the temporary barriers may alter the most direct approach during assembly.
The setting also explains why the opening has practical importance beyond skating. The rink is not placed in a separate park but in the open square beside the Kremlin walls and GUM's long historic facade. The 30 November 2026 opening will therefore add a seasonal visitor use to a place already defined by museums, religious architecture, ceremonial routes and public access.
Visiting Red Square: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The GUM ice rink opening is planned for 30 November 2026 at Red Square, with full skating sessions scheduled from 1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027.
- On 9 November 2026, assembly work partly restricted the square, and MSK1 reported that the remaining visitor passage was on the Lenin Mausoleum side.
- Red Square is beside the Moscow Kremlin, with GUM to the east, the State Historical Museum to the north-west and Saint Basil's Cathedral to the south.
- The square is an open urban setting with extensive hard paving and winter exposure; the temporary rink and surrounding barriers may change the walking route.
- Russian is the official language and the national currency is the rouble.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Red Square
When does the GUM ice rink opening take place at Red Square?
The ceremonial opening is planned for 30 November 2026. Full skating sessions are scheduled from 1 December 2026 to 1 March 2027.
What is changing at Red Square in November 2026?
Assembly of the GUM ice rink and New Year fair is partly restricting visitor access. On 9 November 2026, the reported remaining passage was on the Lenin Mausoleum side.
Where is Red Square and how do you get there?
Red Square is in Moscow's historic centre beside the Kremlin. GUM, the State Historical Museum and Saint Basil's Cathedral provide the main landmarks for locating the square.
