Sights of VDNH attract thousands of visitors every year. After all, this is the largest entertainment and educational complex in our country, located in the north-east of the capital. Every day there are many visitors. The exhibition has fountains and pavilions built at the very beginning of the Soviet era, they are located along wide paved alleys.
There are more modern works. They are dedicated to energy, space, cybernetics. This is a very harmonious complex, in which ponds and park areas occupy a special place.
History of the complex
The sights of VDNH have been exhibiting for several decades. The complex first opened its doors in 1939. This has become a vivid advertisement of the victory of socialism. Initially, there were many pavilions at VDNH that demonstrated the achievements of the socialist industry, which existed almost exclusively on the territory of the Soviet Union itself.
During the Soviet era, many citizens sought to get to VDNKh to see the abundance from which they were so unaccustomed to in ordinary life. Only here it was possible to consider obese animals, quality products, modern technology.
Each of the pavilions represented one of the republics of the Soviet Union or a specific branch of the national economy. In the very center was installed the Friendship of Peoples fountain and a pavilion dedicated to the Russian Federation. Around the fountain stood out golden sculptures of representatives of all the peoples inhabiting the USSR in national costumes.
In the 1990s, numerous merchants settled in the building. For many years, the exhibition fell into decay, turning into a banal market.
Exhibition Features
There are so many attractions at VDNKh that in one day all of them just might not have time to inspect. In fact, this is a series of specific and trade pavilions, in which permanent exhibits still operate, literary meetings and concerts are held.
Almost all sectors of the national economy are represented in the pavilions - these are transport, light industry, floriculture, and animal husbandry. Exhibitions, educational venues and museums work. For example, the largest oceanarium in Russia, a fishing village, a city farm, a rose garden, an amusement park with a huge Ferris wheel, a green theater, a reading room.
Fans of distant stars will surely be attracted by the interactive museum, which is located inside the life-size model of the Buran spacecraft. Here you can spend his virtual landing at the cosmodrome or watch a film about his glorious history.
When the cold comes, an ice rink is poured at VDNH. The territory is adjacent to the Botanical Garden, where you can also see a lot of fun.
Working hours
You can see the sights of VDNH at the address: Moscow City, Mira Avenue, 121. It is best to get to the destination by public transport. For example, in the metropolitan metro to the VDNH station.
The complex is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Entrance to the territory itself is free. You will have to pay for parking and travel. Sightseeing tours are organized on the territory of VDNH; you can move around on foot or on domestic routes.
Excursions
At VDNH there is its own tour desk, which offers various exciting events. These are educational tours, and unusual quests.
On a sightseeing tour at VDNH in two hours you will learn many amazing facts about this complex and local attractions. You can rediscover the famous fountains, take a different look at the mosaics, authentic vases and panels.
As part of the excursion quest, you have to go through a quiz consisting of ten questions. All of them are in one way or another connected with the architecture and history of the complex.
Guided tours of selected exhibits, such as a craft fleet, are also provided.
Exhibitions
Exhibitions at VDNH are constantly held , the exposition of which is regularly updated.
So, now you can visit the exhibition "Dmitry Andreev. Cutter of illusions" in the cinema museum. The exhibition presents more than forty costumes from feature films and series, as well as various fashion artifacts from different eras from the collection of the author himself.
The crafts library hosts an exhibition called "Social Dislocation." This is a project of the popular artist Leila Karipova, in which she combined twelve photo portraits of young men and women with developmental disabilities. Also presented is a film in which each of the heroes of the project tells his story.
An exhibition at the Exhibition of Economic Achievements called "Young but Not Broken" is a project in which all sorts of different genres and types of visual art are intertwined. The topic of the study, which the authors are trying to reveal, is their impressions of a long journey.
Many exciting events are constantly held at VDNH. So, in Pavilion No. 2 there is an interactive family exhibition "Robostation", which presents robots from around the world. Unique examples of artificial intelligence from the UK, South Korea, Canada, Germany, China, Japan, Russia and the United States.
