Until the beginning of the 19th century, the territory occupied by the Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure was located outside the city. Today it is the center of the capital, a favorite vacation spot of Muscovites.
In this calm and picturesque place, located on the banks of the Moskva River, everyone will find a sparsely populated area where you can hide from the hustle and bustle of the city, ride a boat or take a walk along the alleys of the Neskuchny Garden.
Gorky Central Park of Culture and Rest: History
Once upon a time there was the estate of Prince Trubetskoy, which was famous not only for its magnificent buildings, but also for the botanical garden, where Moscow’s high society spent time with pleasure.
In 1923, the All-Russian Agricultural Exhibition was held next to this garden. It was at this time that it was decided to create “The Combine of Culture in the Fresh Air” on the territory of the exhibition, Sparrow Hills and Neskuchny Garden. So there was the first park of the Soviet period, which was intended for the organization of leisure activities of the population, the conduct of political and educational, cultural and educational work.
In March 1928, the Moscow government decided to create a Central Park of Culture and Rest on the territory of the former All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. For this purpose, a construction commission was created, which received many proposals from citizens. Some believed that this park should be equipped with everything necessary for recreation. "The central green massif should be given to athletes!" - others claimed. There were many opinions. Someone wanted the Central Park of the city to be the venue for music competitions and concerts. Muscovites not only heatedly discussed what it would be like, but also created it with their own hands. At subbotniks, they paved paths, dismantled unnecessary buildings, rammed sites, uprooted stumps, etc.
Opening
The park was officially opened in August 1928. The capital's newspapers on the eve (August 11, 1928) invited everyone here to the townspeople. They reported that on the opening day the entrance to the park will be free, and then the cost will be 10 kopecks. In addition, seasonal tickets were issued, the price of which was 50 cents.
The opening was an event of international scale. Nowhere in the world has a park been created for workers. The central cultural and entertainment complex attracted the attention of the foreign press.
Park layout
Moscow Constructivist K. Melnikov was appointed the chief architect of the construction being created. He owns the idea of the layout of the stalls, which has survived to our time. She replaced the one that was designed during the preparation for the All-Russian exhibition by the architect I.V. Zholtovsky.
Melnikov planned to install a fountain in the center of the stalls, in which, according to him, water jets should form the architecture. His project was not implemented. In the mid-thirties, on the site that Melnikov allocated for its construction, a completely different character fountain was created, made by the architect A.V. Vlasov.
The central park of Moscow began to be built up with the first exhibition and sports pavilions. Also appeared a decorative pool, attractions and a children's town. In 1932, it got its name - Gorky Central Park.
Betty Glan
The name of this woman is written in golden letters in the history of the park. Betty Glan was its first director (1929-1937). This time, historians often call the "golden era" of the park. In the twenties, it was often referred to only as "a cultural plant for remaking consciousness."
In 1929, the reconstruction of the park continued. The architect Rodrigo Dacosta (Brazil) restored the “Handicraft Department” pavilion (current administration), and a sound cinema was placed there. He became truly legendary and most popular in Moscow and worked until the war, but the bomb destroyed it in 1942.
The park has a lot of attractions. The 35-meter parachute tower with a spiral descent, located near the Moscow River, was especially popular. Visitors moved down it, using special rugs for this.
The main part of the rides was located between the "Hexagon" and the Pioneer pond. The Hexagon Pavilion is a restaurant with tables around the fountain in the courtyard. The park regularly hosted a wide variety of events. Increasingly, the central park was called the “cultural complex”, “the green university”, “the propagandist of a new way of life”, “the weekend school”, etc.
Under the leadership of Betty Glan, he became known throughout the world, turned into a symbol of the new socialist state.
In 1937, Betty was arrested after her husband. She spent seventeen years in the camps, but survived and was rehabilitated in 1954. After her release, she worked for a long time in the Union of Composers. The book of her memoirs was published in 1988. In 2008, when the Gorky Central Park celebrated its 85th anniversary, Betty Glan's book was once again reprinted.
Park development
Muscovites immediately fell in love with this park. The central garden and park complex of the city has become their favorite vacation spot. Gradually, Lenin Square, the Bolshoi and Maly theaters, a children's town, "Spiral Descent" (attraction), etc. began to appear here.
