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Red Square Closed to Pedestrians Until Oct. 11

The Red Square will be closed till Oct. 11 because of the International Festival of Light and the Olympic Games torch relay Chris Hill

Tourists who have booked a trip to Moscow for the start of next month could be left feeling short-changed as Red Square will be closed to the general public until Oct. 11.

The closure of one of the city's foremost sightseeing spots coincides with a number of events taking place there at the start of October, the Federal Protective Service said, Dozhd television reported Monday.

On Oct. 7, the Olympic torch for the Sochi Winter Games will set off from Red Square on its 65,000-kilometer relay through Russia.

Another reason for the shutdown is that the nearby Manezh Square is being used as one of the venues for the International Light Festival that will be held from Oct. 4-8.

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