The symbol of the Soviet era
The monument "Worker and Collective Farm Girl" at VDNH is one of the most famous Soviet sculptures, which is considered a symbol and ideal of the life that was in the USSR.
It is a sculptural group consisting of two figures. Above their heads they hold a hammer and sickle. The compositional concept and concept belong to the architect Boris Iofan, and the sculptor Vera Mukhina became the direct author of this work of art.
The monument is made of chromium-nickel steel. Its height without a pedestal is 24.5 meters, and the total weight is 185 tons.
The sculpture was created for the World Exhibition in Paris in 1937, was presented in the Soviet pavilion.
Famous fountain
The description of the Fountain of Friendship of Peoples fountain at VDNKh is known to everyone who has visited this complex at least once. This is one of the symbols of VDNH, which was created in 1954 according to the project of Konstantinovsky and Topuridze. It is located on the Central Alley, near the Main Pavilion.
Initially, in its place were located recreation areas with several pavilions and cafes for children. When designing a new exhibition, it was decided to build republican pavilions, and then place them along the central axis.
Konstantinovsky and Topuridze by that time had already managed to build the Main Fountain near the pavilion "Ukraine".
The hydraulic part and the design itself were developed by engineer Klyavin. For the electrical part, the design office of Mossvetproekt was responsible.
In the center of the octagonal pool is an oval fountain. On a granite base there is a bowl-shaped sheaf of wheat, sunflowers and technical hemp of impressive size. For example, the height of one stop is about seven and a half meters. Around placed 16 female sculptures, which are made of bronze, and then covered with gold leaf.
There is a version that, when implementing this project, Topuridze was guided by the sculptures of the "Guryev Service" by the representative of classicism Stepan Pimenov and the Peterhof fountains.
16 female statues symbolize 16 republics that were part of the USSR (the last was Karelian-Finnish, which existed until 1956). Each girl is dressed in a national costume, and holds a plant or fruit in her hands.
The layout of the capital
The architectural model of Moscow at VDNH is a unique exhibit. The central part of the city is represented on the territory of 369 square meters on a scale of 1: 400. In total, it completed almost twenty thousand buildings located inside the Garden Ring, as well as partially beyond.
Currently, a fragment of the layout from the north is limited to the area of Three Stations, from the south by the Youth Palace, from the east by the Hammer and Sickle factory, and from the west by the Belorussky railway station. You can find the pavilion on the Lilac Alley.
Visitors have a unique opportunity to examine in detail the historical center of the Russian capital. Red Square, the House on the Embankment, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, many important and iconic buildings and structures for the city were recreated in detail.
The main distinguishing feature of this layout is its amazing detail, as well as the most accurate recreation of the relief and landscape.
Every day at noon and at 6 p.m. they organize a lighting show in which special effects, light and sound are used.
Bringing Down the House
The Changeling House in Moscow at VDNH is one of the most unusual objects in this complex. The house stands upside down, all objects in it are also turned upside down. Surprisingly, this is not a museum, not an illusion or an architectural monument, but a very unusual interactive attraction.
The sensations that visitors experience are simply amazing. In the interior of this house, the life of an ordinary European resident is simulated. Around the dishes from the ordinary supermarket, wooden furniture, in the garage there is a small car.
Just be prepared for the fact that the walk will last long enough, all this time you will not leave the thought that something heavy is about to fall on you.
The cost of visiting this facility is three hundred rubles.
Port
The place of attraction for most visitors to VDNH is the port. There are clean water pools, a real sandy beach, comfortable sun loungers, dance floors and food courts.
Guests are constantly in an atmosphere of beautiful relaxation and serenity. It is best to spend time here with children, for whom an interesting entertainment program is provided.
Outreach parties with the participation of jazz musicians, games in the sand in frisbee and volleyball, painting workshops are constantly held, and group exercises in water aerobics, yoga, and group fitness training are held at the pool itself. You can also just swim.
It is especially worth noting that the port operates only on the hottest days, so it’s best to check in advance whether this site is open on the day you plan to visit it.