A military town, a symphonic stage was created in Neskuchny Sad; in the Golitsyn Park - "Corner of Silence". The hunting and bath houses turned into tea and snack bars - Samovarnik and Float. The southern part of the Neskuchny Garden (behind the Andreevsky ravine) was taken under a one-day rest town. Here, in addition to the residential building, there was its own park with paths, lawns and flowerbeds, dance and sports facilities, a musical and cinema stage, a reading room and various attractions.
Gorky Park today
As already mentioned, the development project of this wonderful park zone, stretching for seven kilometers along the Moskva River, was developed by a group of architects led by avant-garde K. S. Melnikov. It should be noted that the layout is almost in its original form preserved to our time.
The huge Triumphal Gate is the entrance to the park from the Krymsky Val. There is also an entrance from the embankment (at Andreevsky bridge), as well as from Leninsky Prospekt. Central Park covers an area of 109 hectares. It can be divided into two zones - Neskuchny Garden and ground floor. The center of the latter is decorated with a magnificent musical fountain, where Muscovites and guests of the capital like to relax. On the territory there are many small fountains.
An impressive part of the park is occupied by Golitsyn ponds (half a hectare) and several smaller reservoirs, which are surrounded by rose gardens and flower beds. The Golitsyn pond can be divided into two parts: on one of them swans and ducks swim all summer, the second part is designed for catamarans and boats.
In the west of the park is the Green Theater, which was built in 1928 and reconstructed in the late sixties. Today, various concerts and competitions are held here. Behind it begins the Pushkinskaya embankment and the magnificent Neskuchny Garden. The park has free Wi-Fi, there are excellent bike paths, a rope town for children “Panda Park”, playgrounds and much more.
Entertainment
Today, Muscovites, Russian and foreign tourists are happy to visit Gorky Park. The central cultural and entertainment complex of the capital attracts people with its magnificent landscape and a lot of various entertainments for both children and adults.
From Pushkinskaya embankment you can go on a fascinating three-hour journey along the Moscow River on the yacht Radisson Royal Moscow. An open-air summer cinema Pioneer is open. Here you can watch famous Soviet films.
Sport
Central Park (the city of Moscow) retains its sports orientation, laid down in the years of its creation, today. There is a running center, yoga classes are held. Fans of table tennis will love Ping Pong Park, and a modern tennis court with professional flooring meets European standards. Beach volleyball and soccer fields are available. In the park you can rent a bike or roller, scooter or bicycle and other sports equipment.
Many Muscovites look forward to opening every year in the Gorky ice rink park with artificial ice and luxurious lighting. It works from November to March. It should be noted that the coating withstands even positive temperatures. This is the largest ice rink in Europe - its area is eighteen thousand square meters.
Fans of extreme sports appreciated the artificial slide for snowboarders. This is the largest such facility in the world. It is built on a unique design. The route consists of areas for beginner snowboarders and experienced craftsmen. The artificial turf allows the slide to work all winter.
Culture
There is a Garage in the park - the center of modern culture. His main task is to promote contemporary art. The pavilion regularly hosts demonstrations of experimental works by novice artists and exhibitions, film screenings and lectures.
Are there any attractions in the park?
Today there are no attractions in the park, they were dismantled in 2011. Instead, there were many interesting places for children. One of them is the Green School. Here the kids get acquainted with the heroes of children's cartoons and fairy tales, for them the club, bearing the ridiculous name “Mamalysh,” opened its doors.
Older children will be interested in visiting a mini zoo or squirrel. Here you can feed animals with treats bought in special vending machines.
Teenagers enjoy visiting the People’s Observatory, which was created in 1929. It was reconstructed and today again meets visitors. The dome of the observatory rotates 360 degrees. A telescope is installed in it, which increases the celestial bodies by 840 times. The observatory holds free lectures by leading employees of the main planetarium of Moscow.
Restaurants and Cafes
There are a lot of such institutions in the park. For example, in the restaurant by the river "Seasons" you can taste delicious dishes of Russian and European cuisine (black cod fillets, for example). Cafe Pelman offers a portion of fragrant hot dumplings with fillings for every taste. Fans of light desserts recommend visiting the Fruit Bar, where you will be treated to an original fruit salad.
How to get to Central Park?
You can get to the wonderful entertainment complex from the Park Kultury metro station. The road will take you no more than ten minutes.