Photo: architectural monuments, museums and exhibitions, parks and recreation, Zaryadye Park, Moscow

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Zaryadye Park: an artificial microclimate on the bank of the Moskva River

Architectural Monuments • Museums and Exhibitions • Parks and recreation

Zaryadye is the historical name of the former Moscow trading village, which in the XIV century was located between Varvarka Street and the Moskva River. Zaryadye Park, which has no analogues in Russia, was opened in 2017 in the center of the capital city three steps far from the Red Square. Designers have developed a space on the banks of the Moskva River, dividing it into four landscape zones specific for of Russia. Curiously, the concept of the park was suggested by American architects who came up with the most popular today High Line Park in New York.

In the Zaryadye Park one can visit both the ice cave and the media center, listen to concerts in the Philharmonic Hall, and taste unique Russian dishes at the Vkus Rossii (taste of Russia) restaurant, where the walls are replaced by stained glass windows with nature views. Here one can simultaneously see the birch grove and the tundra with its laying bushes and lakes with reeds. They principally did not make tracks in the park, as tiles, wood and grass surfaces are much more pleasant than asphalt. An unusual idea is the floating bridge. From this springboard, which really hovers over the Moskva River, there are amazing views of the river, the Kremlin, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the embankment. One can walk in the park at any time of the day or night as everything is lit up in the dark.

Zaryadye Park is one of the five best parks in the world! But first of all it is unique as this place has preserved the most ancient history. After all, since the XVI century mainly merchants and salespeople settled here. Central street of Zaryadye led from the Konstantin-Eleninsky gate of the Kremlin directly to the pier of the Moskva River through which goods were delivered here. Most of the historic wooden houses of Zaryadye were destroyed by the fire of 1812, when during the Patriotic War the city was set on fire by Napoleon's troops. The stone three-story houses were built on the place of the burned down ones, which housed small shops, and craftsmen lived there. But in the 30s of the XXth the trading settlement Zaryadye was destroyed. In the 1940s Moscow began the grandiose construction of eight metropolitan skyscrapers in the style of the Soviet Art Deco. Seven of them were built. However, the eighth skyscraper in Zaryadye was not completed because of Stalin's death, and the grand Palace of Soviets on the site of the blown up temple of Christ the Savior was not completed either. In the 60s the building of the Rossiya Hotel was erected in Zaryadye. For most native Moscow residents this building remained in the memories as a beautiful concert hall, where wonderful concerts of pop stars of that time were held and a summer Moscow Film Festival was held. And Hotel Rossiya stood there till 2006 when it was dismantled.

Zaryadye Park: an artificial microclimate on the bank of the Moskva River

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